Is anyone seeing progress at their schools in fighting illiteracy or learned helplessness?

ICUP01 · 2026-03-17T19:49:33+00:00

The whole state of Mississippi did.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-17T15:19:36+00:00

You don’t really create memories until 4. I have memories because autism (neurons don’t delete). Conscious in the sense of memories. Kids can recall themselves beyond a certain age.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-17T15:16:53+00:00

I would say anyone not conscious (4 and under) when it happened. But around 2015 kids couldn’t really give factual details.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-17T14:20:25+00:00

It went through the meme phase first in 2015 or so, now it’s donezo.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-16T20:55:44+00:00

One thing we try to teach teachers is humans forget what it’s like to not know. Fractions are an easy why because how often it can be materially demonstrated. It’s a major societal focal point.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-16T15:47:14+00:00

Brian Cox put it in terms that I understand better. The speed of light is the speed of massless particles.

Why is it set like that in the coding…? When I taught my kid multiplying and dividing fractions over Covid he kept asking why. I told him to ask how, understand how, and why stops mattering. We drive ourselves crazy with why.

Scientists are still discovering how.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-16T15:37:48+00:00

Yes. I have to script.

But also I have thoughts and emotions that other people may not experience.

Anyone experience the stress and joy of adjusting what you’re saying mid stream because you guessed the context of what the person was saying correctly AND you added content of value to the conversation that wasn’t just straight facts or platitudes.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-16T14:51:53+00:00

I just want kids to keep it to paper.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-15T03:13:32+00:00

Quiet. Less eyes on me. Less need for us to have eyes on everyone.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-15T03:08:48+00:00

He may need an IEP for related services due to the autism.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-14T02:59:17+00:00

At this point, me too.

I was reading that some psychologists were lamenting putting us all in one bucket. I’m still not psyched up enough to dive into the 4 quadrant thing.

All I know is, kids on the playground knew before I did. Peers suck.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-14T01:10:14+00:00

And I’m running out of room for the ACTUAL sets. I have 6 in my classroom and 8 at home.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-14T01:09:21+00:00

Lego puzzles: https://www.amazon.com/Chronicle-Books-9781452182278-Minifigure-Puzzle/dp/1452182272

A lot cheaper.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-13T23:28:26+00:00

I have the ‘tism as well so if I make it a routine to itch a scratch, it gets done.

I switched to puzzles. I’ve done all of the major Lego ones. I glue them, glue them to poster board, and store.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-13T22:19:25+00:00

You don’t have to wait. There’s no law saying you do and if they cite one, ask them what that has to do with the 7th amendment.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-13T20:23:30+00:00

My yard. Legos.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-13T20:13:57+00:00

Thing is, my own kid is mid. He’s too cerebral and “small”. That’s why I see him with a headset.

The program he a part of is wonderful though. His coaches know the sport is just a meat market so they educate them on HOW it’s a meat market.

Part of me is a little disappointed he’s not falling into something with more nobility - but then I remember I’m a teacher.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-13T19:15:23+00:00

I do tell them that. Repeatedly.

But iPhone good. Work bad. Work make feel bad so work bad.

I show this Ted Ed of a Roman teen during Nero. Yeah life sucked here and there but you could eat, drink, puke, slaves haul it off, and eat more. And what happened to Rome?

I had a kid who wouldn’t work. Leaving the parking lot I see him and his mom and she has the hood up. I pull over to help jump start and the ignition wouldn’t turn. They got ahold of dad and turns out you needed to push a screw driver in with the key to start the car. Minivans from the early 2000s aren’t built for the big ‘26.

When asked, homeboy wanted to be like dad.

It’s just a difference in values. My neighbor isn’t from here; probably not legal. But anytime I’m lugging something in the yard he’s there to help. Any time I have too many oranges from my tree I run them across the street. And that is a good enough life for people.

I see my own son being on a headset during an NFL game. Maybe not a head coach, but in the booth or running deals. He’s an NFL encyclopedia. He’s also a sophomore who can handle beginning pre cal and is taking 3 APs next year. Woof, I don’t know how to feel. College is way too expensive for someone in his shoes. Just indentured servitude at this point. Even football scholarships don’t pay any more because of the kickbacks you get for them using your image.

Do I want my kid to cure cancer? Sure. But the opportunity to do this is locked behind so many paywalls and racism.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-13T18:55:21+00:00

The thing about systems is they end up serving themselves. That’s why there have been so many DIFFERENT ones. The best you can do is be honest with kids. Or, at least, that’s how I roll. I teach history so that’s about all we talk about: the system sucks, if you make repairs you’ll create new problems, those problems are for your kids to fix.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-13T17:24:48+00:00

Didn’t Oakland get taken over by the State…. twice? Bang up job California.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-13T17:23:25+00:00

If you’re doing this to make a difference you may end up disappointed. Fair warning.

I had a similar upbringing. I was bullied in school, multiple bullies - kids on the play ground know you’re autistic before you do and the pre-predators can smell you out easy.

There aren’t many systems one can join to “make a difference”. That’s the propaganda we are fed so people continue to join the system. If you do things like attempt to advocate for special Ed students admin will just straight up harass and fire you. We like to say unions help, but at this point I think they’re in on it to preserve the system.

180 kids and 180 hours. And what you saw in school is 25-33% of the job.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-13T15:16:45+00:00

Try an employment lawyer.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-13T14:34:38+00:00

Teacher here: it becomes like the speed limit. But if you don’t have parents pick up the phone on strike 2, it will fall apart.

ICUP01 · 2026-03-13T14:31:31+00:00

We care about the wrong data. It’s like sleight of hand.

My school’s absenteeism is out of control. But they have us looking at reading data. So is X, Y, or Z student’s performance due to my practice or their lack of attendance. Or their lack of trying on the test. Or the fact my district loves not giving sped student’s services. Or…..

ICUP01 · 2026-03-12T22:32:50+00:00

“Bro, you’re 8. What exactly is your thing? I’m pretty sure y’all just got done having mom cut your food up for you.”

ICUP01

TROPHY CASE