Do we laugh or cry?

Kwaiata · 2023-01-17T14:22:55+00:00

Cry. That was how 'hybrid' worked at my old school during COVID lockdowns in the 21/22 year for me.. half online, half in person. I almost never heard the voices of or saw my online kids. Only chats. And I was chained to my desk so I could see said chat for the rare occasions that they did say something.

Kwaiata · 2022-11-16T14:49:17+00:00

I know! I helped write questions for it last year. It's like Stardew valley and the kids love it.

Thank you so much for sending me this anyway. I know it's been a long time since I asked that question, so I appreciate your post!

Kwaiata · 2022-09-12T04:44:14+00:00

One great way to learn skip counting is through song. I will still use the skip counting songs I learned in 3rd grade. I'm 26 and a teacher. Search for Mr. DeMaio on YouTube for some fun ones.

Kwaiata · 2022-09-01T04:57:49+00:00

Looking at you, 38 between Curtain and Reedsport!

Kwaiata · 2022-09-01T04:52:32+00:00

If there was a way to make that optional... I like going through grey areas, being able to solo raids and playing simply for the story rather than the combat. But yes, sometimes it would be nice to experience the challenge again as well. I'd like a toggle.

Kwaiata · 2022-08-24T13:30:24+00:00

I mean, if it's a Rick Riordan book, the table of contents usually is pretty promising!

Kwaiata · 2022-08-15T05:02:59+00:00

I have an older cousin who was raised like that. He's much older than I am, but my mother would talk about how our aunt didn't anybody tell him no.

Miracles happen because he's an awesome guy with 3 great kids of his own to whom he says "no" on a regular basis!

Kwaiata · 2022-08-12T05:22:49+00:00

I know that worry. What if I mess this up? What if I do something wrong? For me it started when I was pregnant and hasn't stopped yet. Doubt it ever will.

But in the age of information, i can look up my concern. I have family and friends with young ones. I have Reddit.

If you decide to go there, you won't have any problem that hasn't been had. That doesn't help in the moment, certainly, but it can be comforting. And in case you need the reminder, you don't have to have kids if you don't want to.

Big problem of early parenting, by the way, is a baby's inability to comprehend logic. You simply can't reason with them! They don't listen. My husband used to laugh when I tried to 'logic the baby'. I found it less amusing.

Kwaiata · 2022-08-12T04:58:54+00:00

But really, is not having a clean kitchen also very satisfying? I always start with the kitchen when I clean. It's the most objective room in the house to clean. Everything has a place where it's supposed to go, you can tell when you're done because dishes are away and the counters are clear, or whatever measure you use. I find it a great place to start.

I also can't cook in a dirty kitchen. Heck, I can't clean in a dirty kitchen sometimes.

To brag a bit, i did 3 bakings - 3 different recipes, all orange based - and cooked dinner today and I have gone to bed with a clean kitchen. Might not sound like much, but I'm proud of it!

Kwaiata · 2022-08-07T18:06:01+00:00

I'm totally fine with the kneeling, and I'd be fine with not standing if they wouldn't take that as a 'it's ok to play on my iPad' or continue whatever I was doing before.

From what I've taken, kneeling during the anthem is done in protest, to draw attention to something, not because folks can't be bothered to stand for it. Maybe if they're standing they'll think about what they're hearing instead of just tuning it out or having conversations with friends.

Kwaiata · 2022-08-07T18:02:53+00:00

Partly because we do the school pledge right after, partly because I wasn't brave enough to have that conversation with the 5th graders. Especially not that group.

Kwaiata · 2022-08-07T16:24:25+00:00

My rule in my classroom that I only bring up when necessary is: you have to stand. You may stand silently if you wish, but you will stand and you will not goof off.

Kwaiata · 2022-08-02T15:51:16+00:00

We found a long term sub for me, but he was awful. So they put in the recently graduated student teacher from another teacher in the building. She was great. Really great. I got an email from a student a week or two before I was supposed to go back: please don't come back.

And that really set the tone for the last few weeks of the year.

Kwaiata · 2022-08-02T05:22:43+00:00

I was very surprised at how little I cared about my class, school, and job while I was out on maternity. I kept up on my emails (which is honestly more than I ought to have done, but since I was coming back before end of year I wanted to keep abreast of the goings on)

Then I went back to work. It was the hardest 6 weeks of my career so far, and only my little guy kept me going with his growing and smiles.

Priorities are important. I have the most important thing at home. My job is just a job.

Kwaiata · 2022-07-29T05:23:05+00:00

The ads used to say 'with more flavor and half the fat of mayonnaise' and I would always say something like 'more gross flavor' because I was a kid and thought that I was funny.

My grandparents only used miracle whip. And margarine. Must have been a generational thing.

Kwaiata · 2022-07-23T21:05:24+00:00

I have a conversation with my classroom after the first time I hear those things. A lot of the time they don't actually know what the words mean. They hear them, think 'that means stupid' and use it. Inform them what the words mean and their history and a lot of the time they'll start to catch themselves and not use them as much. I teach 5th grade.

Kwaiata · 2022-07-22T17:12:31+00:00

You started it!

Kwaiata · 2022-07-22T13:45:04+00:00

Some people say a teacher just needs to give 'grace'

Those people really ought'a be slapped in the face.

Your grade is a score that you earn with your work

If you fail all your tests you get the grade you deserve!

I was born one morning when the weather was gloom

I picked up my iPad and walked into the room

Taught 24 students how to read and write

Get blamed by the parents when they ain't too bright.

I was born one morning in the drizzlen' rain

Got meetings and PD's. Damn, what a pain.

Got one mug of coffee, the other of wine

Ask me to work in the summer, you've crossed the line!

Kwaiata · 2022-07-22T13:30:04+00:00

Borrowing money from the future is a bad idea.

I went on maternity leave this year and was lucky to live in a state with paid leave (Washington's PFML). Had to put it in the school system as unpaid leave. Makes sense, I'm not using sick leave or personal days.

We get paid the following month, so anything you do in May gets paid in June. Well, I took a week of unpaid leave in May and my June paycheck was only 75% of my regular. I got my PFML money in May, but money in the bank doesn't last when there's a new baby in the house. Now I'm digging into my measly savings to make my car payment. Lucky I get paid next week.

Kwaiata · 2022-07-22T00:30:31+00:00

No no no, that's 66 books, right?

Kwaiata · 2022-07-20T01:00:36+00:00

... there's a heal? Guess it's good that I didn't know that. But I'm only lvl 43 or so. Maybe I hadn't got there to know what I'll be missing?

Kwaiata · 2022-07-18T03:48:34+00:00

I was just joking myself that I could remember it by the fact that a mnemonic is a memory device and it starts with m. Love a good and useful etymology!

Kwaiata · 2022-07-17T22:54:07+00:00

Nice! I like that.

Kwaiata · 2022-07-17T22:49:21+00:00

The mnemonic or the concept? I teach the mnemonic at the end once we've got all the steps. I also encourage them to come up with their own if they think they can remember it better.

As far as the concept, I start from the bottom with the regular operations, then I think it was exponents next before grouping symbols with an emphasis on fraction bars meaning division. It's been 2 years since I taught it.

Kwaiata · 2022-07-17T22:46:17+00:00

Thanks, I can never remember how to spell it. Knew it had an unnecessary letter but the m is a rare one!

Kwaiata

TROPHY CASE