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Interesting Etymologies – Let’s Spruce It up!
Question: What do spruce trees and clean rooms have to do with each other? Answer: Etymology The other day I was reading the story of David Copperfield by Dickens. I have been reading quite a bit of his work recently due to my self confined state of illness and Continue reading
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Distance Learning: Day 5 (Still Planning)
After having spent a disproportionate amount of time stress eating and fucking off, as the Brits would say, I am finally feeling productive. It’s difficult not to think about the challenges that I still face as well as the incredibly labor intensive task that online teaching presents, but I am incrementally getting comfortable and checking Continue reading
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Distance Learning: Day 1 – Planning
Technically, this is day 2. However, yesterday I had just enough anxiety to make me productive . . . at reading and phone games. I did get a few things done near the end of the day, but the entire idea of online learning and all the things that my district is placing on us Continue reading
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Comfortable Un-certainty
We are all stressed. Every teacher in the nation, no matter how adapted to using technology in the classroom, is now being ordered by their respective governments to provide all content through various forms of distance learning. Every teacher is now being tasked with not only handling their own families and anxieties but also with the Continue reading
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Neologism
Today was pooptastic. I’m not sure if I am the first person to use that word or not, but I’m claiming it as my own. Hence the post title. Today was absolutely, 100% USDA Grade A, pooptastic. Today, I hit a breaking point. I could no longer tell myself to breathe and wait patiently for Continue reading
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Breakthrough
This weekend was one of serious reflection and introspection. After the fight broke out in my class last week I spent a lot of time questioning my classroom management routines and set-up. I knew something needed to change. Nothing was being taught and nothing was being learned. Students were constantly talking, no matter who was Continue reading
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TGIF
It’s been a busy couple of weeks here at school. Today was especially draining because my EL class is testing my classroom management skills and today a fight broke out between two students. It’s mentally and emotionally draining to constantly be dealing with disruptive behaviors. When I consider that I have also been busy with Access Continue reading
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Access Testing (Again)
Every year, the state and federal government requires that we assess the proficiency of all ELLs in our district. At the high school level, this can be a nightmare to schedule, especially with such a large, populated building. However, this year we decided to run an experiment: to test all students on a day already Continue reading
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How many times will I need to remind myself?
I don’t know why, but the theme for this year should really be Half-Ass. I honestly don’t even know where to begin with what went wrong today. Ok, yes I do. It all started with not understanding the direction of the lesson plan that my student teacher had set up. I could try to pass Continue reading
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Residual Trauma
It’s hard to describe to someone who has never taught in a public school the burdens of working so closely with students who have faced trauma. The heavy weight of knowing a student’s story and trying to balance that with the burdens of teaching can take a toll that is rarely discussed. Today, that toll Continue reading
The Life Argotic 