May 2013
The Problem with 'Boys Will Be Boys' →
For months, every morning when my daughter was in preschool, I watched her construct an elaborate castle out of blocks, colorful plastic discs, bits of rope, ribbons and feathers, only to have the same little boy gleefully destroy it within seconds of its completion.
No matter how many times he did it, his parents never swooped in BEFORE the morning’s live 3-D reenactment of “Invasion of...
1 tag
I am squinting to read my computer screen.
I’m not wearing my glasses, but when I first got my prescription, I could read computers and books just fine without the glasses. I’m nearsighted.
Part of my difficulty is plain tiredness, and part of it is screen fatigue for sure, but also, I am pretty confident I need a new prescription. My close range vision has gotten a little worse over the past year, and I’ve been...
2 tags
#education birthday alert
Take a moment to wish ummno a happy 25th!
4 tags
"This is a test, not a learning activity"
That may or may not be directly quoted from the official proctoring materials of my state’s standardized exams.
Sums it up, doesn’t it?
In addition to missing class time to test, and missing planning time to proctor, I’ve also been missing my paraeducator on days when my own students have been in my class because he is busy working the accommodations testing room. Meanwhile, I...
Your End of School Checklist
fakescience:
“Over the last decade, as companies chased after an effective chemical, there was...”
– “Unexcited? There May Be a Pill for That.”—NYT
Gee, you ever think that might be part of the problem? That there’s a societally acceptable level of lady-boning?
(via ladonnapietra)
“good but not too good”
Yeah, go fuck yourself, dude.
(via whynotshesaid)
Got it. Sexually aggressive men are...
“Women are afraid of meeting a serial killer. Men are afraid of meeting someone...”
–
When Strangers Click, a 2011 documentary about online dating.
It reminds me of that famous Margaret Atwood quote: “Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them.” It also reminds me of something written by one of the mods of Sex Worker Problems: “Misandry...
Tomes Away: A brief senior prank tutorial →
tomesaway:
A senior prank is:
humorous without being offensive
clever and creative without being destructive
well-thought out without being too twee
memorable without being infamous
inclusive without being cliquish
A senior prank is not:
giving the already-overwhelmed janitorial staff any more…
At our school the senior prank has to get administrative approval and is adult...
Top 10 Things No One Tells You About Becoming a... →
hithertokt:
A highly entertaining list, emailed to me compliments of my brother. This is my favorite part, on students pointing out a teacher’s quirks:
I’m sure that there are more, but they have not yet been brought to my attention by one of the following reliable sources:
A mean kid who has boundary issues.
A kid that is trying to use me in a revenge plot by tattling on their arch nemesis...
1 tag
Time
I left school at 4:30.
Thanks to an accident during rush hour on an already crowded highway, I did not get back to my neighborhood until nearly 6. Then I went to the grocery store. I got home at 6:30, put some groceries away, did some very minor kitchen cleaning, sat on the couch with my cat for 10 minutes, then went running.
By the time I got back from my run and cooked dinner it was 8:45. 20...
1 tag
Texas Judge Forbids Lesbian Woman From Living With... →
likeiknewiwould:
sinidentidades:
Carolyn Compton is in a three year-old relationship with a woman. According to Compton’s partner Page Price, Compton’s ex-husband rarely sees their two children and was also once charged with stalking Compton, a felony, although he eventually plead to a misdemeanor charge of criminal trespassing.
And yet, thanks to a Texas judge, Compton could lose custody of...
1 tag
There should be an educator discount on alcohol in May.
And chocolate.
“On its own, it is a wonder, but viewed in isolation its complexity and very...”
– Brian Cox channels Richard Feynman in this reminder that viewing science through any single lens is an incomplete view of its magnificence. In other words, physics is beautiful, but it’s a periscope view of life’s majesty.
From his new book to accompany the BBC series, Wonders of Life.
via Brain...
:with love and squalor: Problems with Teach for... →
ironyisironic:
Consider This:
There is a job shortage in America, but a recent solution implemented by the Obama administration has been to create infrastructure jobs through the Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It’s tag line is “Putting Americans to Work”. Consider if, as part of this act,…
Ready for June
My kids wore through my patience today.
Confrontations, even with the kids, trigger my anxiety.
I’m so over this school year.
Cheshire Cat Logic: Why Do Men Keep Putting Me in... →
shewalkslikethunder:
literaryreference:
You know how it is, right, ladies? You know a guy for a while. You hang out with him. You do fun things with him—play video games, watch movies, go hiking, go to concerts. You invite him to your parties. You listen to his problems. You do all…
Lol
“One of the greatest threats we face is, simply put, bullshit. We are drowning...”
– Jon Lovett’s commencement address to Pitzer College. (via theatlantic)
But seriously, we have lots of sped openings
monasequeda:
Also lots of bilingual sped openings.
And dual language openings.
Come work with me!
Boost!
floralprintprouvaire:
involvingmeinvolvingyou:
If you wanna be my lover
You’ve gotta throw huge parties to get my attention and get your neighbor to invite me over for tea then let me run over my husband’s mistress in your car
I need to raise $50 for Pre-K Celebration ASAP, if...
positivelypersistentteach:
The need for funds is a long story, but know it would be going to our 3 Pre-K’s celebration on the last day of school. We’d like to buy a small spread of food and some resources for the kids to take home.
Please e-mail me positivelypt (at) gmail (dot) com or use fan mail!
Thanks!
Heartbreaking.
think-progress:
Even though the day was cancelled due to sequestration, a 5-year-old showed up to school because he was hungry.
And there are more devastating effects sequester budget cuts have had on kids and schools.
Discovery, Animal Planet, and History Channel... →
jtotheizzoe:
climateadaptation:
These channels are failing the spirit of conservationism and education. They are failing inspiring awe in young people. Failing much needed inspiration in a very confused and conflicted world.
These shows are failing their core values, their main purpose, which is leadership in environmentalism and cultural education. Far worse, they are failing millions of...
State Testing This Week
There are really not words for how over this school year I am.
4 tags
Distance, Complacency, Time, etc
In general, I am pretty good at being a friend. My friendships have always been the primary relationships in my life, so they’re always social and emotional priorities. I’m intentional and loyal and communicative with my friends; it’s critical to me that they all understand how much I care about them because I’m scared of losing them. And I’m affectionate and...
“The way we try to recruit girls into STEM fields is all wrong. We typically...”
– Tim Holt on why we still see the number of females in STEM fields fall way behind their male counterparts. Also see how geography paved the way for women in science.
(↬ gender and science)
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tjuefem said: Get a Cabrera. GO ALL OUT. Also, PLEASE tell me you’re getting the actual Tigers colors and not pink.
I am actually a little insulted that you would even be a little concerned that I would get a fucking pink Tigers jersey.
I wouldn’t wear a pink Tigers jersey if it were free. Fuck that noise. I cannot with people who wear pink team gear. It’s gross and obnoxious.
...
2 tags
Baseball Season
I have a little bit of extra money right now, and very shortly I will be in summer pay mode (I make more money over the summer than during the school year), so I am going to treat myself to a Detroit Tigers jersey. I’ve wanted one for years.
But damn, they’re expensive.
My first choice would be a road jersey, but I can’t find any of those in women’s sizes. I guess I could...
“While Cole discovered that loneliness could hasten death in sick people,...”
– The Science of Loneliness | New Republic (via kateoplis)
Oh great. No point in trying to be well.
Now, where did I put those donuts.
(via amassofhumanity)
All kidding aside: it’s a long read, but well worth it. An absolutely amazing article on the biological impacts of loneliness, touching on... 