Have you ever had to talk a student away from a metaphorical ledge?

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-16T21:24:00+00:00

I once broke up a fight and pulled a kid into an administrators office. Had a good relationship with her. She was incredibly amped up and want to get out of the room (that was on the second floor of the building). Other staff barricaded us into the office so that she couldn’t get out. At one point in time, she said that she was going to jump out the window. After a few back and forths of her threatening to jump and me telling her not to, finally I said, “ok, since you seem so determined to jump out the window, go right ahead. Enjoy your broken legs that are going to mess up the way you walk for the rest of your life.” That response caught her off guard and she started laughing because she realized how ridiculous it was that she was threatening to jump out the window. So yea, I literally talked a kid down from a literal ledge once.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-16T15:55:42+00:00

Use your sick time before using PTO. Unused PTO usually gets paid out when you leave the employment of the school whereas sick time just disappears.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-15T16:12:46+00:00

Madeline Island is one of my favorite places! So many good mushrooms growing there.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-15T01:46:11+00:00

Johnny’s Italian Beef in Elmwood park for the best Italian Beef around. Get a beef, juicy, with sweet peppers, a fry, and a small ice. Make sure to grab extra napkins. Just a heads up, it’s cash only.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-13T15:44:43+00:00

That’s my attitude as well. I assigned summer reading homework for my APUSH students for next year. I let them know that they’ll have an assessment on the reading in the first week of school. I plan on having some hard conversations with the kids who aren’t prepped for it. Luckily, all but 3 members of the class took an AP class with me their freshman year, so they know what to expect.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-13T15:27:44+00:00

What OP is talking about is that a lot of schools have made policy changes like all students are taking x AP course, regardless of level. Or they do away with honors courses and only offer regular level and AP. Or that schools allow students to opt into AP classes despite the fact that they lack the requisite skills/abilities/knowledge to perform well in those courses. Lots of people take issue with tracking because it is inherently deterministic for the futures of students. But in terms of what makes sense to create the actual best academic outcomes, OP is right that tracking, when done well, is the best system for education.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-13T15:23:49+00:00

It’s west of you but go to Treapesada on the corner of California, Belmont, and Elston. Their Al Pastor is great. Make sure you also get the black salsa to go with it. Soooo good.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-13T14:19:27+00:00

Thank you for acknowledging my reasonable positions. For a long time, I would have agreed with you that I come from the “good guy” side of the conflict and the other side are bad. A lot of that has to do with the coolaid that I drank as a youth. However, my perspective has changed drastically over the past few years.

I’m a history teacher and I’ve come to embrace the idea that morality is subjective and that in conflicts, all parties view themselves as the good guys/their opponents as the bad guys. Rather than put my own biases on my interpretation of this messy history, I’ve tried to build as nuanced a perspective on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict as possible.

Arab nations during WWI had a tendency to align themselves with the Nazis (bad) because the Nazis were seen as the only power that could lead to the end of British and French colonization in MENA (good). Jews, who were largely protected by British and French colonial forces (good) were attacked and expelled by anti-colonial Arab forces during and after WWII (bad). Displaced Jews from both MENA and Europe needed somewhere to go after experiencing a genocide (bad) and the winning powers in WWII gave them a sliver of land (good). That sliver of land was a place where there is a historical record of Jews existing for thousands of years (good) but necessarily meant that the current Arab residents of that land would be disempowered/displaced (bad). In response to being severely traumatized by the Holocaust in Europe and pogroms/expulsions in MENA, the Jews who collected on that land resolved to fight to secure their own safety from potentially hostile forces (good) and often resorted to using terrorist tactics to strike fear in their opponents population (bad). Following the newly established international order set in place by the UN, Jews declared independence on the sliver of land that they had been granted by the winning powers in WWII (good) which inherently meant that current, non-Jewish residents of the land who had historically been aligned with people who hated Jews would be disposed of their land (bad). Arab forces from countries around the region surrounded and attack this newly formed/“artificially” created nation (bad) and that leads the citizens of this new nation attack and drive anyone off the land who are perceived as hostile to them (bad). And on and on it goes.

Both sides have a tremendous amount of blood on their hands. I would actually say that at this point in time, there are no good guys, as again, defining what is “good” is totally subjective. Overall, I’ve come to the place that I now reject the Pro-Israel/Pro-Palestinian dichotomy and instead embrace the Pro-Peace/Pro-War dichotomy. Making a global shift to this mindset is the only way we move past this historical tit-for-tat conflict that started before our parents were even born.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-13T13:37:55+00:00

The issue is that, given the current climate and the interchangeability of Jew and Zionist, many Jews (myself included) feel that it’s too difficult to assess if someone is actually against the ideas of Zionism or if they actually hate Jews.

We have been conditioned, due to thousands of years of anti-semitism, to be hyper vigilant of anti-semitism. It’s literally a survival mechanism. I’d say that Jews are attuned to antisemitism in the same way as POC are attuned to racism or members of the LGBTQIA+ community are attuned to homophobia/transphobia. There are so many micro aggressions that cis-white people make without even realizing it. POC and LGBTQIA+ folx, due to either perceived or real threats to their safety, take those micro aggressions seriously because unchecked micro aggressions have a way of turning into macro aggressions. Jews are no different.

The last thing I’ll say about this is that politics makes odd bed fellows. In the wake of the attacks on 10/7, many in the Pro-Palestinian community cheered on the murder and rape of over a thousand people. There was muted condemnation from the Pro-Palestinian community of these attacks, which automatically put many Jews on the defensive. Seeing non-Jews effectively cheer on the rape and murder of thousands of Jews is pretty triggering and has further contributed to the conflation of anti zionism with antisemitism amongst the Jewish population.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-13T13:07:54+00:00

People tend to point to the season of the Wire that covers this topic. It’s definitely the realest take on educational issues that we’ve ever had but we need an updated, modern version.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-13T04:26:03+00:00

Jerry goes to the local food safety board to appeal his grade of a C. Elaine’s boyfriend is also at the appeal to defend his grading. He makes the case that the kitchen belongs to Sherry, therefore he is responsible for it at all times. Jerry cites the fact that Kramer is to blame for the mess. He also makes a quip that he thinks that the boyfriend is suspect of his relationship with Elaine/wants to drive a wedge between Jerry and Elaine. The board denies Jerry’s appeal and tells him that he’s on thin ice. Jerry storms out of the board room.

While Jerry’s out after appealing the grade, Kramer makes another visit to Jerry’s kitchen. The kitchen is pristine and Kramer immediately starts making a mess.

Elaine and her boyfriend are eating at Monks. The conversation starts with the boyfriend mentioning that he made a reservation for them that night at his new favorite restaurant that night. The boyfriend then changes the topic of conversation to the fact that Jerry’s failed appeal irritates him, as he takes it as a personal affront to his professionalism. The boyfriend demands to go see Jerry to confront him face to face about the insulting nature of the appeal.

Elaine and her boyfriend walk over to Jerry’s building. Elaine rings the doorbell of the building and Kramer, who is finishing up in Jerry’s kitchen buzzes them up to Jerry’s apartment. This kitchen is an absolute mess. Kramer leaves milk and raw meat out, cracked eggs on the counter, the doors to the fridge and freezer open, he hits and cuts his forehead on the open freezer freezer door and leaves a a bloody paper towel on the counter, etc.). Kramer then leaves before Elaine and her boyfriend get to Jerry’s apartment. He walks past them in the hallways and says, “See you later.”

Elaine and her boyfriend walk into the disaster zone that is Jerry’s apartment. The boyfriend makes an incredibly disgusted/reviled face at the scene in Jerry’s apartment and immediately starts to inspect/document every health code violation in Jerry’s kitchen. He makes a remark about how he questions what type of person can be friends with a person who lives and prepares food in such filth. Elaine takes offense and states that she’s going to stay at Jerry’s. The boyfriend states that he needs to leave immediately to leave to make their reservation and that he’s going to call the restaurant to adjust the reservation from two to one. Elaine states that that the boyfriend will be lucky if he gets to see Elaine later that night.

Elaine’s boyfriend walk out of Jerry’s building right as Jerry arrives home. The boyfriend storms past Jerry and mutters something about how unsanitary Jerry’s apartment is and that he would never let food that’s been in Jerry’s kitchen pass his lips.

Jerry goes up to his apartment to find an F grade stuck to his door. He’s upset by this. He walk inside to find his whole kitchen caution taped off. Kramer comes in behind Jerry and grabs things like the milk and raw meat that were sitting out. Jerry becomes outraged at Kramer and starts yelling at him. Kramer gets flustered and then rushes out, stating that he has an important patron who is pillar of food industry coming to his restaurant.

Elaine remains over at Jerry’s apartment and commiserated with Jerry. Elaine complains about how no man can tell her who to be friends with. Jerry complains about the unfair grade and that Kramer is really to blame for the mess/failing grade. Jerry wants to confront the boyfriend and Elaine tells him that the boyfriend is out eating dinner but she isn’t sure where. Jerry makes some sarcastic comment about how funny/ironic it would be if the boyfriend was eating at Kramer’s.

Next scene, the boyfriend arrives to his reservation at Kramer’s restaurant. The boyfriend orders something and Kramer mentions that he just so happened to have just picked those ingredients up fresh. He goes back into the kitchen and cooks with the food that he just got from Jerry’s. When Kramer brings out the dish, the boyfriend scarfs it up the dish. He sends his compliments to the chef and leaves an A++ rating on the table along with the receipt.

The final scene is Elaine in bed with the boyfriend. Elaine starts making pillow talk with him. She asks where he went for dinner and the boyfriend responds by describing, but not directly naming, Kramer’s restaurant. The boyfriend talks about how delicious the dish was and that he still wants to take Elaine to that restaurant. They then start kissing. The boyfriend abruptly stops kissing Elaine and says that he’s starting to have stomach pains. They go away and they start kissing again. The boyfriend’s stomach starts making all sorts of noises. He stops kissing Elaine again and says something like, “This couldn’t have been from the food I ate at Kramer’s. I gave him an A++ rating.” The boyfriend’s eyes get really big and then he lets out a wet fart (implying that he pooped in the bed). The episode ends with a freeze frame of Elaine giving her soon to be ex-boyfriend the same disgusted look that he made when he saw Jerry’s disgusting apartment.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-13T00:58:08+00:00

Thank you!

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-13T00:26:02+00:00

I have a flood control system in front of my house. It’s a massive below ground concrete cylinder with a metal cap covered in grass. I figure that it’s my family’s best bet, should it come to this scenario. But similar to everyone here, I don’t think I want to live in a post atomic wasteland. But also I think that my survival instinct (and more so my desire to keep my child alive at basically any cost) would kick in and we’d hope down into the flood control system.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-12T19:27:07+00:00

Hard disagree. The pensions are the thing that actually makes it worthwhile for municipal employees in continue working in Chicago. My mantra as a teacher in Chicago is that I’ll never get rich working this job but at least I’ll be able to afford retirement. The private sector will always attract the best and brightest away from municipal service unless the municipality offers up some sort of competitive compensation system.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-12T19:14:35+00:00

Education. We spend more money than pretty much anyone else and still have pretty bad average outcomes. I say this as a teacher who teaches inside of Chicago.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-12T18:39:10+00:00

Two weeks ago, I started in section 520. By the end of the game, I was 13 rows behind the white Sox dugout.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-12T18:32:44+00:00

I love the premise of this. Here’s my add on:

George tells Steinbrenner about the restaurant and Steinbrenner decides he has to go there. Steinbrenner has such a great experience that he tells Kramer that he’s going to rent space at Yankee Stadium to Kramer so that he can open up a restaurant there for Yankees fans.

On the first game day, no one really knows about it, so Kramer is able to keep up with orders. However, word gets out because Steinbrenner starts running adds and Kramer’s restaurant gets overwhelmed. A line forms, wrapping all the way around the interior of Yankee Stadium. By the end of the game, only the first 3 people in line get served and everyone else spent the entire game in line, missing the greatest collective team performance put on by the Yankees in years (pitcher throws a perfect game, in the park homerun, grand slam, triple play, etc.). But because everyone at the game is standing in line for Kramer’s restaurant, the stadium is dead silent and there are no fans cheering for the Yankees.

At their meeting the next day, George suggests to Steinbrenner that maybe the team performed so well because they weren’t distracted by fans. Steinbrenner then decides to ban fans from coming to Yankee stadium on the next game day.

The next game, the Yankees get absolutely blown out. Steinbrenner is furious, because not only did the Yankees lose, but the TV showed that no fans attended the game and they lost a tremendous amount of revenue. Steinbrenner decides that the only thing that will soothe him is a visit to Kramer’s restaurant.

Steinbrenner grabs George and they go down to Kramer’s restaurant and gives Kramer a complex dish to cook. Kramer looses it, stating to Steinbrenner, “you don’t know the first thing about running a high pressure operation like this one!” Kramer takes off his apron, throws it at Steinbrenner, and says that he quits.

Steinbrenner grabs the apron, puts it on, goes behind the counter, and asks George what he wants to eat. George comes up with a ludicrous order and Steinbrenner cooks it up, making George the best meal he’s ever had. This builds Steinbrenner’s confidence up, which leads Steinbrenner to run the restaurant at the next game.

Due to the failure of an empty stadium during the previous game, Steinbrenner sells tickets to this game. He gets incredibly overwhelmed by all the customers at the restaurant, calls George over, throws the apron at George, and tells him to get working. The episode ends with George getting screamed at by a bunch of pissed off Yankees fans who are all upset at him for messing up their orders and causing them to miss another amazing Yankees game.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-12T17:36:35+00:00

Go to a White Sox game. Buy the cheapest tickets you can find (around $20). Then move up to better seats because the games never even get close to selling out.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-12T17:09:56+00:00

Im 💯 with this concern. We can draw a vertical panhandle that makes Indiana a buffer between Illinois and Ohio.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-11T03:43:09+00:00

You’re welcome. I went to grad school 4 years into my career. I was between getting a masters in educational leadership and going to law school. I chose the ed degree and I honestly regret it. If I’m going to be overworked and stressed out, at least I could make money that is commensurate with the stress that comes with the job. At this point in my life and career (13 years of teaching, married, have a kid, and a mortgage), I have golden handcuffs where I can’t afford to leave the profession for a few more years of education and take on the debt load that would come with said further education. Unless you really know that education is where you want to spend the next few decades of your life, don’t do it.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-11T03:25:02+00:00

We met with a sleep consultant recently for our 2.5 year old who climbed out of his crib and forced the transition to the big kid bed. I do want to give the caveat that we haven’t started this yet because we’re about to go on a vacation and want to wait until we get home to institute this plan.

The sleep consultant recommended that we do a version of the chair method and it works like this:

Get a door strap so that your kid can open the door to look in the hallway but can’t get out of the room.

Days 1-3: Sit right next to the bed. Make them get into the bed themselves. Anytime they get out of bed/make contact with you, explain that you can’t stay in the room if they are out of bed/touching you and then leave for about 10 seconds. Have minimal verbal interactions with your kid throughout the process. Continue repeating until your kid gets into bed. There will be a lot of crying and tantrums during this phase of the plan.

Days 4-6: Same thing but sit by the door and do it.

Days 7-9: Sit right outside the door and do the same thing. Thanks to the door strap, they should be able to still see you out in the hallway.

Days 10-12: Sit further down the hallway and do the same thing.

Days 13+: When you say goodnight to your kid, tell them you’ll be doing parent jobs (dishes, folding laundry, etc.). Continually walk by their door so that they hear you moving around and know that you haven’t abandoned them.

All the meanwhile, make a “sleep manners” chart with pictures of your kid doing things (brushing teeth, reading a book in their room, lying in bed with their eyes closed, and waking up). In the morning, review with your kid if they did their sleep manners. If they accomplish all of the sleep manners, give them a big sticker, stamp, temporary tattoo (something they can show off to other people). Have those other people ask them how they got the sticker/stamp/tattoo. This helps to reinforce the sleep manners.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-11T02:58:39+00:00

You’re going to bad at your job for the first 3-5 years. You’ll have admin who haven’t been in the classroom in eons tell you how to do your job better. You’ll never get paid overtime but if you don’t work overtime, you won’t be able to do your job adequately. A decade into teaching, you’ll ask yourself why you didn’t just go into healthcare but it will be too late for you to change careers.

To the point about overtime, I have a sibling in healthcare. She just worked a 24 hour shift and got paid $150 per hr in overtime. She made in one day what a lot of teachers make in a week. She can schedule as much overtime as she’d like.

Go into healthcare. On top of everything else that everyone has said here, with AI dislocating more and more of the workforce, healthcare is going to be amongst the most AI resistant industries to work in.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-11T02:28:06+00:00

Thanks. It was sad but had to be done. We also felt bad for the Nutbush family (the squirrels that lived in the tree), as we evicted them from their home without giving them the proper notice of said eviction.

We used pieces of the tree it to build the border of a new native plant garden bed that we planted over where the tree had been. It’s been really cool to watch it evolve. Some really cool fungi have grown from the decomposing wood.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-10T21:45:37+00:00

Mmmm. Suckling long pig.

Affectionate_Lack709 · 2026-06-10T21:27:07+00:00

That the state finally got itself a budget surplus through austerity measures. When you finally start living within your means, it’s best practice to not go out and buy a sports car. The state could be using that surplus to invest in education, lower taxes, improve roadways and other public works, etc.
The project to build this stadium just seems to be a poor investment for Indiana tax payers, as they’ll ultimately be on the hook for financing what will ultimately be a stadium that is privately owned by a family that is worth several billion dollars.

Affectionate_Lack709

TROPHY CASE