The last couple of years, most or all of my classes (as a whole—not every individual student) had self-control issues. Inability to stay quiet, to accept directions, to follow through on assignments, regardless of where the task fell on the fun meter. In extreme cases, yelling and swearing. Unrelenting back-talk. Things said to me that … Read more
This popped up in my Facebook memories the other day: “Looking up info about my student loan … It will accrue $77.45 in interest in the next 25 days. This thing has got to go.” (It’s long gone!) Years ago, I saw an exercise where the writer* took a calendar. She calculated how much she … Read more
I taught a hip hop class second semester last year. Damien was one of the kids in it. He was a neat kid. At the end of the year, 6th grade promoted, and he moved on to junior high. Except he only went to two days (and that’s only because my district started already). As … Read more
I wrote Thursday about how some of the habits that made me a great student were actually reaction to trauma, and I wondered how my life would be different if any of my teachers saw red flags instead of the ideal. I need to follow up with that today to clarify that I don’t blame … Read more
Last year, some of my band classes did a month-long composition activity. I asked students for written feedback: tell me if you liked the activity or not and why. Two reports read the following: “I liked it because it was easy.” “I didn’t like it because it was too easy.” Isn’t that funny? First, that … Read more
I’ve always had good penmanship. I got Bs in school because my cursive didn’t slant–it was straight up and down–but I don’t think that makes it poor. Anyway. Most of the time nowadays, I print. For a long time, when I would write quickly (taking notes, for example), it was sloppy, but when I slowed … Read more
Growing up, the first day of school was always so exciting. I always had a new outfit. Often a new backpack or lunch box. I had friends at school. I got along well with most of my teachers, so that was never a worry for me. I wasn’t a wiggly kid and had no trouble … Read more
A thing happened. Person A was in a bad emotional place. Person B offered company and help with a difficult task. Person A, not wanting to impose, declined the offer. Except that Person B was also in a precarious emotional place, and helping would have also done them a lot of good, for a lot … Read more
In the district where I teach, today is the first day of school for students. (Teachers, counselors, others started last week. Principals, custodians, some of the office staff have been working all summer.) Today is July 23. I grew up in New Jersey, where school always started after Labor Day. (We have mid-quarter parent conferences … Read more
A workout definitely feels more accomplished if I’m sweating hard at the end. Of course, the photo was taken after an outdoor run the other morning. It was hot and sunny, so the sweat wasn’t really indicative of the run being harder than the same run in the winter, but it still feels better. (In … Read more