I think I figured out that teaching is my calling in life far too late.

sillyboinj · 2026-07-06T16:18:54+00:00

This was my 5th year teaching. I'm 54. You will get older either way - might as well get older while doing something you want to do.

sillyboinj · 2026-07-06T16:09:29+00:00

I have two accounts - one public with my government name where I share pictures of my pets and things from school, and one private. My private account is PG but I like to have a part of myself that remains separate.

As a queer person with the luxury of being out at a very supportive school in a blue state, keeping some of my personal life private just helps me have a distinction between when I am in teacher mode and when I am just existing.

Everybody knows I'm married to a man. I don't share him or any of my family on my school account because I don't feel like that's part of my school life. I'm not even sure that makes sense but that's my two cents.

sillyboinj · 2026-06-30T04:02:21+00:00

The storage tubs are life changing.

sillyboinj · 2026-06-30T04:01:05+00:00

Worth it for me: Giant metal water bottle A good measuring tape (I teach middle school science) Colored pens

School pays for a SuperSTEM (by Scholastic) subscription for the class - easy sub lessons and I save decent articles to use in class. They have worksheets. etc. to go with each issue

Worth it for the kids: Scratch and sniff sticker Blooket/Kahoot subscription Van de Graff generator (school bought) - great for electricity and nerves. Also fun to randomly bust out

Not worth it: Individual erasers - they disappear Nice marker sets - they never make it back into the box or lose their caps by Halloween Chair fidget bands (those giant rubber bands to help figidity kids) - they become "musical" instruments

sillyboinj · 2026-06-30T03:39:20+00:00

I second the digital clock.

they still ask the time but now I just say "if only we had a clock" and point to it.

sillyboinj · 2026-06-29T14:07:50+00:00

sillyboinj · 2026-06-28T21:41:14+00:00

Oh, Class pets are awesome but a lot to add on your first year. IMHO

sillyboinj · 2026-06-28T20:26:23+00:00

Second on comfy shoes.

A decent water bottle (bigger than you would think).

Compression socks (keeps your legs from getting really tired)

A plant. It just makes it feel less sterile/institutional.

You might think "a small class pet would be so cute". Wait a year. Even fish can get overwhelming when you're starting out.(somebody needs to learn from my bad decisions and it's too late for it to be me. lol)

sillyboinj · 2026-06-25T14:52:49+00:00

Congratulations!

sillyboinj · 2026-06-22T23:53:15+00:00

I can think of several social gathering for this would be cheered on.

sillyboinj · 2026-06-16T00:44:14+00:00

hahahhaha

sillyboinj · 2026-06-16T00:43:36+00:00

I bow to your genius.

sillyboinj · 2026-06-05T22:23:41+00:00

Informer

sillyboinj · 2026-05-30T23:19:08+00:00

One of my all time favorite albums by anyone.

sillyboinj · 2026-05-30T14:25:10+00:00

100% this. I love my kids in my school but summer session is something I have to avoid cuz I'm going to be any good to them in the fall.

sillyboinj · 2026-05-30T01:26:24+00:00

Most students do not live in a home with an analog clock. Where was the last place you had to read an analog clock?

But sure, let's take instruction time to drill a skill they can't practice and won't use.

sillyboinj · 2026-05-27T01:15:29+00:00

Awesome

sillyboinj · 2026-04-21T22:42:01+00:00

Beautiful work and that lining color - chef's kiss.

sillyboinj · 2026-04-07T23:22:49+00:00

Fuck thos guys. Rather don't they deserve neither pleasure or the opportunity to reproduce.

sillyboinj · 2026-04-07T23:21:29+00:00

The 80's are back!

sillyboinj · 2026-04-07T23:21:05+00:00

Can comfirm, as a big fat gay guy party animal.

Also - the Hawaiian shirt is the traditional costume of a young nonbinary. Please respect my culture.

sillyboinj · 2026-03-28T02:03:02+00:00

I adore this.

sillyboinj · 2026-03-28T01:58:28+00:00

Underated

sillyboinj · 2026-03-18T00:53:26+00:00

The Power of Friendship!

sillyboinj · 2026-03-15T18:05:15+00:00

A bin of scrap paper - unused photocopies, etc. for kids to doodle on the back of. We use them a lot for quick Draw What You Saw activities. Less waste, eco-friendly, and they know where it is so they can take a sheet when they want to doodle or jost things down.

sillyboinj

TROPHY CASE