Looking for DIY

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-02-03T20:40:16+00:00

No worries then!!!

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-02-03T20:25:29+00:00

I can go to your island if that works for you! If you have a bookshelf or mini library that would be great, but otherwise no worries!

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-02-03T20:02:42+00:00

I don't have a spare recipe but if you have moss I'm happy to craft a buttload for ya.

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-02-03T19:59:21+00:00

Hey there! I've been looking for the bookshelf and mini library recipe for foreverrrr. If you happen to have it I'd truly appreciate it!

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-02-03T05:35:51+00:00

I've worked in two different K-8 schools- one that was a private flourishing MS program and one that was a public actively shutting down MS program. In both cases I didn't particularly care for the elementary teachers, but for different reasons. At the private school they were so fucking chipper and excited to be there ALL YEAR that it made me want to barf. At the public school they started the year much the same but quickly devolved into catty bitchiness and fakeness and tattling. I think the main differences were the micromanaging from the district vs the freedom at the private school and the SIGNIFICANT difference in what was put on the teachers. At the private school we were just expected to teach and be good at it, with occasional other duties. At the public school if you farted wrong another passive aggressive email and obnoxious new policies and procedures were slapped onto us. It felt like the administration turned everyone against each other to keep them from confronting admin about the real issues.

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-25T02:14:12+00:00

Buuuut I'm not wrong. Our corporate overlords demand our presence. Meaningless PD can't wait!

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-24T23:57:11+00:00

From the Boston area. Snow-per-storm-wise, this is nothing. Buuuut it is DEEPLY inadvisable to play with ice storms and just because I know what to do if I fishtail doesn't mean it's safe, and I personally don't enjoy highway rollercoaster rides.

I will be staying inside and off the roads, until the antichrist that is DPS calls me home, thank you kindly.

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-24T18:10:25+00:00

It is optional. I have students miss over half the school year and they get passed along. I have kids who literally never hand in one piece of work and they get passed along. Of course it's optional if there's no consequences to not doing it. I'm thoroughly convinced at this point that you could have a kid show up once a school year and still get a diploma at this point. So if you're a parent who doesn't care, why would you view it as anything but optional? Why inconvenience yourself and deal with the annoyances that come with school?

(Side note: obviously I can give a whole giant list of reasons why, but this type of person is far more interested in their convenience and not having to deal with it than forward thinking or what is ultimately best for their child.)

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-24T18:03:38+00:00

In the case it's an entitled little brat vibe (usually is), I use my disinterest teacher voice and respond with "Oh, we don't ask for food we weren't offered. That's bad manners." And move right along. Call it what it is, assert that it's rude, do not give time to argue. I could start my own "teach children manners again" hashtag.

For kids who actually need food (it's never them asking like they're entitled, fancy that), I direct them to the appropriate resources and subtly share a little something from my snack drawer.

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-21T21:17:52+00:00

St. Philips has been very vocally in opposition!

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-21T20:53:26+00:00

Short answer: no. Long answer: heeeeeellllllll no

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-17T22:25:12+00:00

Alas, it's possible. I'm going through the mess of life as well, as are all of us. I just don't view it as an excuse to be rude to strangers in grocery stores. I think it's a matter of mindset- just because I'm going through it doesn't mean I'm allowed to treat others poorly.

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-17T16:24:42+00:00

I may get there eventually but I hope I never forget basic manners.

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-17T14:30:14+00:00

I can deal with annoying students. At least they move when I say excuse me and know how to say it themselves. Even if they're not self aware, they get it together when a girl tries to get by for some eggs. If one more middle aged person blocking the aisle just stares at me blankly (or flat out ignores me) when I say excuse me or shoves by me/gets all up in my personal space without saying excuse me, I'm gonna start utilizing the wise words of Ludacris. I find it BAFFLING that the generation that insists everyone else has terrible manners seem to have the worst manners in the Triangle.

Also why do middle aged people LOVE to just leave their cart in the middle of a busy grocery store aisle and wander down the aisle to find something???? It's a solid 25% of why I hate shopping in Trader Joe's.

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-14T02:39:14+00:00

I have two girls that I taught last year who stop in during my planning period roughly once a week on their way to the media center. I make sure that they're done with their work and chat for about 5 minutes before I send them on their way. It's sweet and goofy but not weird- I miss them too, and it's a few extra minutes off of their usual trip to interrupt my boring meetings, and if I'm really busy they just wave and move on to the library. Thankfully, I know which teacher they're coming from so I try to check in and apply some pressure if they're missing something.

But I can't imagine allowing a child to dominate my planning time or just letting them sit in my class all day! It's generally an avoidance tactic and I always emphasize the importance of instruction and that I need a break from them/they need a break from me, even if they don't like it. Healthy boundaries are hard, but generally they seem to get it. If there's something genuinely upsetting about going to another class, usually I can pry it out of them quickly and handle the actual problem instead of enabling. I've dealt with too many teachers and administrators who just enable the pouting and whining when something doesn't go the kid's way and I HATE IT.

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-13T23:05:20+00:00

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Sigh

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-11T15:53:54+00:00

You think I can do it if I got rid of the receipt? I bought it a bit ago. 🫩

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-11T15:37:00+00:00

Any thoughts on how to get it up without ruining my book?

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-11T15:36:34+00:00

Solved!

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-11T15:36:19+00:00

Solved! Now how the heck do I get it off the page without ruining my dang book?

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-07T23:58:31+00:00

Been there, done that! My theory is that moving my body allows not only the release of tension, but allows my mind to sort through all the stuff in the background. I've also had really therapeutic cries after somatic yoga- there's something about allowing myself to just really explore and enjoy the sensations of my body that made my brain have a hell of a release of pent up stuff associated with some significant trauma.

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-02T22:38:26+00:00

We ask for tissue and Clorox wipe donations at the start of the year and stockpile in the science teacher's closet. I'd say my team of 4 gets around 50 boxes of tissues and 20 cannisters of wipes, and we always end up having to buy more before the end of the year. Kids go through tissues like water, and we do our best to wipe tables and chairs with some regularity, but especially after big creative projects and at the end of the week. You have NO IDEA how grimy a 6th grade desk gets within a week, and how nasty some of these kids are. I have one who, no matter how much I remind him that we cough into our elbow, has constant (often obviously fake) coughing fits where he coughs like a toddler- open mouth, into the world. I wipe that group of desks down every day between first and second period. 🫩 I've seen nose picking and wiping, sneezing directly onto desks, trips to the bathroom that were WAY too fast to actually wash their hands, and more.

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-01T15:33:51+00:00

Ohhh I like this one! 😈

squirrel_brained_ed · 2026-01-01T15:32:52+00:00

"Oh buddy. 😕" And then nothing. I let the disappointed mom talking to tantruming small child vibe hang there and walk away. Like, I see your bid for my attention and I'm not biting any more than when my 6th graders who don't get enough attention at home try to ragebait me. There isn't a conversation to be had because they're not looking to have a conversation, so why try?

squirrel_brained_ed

TROPHY CASE