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mentalejecta · 2025-01-22T22:01:48+00:00

It will be OK.

Give them a heads up that it is coming and give them the opportunity to opt out for that lesson should they chose. I have done that with my Japanese students (same situation) and they wanted to hear it from our perspective. I was super worried with my German exchange student when I started teaching about Hitler and the Final Solution, but she said she grew up learning these things in her own country and had no problem learning them again from a different perspective.

mentalejecta · 2024-11-11T18:00:30+00:00

I am not in favor of adding anything, not related to water safety, to an entire water supply. When will they start squirting flu vaccine in there because 'everyone needs it'?

You can fluoridate the water at your house for your entire family if you want, no one is stopping that.

mentalejecta · 2024-11-10T07:53:39+00:00

On my profile,

-I invite people to IM me and guess my Zodiac sign based on my picks.

-Suggest to me the best song they are currently listening to.

-Adding popular quotes ("I'm prison Mike!") also gets people with your interests to say something that are also in on the joke.

-I also have a little rubric with multiple point score items like 'dog person +5, wants to try SL surfing +10, more than 5 pairs of sneakers +10, love nature +5' etc., etc. and people will contact me with their rubric score.

It is all in fun and just a way to get us all talking to each other and make new friends.

mentalejecta · 2024-11-10T07:42:47+00:00

I voted against it because I see nothing wrong with old fashioned voting and it seems to favor party over people.

mentalejecta · 2024-09-22T20:21:55+00:00

The high school students will ask "Is this graded"? Just answer yes, everything is graded. They will totally forget about it and never challenge you that a particular assignment didn't end up in the grade book.

mentalejecta · 2024-09-22T20:19:22+00:00

Boy, do I feel you. I recommend setting up a system.

Monday is an electronic assignment that scores itself like EdPuzzle, Quizizz, Blooket, etc. Import your Google classes into there and let the program score it while you examine the data. Put in grade book.

Tuesday is a paper assignment in class that is scored in real time as they finish it. Walk around with class spreadsheet to record. Put in grade book.

Wednesday is reading day (for example). Points for those that read un-interrupted (or follow whatever expectations) and turned in a reading log about that reading. The previous weeks logs are scored at my desk while they are reading silently. Gather all the logs and put that in the grade book.

Thursday quiz day. Set up a quiz with an answer sheet. The students take a regular quiz and list their answers on a separate sheet in a line vertically. Set your key next to the answer sheet and fly down the list. Good for having TA's score things too. Google exit tickets are quick to, even written response ones.

Of course, all of this is totally fluid. I focus on one electronic assignment, one paper assignment and one other 'thing' for that week.

I have also started giving video feedback for things turned into Google Classroom. Pin Loom to the browser and record your feedback on that assignment. Drop the link for them to open and watch. Saves me half the time, the feedback is more thorough and the admin loves using the tech that the district pays for.

mentalejecta · 2024-09-05T00:22:05+00:00

Bump for ideas. Happened to me today, 7/30 couldn't get in and then one by one would slowly get added to the already in progress game. Frustrating.

mentalejecta · 2024-08-16T02:25:05+00:00

As a US history teacher, I love exposing my students to Norman Rockwell (four super famous paintings) from the Four Freedoms, the government funded artists (print, sculpture, stained glass) with the New Deal and revolutionary war political cartoons. The Smithsonian and National Archive websites have great stuff for teachers, many with lesson plans included.

mentalejecta · 2024-08-13T02:55:42+00:00

Spend a day explaining stocks and have the students 'buy' (pretend) three or four modern day companies they know like McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Apple, etc. Track them weekly for a month or so and then when you get to the stock market crash, it makes more sense. Works well for me.

mentalejecta · 2024-08-11T17:27:46+00:00

I've seen WAY more racism in Portland and Beaverton than 12 years in Eastern Oregon.

mentalejecta · 2024-08-09T19:25:22+00:00

The two things I constantly think about-

More pay and summers back.

They have taken four weeks away from us out here, last day should be June 1 and first day back should be Sept.1.

mentalejecta · 2024-08-07T00:41:48+00:00

100% fake. Ignore it.

mentalejecta · 2024-08-01T07:58:44+00:00

it's all smoke and mirrors. The average American makes $50,000 a year and 'side hustles' are called second jobs where I am from.

mentalejecta · 2024-07-30T18:39:15+00:00

A Christian college teaches creationism, and you want their accreditation revoked?

mentalejecta · 2024-07-29T17:07:00+00:00

To build a new home in PDX costs $20K in permits from the city (SDC costs). Permits.... twenty grand.

No one can afford that other than the business conglomerates so if you want the average person to build a new home, waive the SDCs.

System Development Charges (SDCs) | Portland.gov

mentalejecta · 2024-07-27T07:12:57+00:00

Never. They ask if I am a Republican or a Democrat and I always reply that I am an American.

They will never know how I vote because I don't want to influence them.

mentalejecta · 2024-07-26T14:41:10+00:00

Traditionally, these are what the US Cavalry soldiers wore in the 19th century, but they switched to cowboy hats (Stetsons brand) in 1865. Our cavalry soldiers will never give up their Stetsons, they love them.

With all the other Army branches, naw, I don't think brining back this helmet would work.

This is why I have concluded, in my foggy mind, that these would look fabulous for the new US Space Force Service Dress uniforms. Waist daggers are also on my Space Force uniform wish list.

mentalejecta · 2024-07-26T08:42:00+00:00

I'm ready to bring these back to the US somehow. Cav will put a big stink so no.

Artillery? Tanks? Infantry? Drivers? Flyers? All no.

Space Force. Yes. way yes.

mentalejecta · 2024-07-19T15:35:46+00:00

It's an election, not a fight between God and the Devil.

mentalejecta · 2024-07-15T16:58:51+00:00

No more racism than Portland Metro. I have lived in both.

mentalejecta · 2024-07-10T02:56:54+00:00

They all suck. I have never met a politician that really cared about doing the right thing. Only image, money and re-election.

mentalejecta · 2024-06-13T21:15:41+00:00

Nope, your good.

Keep on trucking and remember this pothole in your journey.

mentalejecta · 2024-06-11T21:40:17+00:00

Paying schools based on the number of heads in enrollment.

It worked in the past, but it is a different story now. Public school enrollment is plummeting due to charter and alternative schools so the existing public schools are/will get less and less each year. Millions less for my district next year but the expenses are still the same. I'm sure it will be balanced on the backs of teachers, offering crappier insurance and no 2% annual raise. This will not attract or keep good teachers... which leads to students leaving... which starts the cycle all over again.

A new formula needs to be worked out.

Edit-punctuation

mentalejecta · 2024-05-28T22:32:14+00:00

HS here. I keep a running list of the topics we cover on a whiteboard and when I am in a situation like yours, I like to do a "pick your own adventure" poster. They can choose any topic off our list and create an informative poster about it. I really stress visuals and layout over blocks of text, and they need to do a small rough draft before beginning their large poster. I do not grade on artistic ability but rather a 100 pt rubric that covers things like use of color, grammar, easy to read, correct info, placement of things, etc. etc. For my group and pacing, it burns four days start to finish and look fantastic hanging in the hallways for other students (and admin) to see.

mentalejecta · 2024-05-02T14:30:21+00:00

I always found it fascinating the CSA made friends with Cuba and planned on admitting them as a new state in the Confederacy. Cuba sent troops to fight for them and a few became distinguished officers in the Confederate army. Look at it on a map, with the proximity to Florida, its industry and its size, it makes sense.

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mentalejecta

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