Tag Archives: confession
How Not to Be Offensitive
“Maybe, you might have some advice to give How [not] to be [offensitive]….” – Jann Arden “Insensitive” Offensitive – Easily offended and overly sensitive I can be fairly sarcastic, a little sardonic, and sometimes I offend people with my off the cuff remarks. There were years where I introduced myself to classes by telling them, […]
The Death Knell for Elementary and Middle Schools: Creating the New Standard for Education
I’m pretty sure it’s time to do away with all elementary and middle schools. We’ve seen enough. The students obviously know everything and since the grades don’t really matter and the permanent records only exist to taunt everyone, there is absolutely no point to Kindergarten through 8th grade. This is unfortunate for educators as it […]
You Can’t Build a Time Machine
I didn’t write my column last week. The days leading up to last Tuesday came and went, and I knew I needed to sit down and write up something, but I just couldn’t think of anything worth writing. At least that was the excuse I used. My wife kept reminding me that I needed to […]
You can’t Shame Your Way to Success
If you’re anything like the many people who step on the scale every morning, after enjoying a night – or full day of – candy, soda, and carbs, you’re probably still really angry that the count is continuously higher than yesterday’s. Regardless, you step down, glare in the mirror, and in your faux-drill-sergeant voice you […]
Teach Like It’s The 21st Century
In the beginning there were desks. There was a chalkboard. There was a podium. There were students in rows, pencils at the ready, notebooks opened, and a sage on the stage who preached grammar, and geography, and math, but gave no thought to the students in front of them. They were there to listen, learn, […]
Write the Real, Not the “Real”
Write the real. Notice there are no quotation marks around the word “real” in that first sentence; it’s because the words that should go down on paper are those that actually represent what actually happens either in real life, or in the thought process of real life, or in the real life lessons learned over […]
The Art of Procrastination
Procrastination is an art form. There should be a plaque, or a People’s Choice award, or a Certificate of Achievement for the focus and commitment it takes to truly sit down a few hours before an assignment is due, flip through notes, press fingers to keyboard, and know that everything will be just fine. I […]
Armchair Activist: How Many Clicks Does it Take?
You are an armchair activist armed with Facebook statuses and the click click click of the Like button. You are the world’s misleading expert on everything amassed from hours online. Refresh. Refresh. Refresh. You’re armed with Likes based on quarter-researched comments on someone else’s timeline. Never a need to express your own opinions when the […]
Semantics in the Era of “Sup?”
“Semantics semantics you don’t know semantics. Semantics matter, Mom!” my 7-year-old sang to my wife while at the dinner table the other evening. While she sang and pointed, my wife shot me an evil glance, and the kid and I cracked up laughing. It was funny. It was very funny. At the same time, it […]
Your Pseudo-Struggles, and the Effect on Your Students
It’s Monday morning, and I’m wondering if the teachers with whom I work are standing outside their doors, and greeting each student as they meander into the classroom. Are they shaking their hands? Are they asking about the music in their headphones? Are they asking about what they read, or saw, or discovered, or questioned […]