January 2010
45 posts
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“This year, we have broken through the stalemate between left and right by...”
– Barack Obama’s State of the Union 2010. WHY DON’T PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS CONCEPT
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Renaissance Schools list announced →
The middle school I taught at for two years with Teach For America is on this list. At the time, it was “run” by Edison Schools, an education management organization, although if you ask me, the students had more control of that place than any other body at the time. So the fact that the district is getting all up in its grill makes me skeptical—Stetson has changed leadership...
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On nationality.
dearcoketalk:
What are your thoughts on dating Persian men?
Based on the overly aggressive, mildly annoying way you submitted this question seventeen times in a row, I’m gonna go ahead and assume that you’re Persian.
I’m also going to assume that what you’re really doing is asking me to speak on behalf of all LA party girls as to why you’re constantly being rejected in the clubs. You’re using...
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Tales From School, #13: What's In A Name
Student #1: I hate my name! I wish it was Alexis. I wish my mom didn't have to be all creative and different and name me [name that is similar to Alexis and sounds like a luxury car brand].
Jillary Clinton: Oh, you mean like Mercedes?
Me: Or Honda. Honda, now THAT would be SO pretty.
Jillary Clinton: Or Nissan.
Student #2: I had a cat named Nissan once.
Jillary Clinton: You did?
Student #2: Yeah, but it got run over.
Jillary Clinton [in jest]: By a Nissan?
Student #2 [straight-faced]: No, by a Hyundai.
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Tales From School, #14: And This Is Why Sex Ed...
Student: Ms. ________, do you have any trampelons?
Dean: Excuse me? Can you spell that?
Student: (writes "trampelons" down on paper)
Dean: Well, my little cousin likes to jump on those. But I don't have one.
Student (impatient): Ms. ________, come on! I know you got one.
Dean: Actually, no I don't have any. I almost broke my back on one a while ago. They scare me!
Student (now desperate): Ms. ________, stop being funny! I need a trampelon right now because I got my...you know.
Dean: Oh. (long pause) OH.
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Teaching: Notes from the Front Lines →
My friend David wrote this! His classroom was featured in the NYT article from a few weeks ago that I blogged about on the Notebook.
I’m glad I work in education.
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One Last Thing Before I Go To Bed
Teaching regularly tops lists of most stressful jobs, along with many positions in healthcare, social services, and law enforcement. I suppose it is because we regularly have the world’s bare, ugly face thrown into ours; on a daily basis, we see its future flash before our eyes. It’s quite the burden.
And with that, I should also mention that I will have a new blog post up at The...
mhight:
well?
have you noticed anything?
I have been trying to write less about dating/love/relationships. no love lessons, no commentary, no self-deprecating jokes about being single, no fond walks down memory lane about someone I dated two years ago.
I have been trying to focus on other things.
mostly food.
it was sort of my new years resolution, which is saying a lot, because last year...
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Ce Weekend: January 22-January 24, 2010
saw A Single Man
read another chapter of Sophie’s World and may need a prescription for Adderall before I attempt any more philosophy, however elementary it may be.
got ahead in grading
spent ten Borders Bucks (highlights: newest Economist, January’s British Vogue. I’m dichotomous like that. Have already gone through both. British Vogue, by the way, is younger and more fun...
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LOL →
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Tales From School, #12: Lotion
Student 1: Ms. _____, you need more ink in that homework stamp.
Student 2: Yeah, that stamp all ashy. Someone get that stamp some lotion.
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TFA Alums Don't Vote, and Other Half-Truths →
I went to a meeting the other day with the lovely blogging staff of The Notebook and came away feeling inspired to write, grateful for the fantastic opportunity to write for such an outlet, and deeply respectful of all the great work they do.
Anyway, after a much-too-long hiatus, I got it together enough to write another post. I was pleasantly surprised to find out from our editor’s data...
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Badasses Who Share My Birthday: A Truncated List
Benjamin Franklin
Al Capone
Eartha Kitt
James Earl Jones
Muhammad Ali
Michelle Obama
Kid Rock
That would be quite the birthday party!
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“But above all, we act for a very simple reason: in times of tragedy, the United...”
– Barack Obama
This quote may make some of you uncomfortable. If it doesn’t—it probably should. For decades, part of America’s leadership has been founded on the fact that we do not use our power to subjugate others—but that doesn’t mean we haven’t done some subjugating in the past decades. And, in...
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“PSSA test questions are so stupid. I want to know who writes them. Every...”
– Jillary Clinton
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Happy Birthday Dad
Dad: Your aunt was telling me all the other people who have my same birthday. Albert Schweitzer, Andy Rooney--
Me: You're in good company. All curmudgeons!
Dad: --and Maureen Dowd.
Me: Like I said. Curmudgeons!
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Tales From School, #11: Hiccups
Me: I have hiccups.
Student: You do? But you an adult.
Me: What does that have to do with anything?
Student: I don't know, I thought only kids got hiccups. Because they say every time you hiccup, you grow a little bit.
Me: Well then, sign me up. But I wish I could stop hiccuping right now.
Student: You should hold your breath for 10 seconds. That's what my grandmom always says.
Me: Ten seconds, huh?
Student: Well, I don't know. Maybe 20 because you're older.
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Tales From School, #10: I Guess In Some Circles,...
Student: Ms. _____, did you want to be a teacher when you were younger?
Me: Well, I kind of flipped back and forth between a lot of things.
Student: Hmm...well, that's what community college is for.
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Call me old fashioned
tacklinginequalities:
I’m from the school of thought that you shouldn’t take down a single decoration until there are more pine needles on the floor than there are on the Christmas tree.
In other words, until I’m living in a $2,000/month tinder box.
You’re not old-fashioned, you’re a secret Spanish-flavored Roman Catholic! THREE KINGS DAY WHAT WHAT
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Growing Up Chicano: Thoughts On Bilingual... →
My students and I are doing an author study of Gary Soto—we read a collection of his short stories, and we’ve been reading his poetry lately. Teaching poetry makes me appreciate it, because really, I don’t care for it (which is unusual for an English major, I guess, but there you go).
While browsing the internet for some supplementary articles, I came across this gem....
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cuntrocket-deactivated20100125- asked: How old are you, what do you teach, and where? (Just a city or state, I'm not going to stalk you, I swear.)
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britticisms:
My brain thinks bomb-like, Beware...
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You'll never know unless you ask! →
And I know a lot…about TFA, crazy teaching stories from my years in the ‘hood, ridiculous things I have seen go down in Philadelphia, band geekisms, the meanings of obscure words, how to conjugate verbs for “thou”…you know, important stuff.
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Chanel Spring 2010
A bit late, but I felt it was important to give props to the Kaiser for making clogs look cute and current, and also for not featuring a single bondage-worthy heel in the entire show. My teacher feet are thanking you, Karl.
Now off to ogle resort and pre-fall and other crap I would never spend money on.
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"But a new study has found that their dedication... →
This.
It’s studies like this that piss me off. I can’t say much about the voting, but charitable giving? Did anyone think to remember that teachers don’t earn a whole lot of money? I completed my Teach For America commitment with an additional 40K of debt (thank you, Masters of Urban Education degree), on top of the money I owed for my undergraduate loans. Starting salary...
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Does anyone else get the feeling that Jane... →