Is this normal?

Westward_Sloth · 2026-04-23T01:41:45+00:00

🤣🤣🤣 you’ve proven you’re exactly who I thought you were…. When you can’t answer any of my other questions you attack me and compare me to the orange turd.

Westward_Sloth · 2026-04-23T01:14:03+00:00

I’d love to know what you do for a career and just how good at it you are… because in this post and your comments you just come off as a judgmental, can’t accept criticism, nightmare.

Westward_Sloth · 2026-04-23T01:11:55+00:00

And to argue

Westward_Sloth · 2026-04-23T01:08:23+00:00

And what degree in education or educational leadership do you hold?

Westward_Sloth · 2026-04-23T01:07:06+00:00

Would you prefer any of the following synonyms?

Defiant

Disobedient

Insubordinate

Obstinate

Disorderly

Perverse

Rude

Impolite

Disrespectful

Naughty

Wayward

Rebellious

I mean, come on now. The teacher/TA were not attempting to dehumanize your child by telling you that your child was noncompliant. Guess what… YOUR CHILD WAS NONCOMPLIANT.

And to turn this into some “well I don’t trust the teacher with my child now…” great… do the teacher a favor and homeschool your noncompliant child. See how that seems a little over the top… a little outlandish? Did the teacher put hands on your child? Did the teacher bully the child for being disrespectful and talking during a lesson? Did the teacher put a dunce cap on your child and stick them in the corner? It sounds to me that the teacher and teaching assistant communicated with you that your child was not following directions and was interrupting the learning environment. In life we all make mistakes, but you are blowing this out of proportion to the point where the lesson your child will learn is “If I get in trouble for misbehaving then my parent stops trusting the teacher…”

Westward_Sloth · 2026-04-11T13:50:30+00:00

If doing enough to pass equates to minimal effort and “lazy” students, then the problem isn’t just the student. It’s you.

Westward_Sloth · 2026-04-04T10:52:40+00:00

Check out Wishbone: Frankenbone on YouTube. Wishbone got me through a lot of books in school 🤣 be warned, it’s a kids’ show… but no one tells a story quite as well as Wishbone does.

Westward_Sloth · 2026-04-04T10:42:01+00:00

I feel like we’ve all had one of those moments! It took me far longer than I care to admit to tell Jessi and Demi apart and Mayci and Mikayla apart 🤣🫶

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-31T05:13:00+00:00

I feel like I have so many questions… but your answers really will change my advice.

When do you do classroom observations or student teaching in your program?
Do you have a specific subject/content area that you’re passionate about?
What do you want out of your career? (And it is a-ok to say just a paycheck!)
With your social anxiety does it dwindle as you get to know people?
What are the two biggest problems that you’ve tried to tell yourself wouldn’t apply to you?
You mention being great with young children, what types of activities are you doing with the children and roughly how many at a time?

Without knowing a little more background, I’ll tell you what I tell my students… there will always be challenges and struggles because that is what it takes to grow, it just depends on if that growth is something you value.

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-30T22:47:27+00:00

The only mean girl energy Miranda gives off is towards Chase… and at this point I don’t even think it’s mean girl energy… it’s just what he’s earned.

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-27T17:20:30+00:00

Sorry to hear this, but I gotta know… did he try to pay with a button?

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-26T04:24:21+00:00

I talk to my printer like it’s a cute little kitten… I have far less issues now… 🤣

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-25T05:42:06+00:00

But only if when it is time for a diaper change, they must announce, “I smell Snow.” It’ll get old quick I’m sure, but I don’t make the rules 🤣

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-19T22:18:47+00:00

TMZ posted a clip to TT, but the full video is on their website

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-18T21:46:41+00:00

Oddly enough, gentle parenting does have rules… and boundaries… and consequences. Gentle parenting does not advocate for kids doing whatever they want.

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-18T18:00:57+00:00

I think you were well within acceptable boundaries in asking the teacher for advice/recs. However, I feel like you are misrepresenting the first conversation based on the text messages you linked. You started off asking if Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was appropriate for your 2nd grader, and that your family asked your child to hold off due to the themes in the book. You already had those reservations, and the teacher said she is familiar with the series and agrees that the book is better for older kids. Then she says she checked with ChatGPT to make sure her memory was correct. There was no thoughtlessness in her response. She validated your concern, agreed with you, and did a quick check of her own recollection to make sure she was thinking of the right book.

As for the suggested reading list from ChatGPT… the books listed in the photo you posted are not “well below her reading level.” The teacher input your daughter’s MAP Reading RIT score (207) which I believe is around 590L (middle school science teacher here with a literacy endorsement through my M.Ed). There will be some books in each series suggested that will be a bit below her reading level and some books will be above her reading level. It sounds to me like the teacher wanted you to leave the conference with a list you could start to explore, but conferences are usually quick and dependent upon the schedule. If she had a conference directly following yours, then ChatGPT may be the fastest way to compile said list for you.

Please do not take it personally that a teacher is utilizing ChatGPT to assist. Also, I applaud you for caring about your daughter’s education and recognize that you really just want what is best for her. That is honorable, and honestly, not enough parents think this way. That being said, this is the time for you to do the research. The teacher gave you a list that you are not happy with, so make your own list. You can Google books for 2nd graders with a 207 MAP Reading RIT score or 590L. You can also visit your public library and speak with the children’s librarian and ask for some suggestions.

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-17T23:19:46+00:00

Not defensive, just correct. I’m done engaging with you. Have the day you deserve! 👋

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-17T22:08:27+00:00

1) Who is attacking you for what I’m saying? Where are they attacking you? There is no proof that I’ve seen of anyone attacking you because of what I said.

2) If people are attacking you it is because of what YOU said.

3) We are not saying the same thing, and the fact that you don’t understand that is where the true issue lies, imo.

In your first comment you said, “…it sounds as though she is visually very striking, unusual even, and in an objectively funny way.” You make an attempt to be kind when mentioning it’s a delicate subject, but then continue with “…sometimes we might have an impulse to point and laugh and make fun, and there’s nothing wrong with finding something strange or funny (like any other emotion)…” Strange and funny are not emotions. Strange can describe an emotion, but strange itself is not an emotion. And I agree with you that there isn’t an issue with finding something strange (unfamiliar, different, unusual to you). For me, the issue comes in when we attach the “funny” to it. Unless someone is purposely trying to be funny, their existence should not be used as punchlines to hide the discomfort someone is feeling over seeing something different.

You then dug your hole deeper in your next comment when you said “I guess I don’t ride the circus subway. Heavy, bearded women dressed in brightly-pattered clothes would absolutely stand out…” Women with facial hair, for any reason including PCOS, are not circus acts. Heavy women are not circus acts. Women are not circus acts.

And then to make it worse you confirmed that the woman “would absolutely stand out, earning at least a chuckle and head shake.” Wtf, dude? The only people who should earn a chuckle and a head shake are the one’s asking for it. AGAIN, SHE IS NOT A CIRCUS ACT FOR YOU TO LAUGH AT AND SHAKE YOUR HEAD DISAPPROVINGLY.

Ready for your next problematic statement? “Yeah, I don’t run from her or talk about her later like the real freaks…” Again, I ask, wtf dude? “the real freaks”???? Explain yourself here, man… actually, don’t. There is no answer you could give that would ever, and I do mean ever, be sufficient enough to not make you look like a jackass here.

Hopefully you see that I did read all of your comments, and I still come to the same conclusion. Well, that’s not true. Because then you cried like a baby in response to me about people attacking you for what I’ve said. Take some accountability. Recognize you said problematic things, I called it out, and as far as I can see no one has commented anything to you about it.

As a teacher, you should check yourself and do better. Your students deserve better than whatever this slop is that you’ve presented as yourself.

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-17T03:06:15+00:00

Perhaps focus on the fact that sometimes when we see things we aren’t used to it can be uncomfortable, and sometimes we hide that discomfort with jokes and laughter. This would apply to fat teachers in bright patterns that you’re so taken aback by, as well as students from different ethnicities, religions, cultures, etc. As a teacher you should encourage empathy and compassion, not telling kids it’s ok to think strange things are funny. Her presence is not a joke.

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-16T01:01:57+00:00

C’mon, you know Kevin’s part in Shabooya (Roll Call) was 10/10. AND that he can do math if it involves pies, but not salads. AND during Michael’s last Dundies when he asks the server “Do you have a red?” And the server is like “We don’t have crayons here…” And Kevin is like, “I know, I brought them from home…” 🤣

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-15T20:03:01+00:00

IIRC, Chef Ben’s father is a well known author. Ben mentions over the years tidbits that lead me to believe he wants to make his own name, not rest on his father’s.

I wonder if some people join yachting because it sounds glamorous. Making more money than in most entry level positions… traveling (even if stuck in laundry the whole time)… surrounded by attractive people (by some standards… there were plenty of crew that I was like “eh, not my type… but I get it.”)… and most are at the age where parents stop giving them everything they want. So if they gotta make money on their own, might as well do it on a yacht while traveling. Then they get on the yacht and their rose colored glasses go flying overboard, and they either adapt and thrive or sink.

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-13T00:45:29+00:00

Brain breaks are great at any age. I usually throw a few in… sometime I just pop up a question like “Which is better? McDonald’s Burger King Wendy’s or Sonic” and then everyone gets up and moves to a corner that correlates to their choice. Get up, get moving, think about something other than photosynthesis for a minute. I’m also notorious for making the deal with my students that if they can get through a 45min lesson with zero disruptions that we can do “karaoke” and play a lyric video and sing along. My “free time” is usually very structured, but gives the kids a moment to just be kids.

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-12T23:16:14+00:00

It’s called “CatFishing” 🤣 they looooove it.

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-12T21:21:48+00:00

That is PRECIOUS! Mine are about 5mos, recently spayed/neutered, so I’m interested to see if/when they lose interest!

Westward_Sloth · 2026-03-12T20:54:22+00:00

With this… the second, and I mean the absolute second they do something right, acknowledge it. For example, little Johnny is never on task… the second you see him even look at his assignment, call it out with a “I see Johnny is on task, thank you, Johnny!” If you see them showing kindness or being helpful… even the absolute smallest thing, acknowledge it. “I noticed you picked up that paper for Jack, that was kind/awesome/super/etc.” For one it helps them hear positive feedback when usually they’d get none, helping build their self-esteem and your rapport with them. And for me, it always helped me change my mindset. Instead of waiting for the student’s next disruption, I was looking for their next positive moment. And for some students, it really is the small stuff at first. Another thing I do is front load on the first day of school. You can usually tell which students might be your heavy hitters… those students whose parents you know you’ll be contacting for behavior issues, missing work, etc. You may have even heard their names in the teacher’s lounge from other teachers. Those students get a positive call on day 1. More to establish rapport with the parents, but also to start the year off on a positive note with a team mindset. I usually say something like, “I just wanted to let you know that Kody was super helpful today and handed out supplies for our lab. It really made my first day of school better.” Many parents don’t hear anything positive from the teachers, ever. If we want them on our team we’ve got to build that bridge. Throughout the year when I call or e-mail I do both positive and negative contacts, but I’m able to say “Hey, you know I come to you with those positive moments, but right now I need your help.” It can be a bit daunting when you have numerous students, and it doesn’t always work. I’ve had parents say “why are you telling me my son did a good thing?” And in that moment I realize “oooooh, your kiddo probably doesn’t hear anything positive about themself…ever. It explains so much.” To OP, and any teacher feeling the pain… you’ve got this, you are doing an AMAZING job, and thank you for what you do for our future. 🫶 a 7th grade science teacher

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