I have a date every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights.  Actually, I have two dates on Tuesday nights.  I am THAT awesome.  I don’t even know the real names of many of the people…only their screen names.  And there’s many of them.  Sounds sketchy, right?  A little freaky?  Actually, it’s all on the up and […]

Teachers work all hours of the day, every day.  It’s just something we do.  It’s something we’re used to.  We don’t even think about it anymore.  Let me ask you this: Why?  Why are we used to this?  Also, when did this become the norm, and how did we miss this conversion? My co-teacher and […]

I hate to drop the “B-phrase” on you guys, but there’s no denying it…it’s that time.  Sigh.  We are headed back to a new year.  This is our new beginning.  Time to let last year go, and embrace the challenges (both good and bad) of the new year. Maybe this is your first year.  Could […]

Here I sit, finally prepping for the start of the new school year.  After this past year, and with new developments, and a smidge of self-pity, I already want the year to start so it can be over so next summer can arrive. I’ve done nothing school-related for the last month because I needed a break. […]

Any teacher with a number of years under his/her belt has had That Kid.  When you have That Kid, you look like this, A LOT:   I have That Kid this year. It’s been a rough year with him.  I swore he was going to be the end of my career, either because I was going […]

Teacher appreciation week isn’t about the gifts, kind words, or treats. It’s about the boy who wrote an essay and stated that I’m one of the best teachers in the world, who’s helping him to be a handsome man, and that if it weren’t for me (and his homeroom teacher) he wouldn’t be writing that […]

A resource room is a separate, remedial classroom in a school where students with educational disabilities, such as specific learning disabilities, are given direct, specialized instruction and academic remediation and assistance with homework and related assignments as individuals or in groups.  (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_room) According to Wikipedia, a resource room is an asset to education.  So why have they […]

Spring and Easter are occasions for rebirth, new growth, emergence, and reflection. That’s just what I did this weekend. I started counting calories again, I said a few extra prayers, I took time for myself, and I also did something scary. I took a leap of faith and trusted in the season of renewal. People […]

I want to begin this post by saying I have nothing against paraprofessionals (teacher assistants, to the layman).  Many of my dearest friends are paras, and some of the best times I’ve had have been with these awesome women.  They do as much work for the students as teachers do, and are paid less than half […]

I live in an area that is quite impoverished.  Most of the students in my school are on ‘free and reduced lunch’ and we send food bags home to a few families on the weekends so the kids have something to eat.  Poverty’s not pretty.  Someone once told me that there’s no shame in being […]