Tell Me, Where Did You Sleep Last Night...?
I participate in a men's bowling league. It's a nice temporary escape from reality and helps sharpen my conversational skills with men who spit a lot and neglect bathing. The other night a guy a few...
View ArticleCrime Isn't For All Kids
There have been certain kids over the years who I have had to sit down and say, "Look, you stink at misbehavior. You get caught every time. Crime just isn't for you. It might be easier for you to...
View ArticleThe Art Of Appreciation
I can count on one hand how many times in my career a parent has gone out of their way to compliment my efforts or performance to my superior. Frankly it isn't exactly frequent that parents offer...
View ArticleDoggy Style & The IEP Process
Several years back I had a teacher go on a maternity leave. The teaching assistant in the room was a certified teacher who had done a nice job and I felt earned herself the opportunity to take over...
View Article"You Made Him Bleed"
All of the Halbrook children had gone through my school. All in all, they were nice kids and with good, loving parents. But the youngest Halbrook, Curtis, was the one that broke the mold.Curtis was...
View Article"I Was TERRIBLE At Math When I Was In School!"
As I moved up to the line, staring back at me was the number 137, and I didn’t know what the hell to do with it. Sure, I was a beer or eight into my night, but nevertheless I was drawing a blank as I...
View Article"Get The Right People On The Bus"
In Jim Collins classic book Good To Great, he urges that managers 'get the right people on the bus' and stresses that 'who' is more important than 'what.' It's generally been my belief that far too...
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Adventures In School Bus Micturition
Our district uniquely houses all bilingual kindergartners at one site. Once they reach first grade, they 'return' to their attendance school where they continue to receive appropriate second language...
View ArticleTeacher Success Can't Always Be Measured (Sorry Arne!)
The other day one of our special education students was having a bad morning. The poor kid has, on top of other things, some emotional challenges which are further compounded by a lousy home life....
View ArticleA Journey Of A Thousand Miles Begins With A Single Step....
A colleague of mine has a special education inclusion teaching assistant working at her school that simply put isn't very good. My experience with TAs is that, like any other position, the talent...
View ArticleHe Knows If You've Been Bad Or Good...
My wife and my 1st grader have recently been banging heads about (among other things...) her completing her writing homework. The other night, as has become par for the course, my daughter sat at the...
View ArticleThese Questions Need Some Teeth!
Perhaps I'm being too dramatic and reactionary here, but a recent experience has really pissed me off. While in a training, the presenter passed out what they claimed was a Smarter Balance sample...
View ArticleWait? Teachers Don't Suck After All?
There is a story on page 6 of the October 30th issue of Education Week. To clarify, page six is NOT the front page, and Education Weekly (while a fine publication) is NOT The Washington Post, New...
View ArticleWas The Olive Garden Open On Thanksgiving?
Autumn is a beautiful little second grade girl in my school. She's the type of kid that you almost need to seek out when you're having a shitty day because she reminds you how awesome it is to work...
View ArticleA Story Of Survival
Yesterday, likely in my excitement to escape the office before Mrs. Lopez called me back for the third time, I did the inexplicable. I left my iPhone on my desk at work. I was half way home (and live...
View ArticleWinter Break Revelations
We returned to school this week after our nondenominational winter pause. The return of students after break reminds me of when my daughter spends the weekend at grandmas- all rules, guideline, and...
View ArticleFahrenheit -451, The Temperature At Which Schools Close
It's been a long winter for those on the East coast, the plains, and the Midwest in the United States. My Twitter feed has been constantly filled up with posts about temperature (or the dashboard...
View ArticleMy Father Would Be Rolling Over In His Tomb...
Recently one of our second graders was shocked to learn that school was indeed in session on Valentine's Day. Student#1: We have school on Valentine's Day!? But everybody celebrates Valentine's Day....
View ArticleOne Nation Under God?
While doing my rounds, I stopped into the kindergarten room (always an adventurous visit) to see what was going on. On that particular day, I was wearing a tie with an American Flag on it (the US...
View ArticleThe High Cost Of Hygiene
Thomas was a mess of a little boy. Besides being 'a picker' and spending more time in the nurses office with nose bleeds than in the classroom, he also had horrible hygiene. Over the years different...
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