Annika is back from spending a whole week in Bemidji and she can't sleep. We've tried some water, reading, sleeping on the couch instead of on her bed, listening to a podcast to relax, and finally I had her take a melatonin (see yesterday's blog for more info on that). She's still awake and she's … Continue reading August 24: “can’t sleep”
School
July 30: THE SCHOOL DREAMS HAVE STARTED
They're HEEEEEEERRRREE! Two nights in a row now I've dreamed the back-to-school horror dreams. They usually don't start until mid-August but I am feeling extra anxious this year, so here we go! The first dream was especially weird. In it, I was back at Forest Lake and we were doing all the back-to-school stuff, and … Continue reading July 30: THE SCHOOL DREAMS HAVE STARTED
May 28: It’s hot
Today hit 100 degrees. It was the hottest Memorial Day ever for the Twin Cities. Like 6 weeks ago we had a real blizzard, now it's 100 degrees. I hate the heat. I was getting pretty sick of the snow, but I don't mind cool weather. I'm especially worried because most of the schools, including … Continue reading May 28: It’s hot
May 25: more gun violence in schools
Today a science teacher in an Indiana middle school averted a potential mass shooting situation when a 7th grader came back to class with two handguns. Apparently he nailed the kid in the head with a basketball, then tackled him. The teacher was shot three times, but appears to be in good condition. I haven't … Continue reading May 25: more gun violence in schools
May 23: Last Day of School
Today was the last day of school for Forest Lake. Tomorrow is graduation. We (they?) started school in early August to make room for construction, and today, they get to be done. I have watched the school news and town news through social media posts from friends still living and teaching there, and I know … Continue reading May 23: Last Day of School
May 18: emotional whiplash
Wow. I had a great week at school. My kids did excellent on their Romeo and Juliet quizzes today. We've had a great time reading it and playing with it, and they are doing so well. My 12th graders are doing some creative writing using the story lines and interview/narrative structure of the novel we've … Continue reading May 18: emotional whiplash
May 2: Great Things at School
Everyday is a rollercoaster as a teacher. Today, I'm focusing on the great. We started reading Romeo and Juliet today with my 9th graders. I had some kids who were totally scared of the language, but by the end of the first day, they wanted to read bigger parts. One boy opened the play and … Continue reading May 2: Great Things at School
April 25: We Need To Talk About Testing
I have been teaching for 18 years, most of which have had state- and federally-mandated "standardized" testing. I have been a parent for 13 years and I now have two kids who are taking the MN Comprehensive Assessments, or MCAs. Anders has taken these tests every year for five years. This was Annika's first year. … Continue reading April 25: We Need To Talk About Testing
April 24: Perfectionism
I don't think I'm a total perfectionist - I've seen way worse - but there are some things that I can't stand to leave uncorrected or unperfected. One of those things is design - I hate when fonts aren't quite right, or the edges don't quite line up correctly, or the space is uneven, or … Continue reading April 24: Perfectionism
April 3: ACT day
Today was my first time helping out with the ACT at my new school and it was a different process than what I'd been doing up until now, which was kind of weird. The biggest thing was the lack of anything to engage my mind, aside from the weird things I noticed on the ceiling … Continue reading April 3: ACT day
Adventures in Distraction 