Have you ever felt as though no one is listening? That expressing your serious concerns is just an act of futility? This is how it feels to be a teacher in the 20-21 school year. The following is just some of what you may hear us trying to shout. (This is not an exhaustive list,…
Home for the Holidays
Usually, I am pretty obsessive when it comes to decorating for Christmas or decorating for anything for that matter. When the Christmas bins come out, I usually take hours to sort through, combining old and new decorations, trying to come up with picture perfect arrangements. Sometimes I take days to sit and look at things…
The Room Where it Happens
I've only been in there once, and I was fourteen at the time, knee deep into my freshman year of high school. Funny how your "ME"lio-centric view of the universe changes when you find out your grandmother is in a hospital bed.
Fall Fears
I made the mistake of watching Betsy DeVos being interviewed on TV last night while she robotically repeated the same two phrases over and over again- “Students must return to school in the fall” “Students must be full time learning” and never answered any of the actual questions being asked. No answers about “how” this…
Political Science
I am not sure when I developed such a love for learning science. It could have been when I was younger and had dreams of being an astronaut. It could have been that AP Physics class that I took in high school, (but probably not, our “independent study group” spent more time playing card games…
Moment(s) of Silence
Been kind of speechless lately- maybe because I'm from the Thumper school of thought that says "you don't have nothin' nice to say, don't say nothin' at all." Or maybe it's all the noise that I'm surrounded by- literal household noise, yes, but also that of constant news reports, trying to be helpful but yet…
Weathering the Storm
I have to admit, after writing my last post toting about the “positives” of our current global situation, it has been pretty difficult to stay positive. There are good and bad days. The bar for the “good” days has been set pretty low. I talked to a loved one on the phone, video chatted with…
Piecing Together the Positives
We have started week two of "social distancing" and "staying and working at home" because of Coronavirus. The only time we have left the house is to go to the grocery store to get what is left on the shelves while sharing anxious glances with everyone else there. We come home to be surrounded by…
It’s not Brain Surgery, it’s Tougher!
I recently shared the following quote with one of my classes, "A teacher has to make more decisions in a day than a brain surgeon." I had seen this quote numerous times on social media. I was jokingly sharing the quote with them because I had to completely change my lesson at the last minute…
Senioritis-20
A new version of the illness, "Senioritis,"specific to those in the graduating class of 2020. Symptoms include: Crying at the disappointment of lost opportunities- show choir competitions, performances, club meetings, dances, athletic events, rights of passage, and general social opportunities with friendsGuilt about feeling sad when others in the world are in much more difficult…
thMUGlife 