Since the internet is loud. — The movement was, and still is, a needed one. Minimalism has helped people reestablish appreciation for items around them, and crave less. Aesthetic trends aside, the movement is a healthy and relevant one. But while many have achieved this in their homes, digital lives remain cluttered with excess. Sure, it’s…

It may echo the sound of many. — At one point, I wanted to be a school bus driver. Sometimes I wonder if I’d be healthier doing that. The kids are a gift — it’s not them. I had decided to get certified to teach English and social studies for several reasons, but the main reason was, simply…

Learning is organic. Standards aren’t. — The notion is simple: If teachers do the same things, we can tell where we need to improve. If teachers do the same things, learning will be better for students. If teachers do the same things, teachers will be accountable. To a certain extent, sure. Content alignment has some purpose…

The words haunt my teaching. — Year 1 I write my mentor teacher’s learning objective on the board for the 500th time. I make sure to use the “common language”. I carefully calculate first period’s mastery, second period’s, third. We’ll shout out the highest performing. Rewards and recognition. Data culture. Purpose. Performance. Mastery. The words haunt my teaching. …

It’s late, but quiet in my living room. — 11:30pm: Living Room The holidays were loud. It’s late, but quiet in my living room. 8:15am: Meeting “How was your break?” I ate Totino’s while building a $248,000 expert-level park in Roller Coaster Tycoon. My dopamine spiked. I took several baths. I didn’t have it in me to dry my hair this morning. …

I can’t anymore. — October The classroom is vacant. I’ve got half an hour to knock out some work. My eyes cross as I stare at my Google sheets. It’s too early to burn out. Three more boxes of essential vocabulary to fill in, and I’m done. … At least, with the lesson plan. November Google…

Also, everyone has chilled out. — I think back to the confidence I walked away with as I finished a professional development session, my first year in the classroom, where we learned specific classroom management strategies and (get ready) role played them. I can’t help but grin with pity. I’d mastered waiting for 100%, attention getters…

It’s possible. — In a past era of teaching, principals would’ve likely handed teachers textbooks at the beginning of a year and told them to use them as they wish. That era is bygone, and schools are now inundated with high stakes accountability, increasing amounts of monitoring, and a dominant data culture. Instructional…

What the hell am I teaching? — 10th Grade High Frequency Standard #1: Author’s Tone & Mood in Literature My pencil waits under the document camera. Students stare at the abundant list of tone words. I should get these laminated. “Is Jackson’s tone positive, negative, or neutral in the middle of the story?” “Negative.” Well, the suspense may give us a negative feeling, but is the diction she chooses…