Last week, a student got his cell phone (which he was using in school) confiscated by another teacher.The following hour, in my class, he ranted and raved about the unfairness of the system (most of my students are against “the man”-which is synonymous for whoever they are angry with in the moment). Somewhere on the [...]
When I was in high school, my government teacher, Mr.Ley, had this bumper sticker posted on the whiteboard in his room:
I never really completely got it as a kid.I do now.Below are the latest round of budget cuts in the district where I work, which prompts the question: Would anyone like to buy a 2.4 [...]
In Michigan, when a tornado is expected, a tornado advisory siren sounds. Similarly, right before winter comes, we have this extended get-yourself-ready-for-winter warning known as fall.
In fall, I wake up experiencing what I am sure is the early onset of frostbite. I locate my coat, mentally berating myself for not locating my winter gloves when [...]
This is the fourth day of the American Revolution unit.We always start with vocabulary–the logic being kids have to know what words mean before they’ll be able to follow what you’re saying. Then we move onto a powerpoint explanation using images and sometimes audio. Day four, I give my students selected readings and questions about [...]
Last week, I taught about the American Revolution. Meaning last week I talked to myself about the American Revolution while my students attempted to text message their friends from phones stashed in their laps, below desk level.Me: So the American Revolution inspired other revolutions…Them: Click click click click click–occasional eye contact–click click click click click(I [...]
Today, I unknowingly broke one of the cardinal rules of Picture Day. My offense today was not my choice of clothes, which is sometimes my offense. My brown cardigan, the students say, is more like a cape, which is a lose-lose since they do not pay me extra respect due to my super-hero costume.My clothes [...]
