Source: Amazon post selling Vol 6
The Value of Q
Sat, 7 Dec 2024, 09:26 AM (-06:00)
I dashed out of my room heading to a meeting and almost bumped into two girls in the hallway.
“Hello Mr. Hasan,” one of them said, waving her hand with a smile on her face.
I tilted my head. “Do we know each other?”
Sadly, this happens often. So I just ‘fess up to not remembering students when I don’t. And if I should, I further confess that it usually takes three embarrassments to force the neurons to finally retain names. We all get a chuckle out of it.
“No,” she said, “you don’t know me.”
“So… how do you know my name?”
“I’ve heard about you.”
Oh oh.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Irqat,” she said (or something like that).
At this point we were in the main hall. They were going left. I was headed to the stairs in the other direction.
“Is that with a q or a k?” I asked loudly as the distance between us grew.
“A q,” she said.
I stopped and turned and pointed. “And it’s the q that makes the difference!”
“Mr. Hasan,” she shouted. “You get it!”
On the value of q, I suppose I do.
Googling Around or Not
Wed, 4 Dec 2024, 07:18 PM (-06:00)
“Can you help me with test corrections?” he asked.
“Of course,” I said. “But I’d like you to do some work, first.”
Then I gave him some examples of what I meant.
You may use your notes, or the copies of mine. You may work together with friends. You may use the Desmos graphing calculator or one of the TI-84s here in the room. You may use any online resources you can find including Googling around …”
“Mr, Hasan,” he interrupted. “What does Google around mean?”
Wait. What!?
Silence And
Thu, 28 Nov 2024, 04:09 PM (-06:00)
I am thankful for … silence. Or at least for those who understand why.
And thankful for warm Izzy in my lap. And for the Thanksgiving dinner that couldn’t be beat, prepared by the fair and industrious Trudy who baked and peeled and mashed and sliced. Now then, time a little something.
And of course thankful for the yellow and purple flowers in bloom. The acorns that sprout. The seeds that germinate. Lizards that stare. Bees that buzz. Butterflies that flutter.
But mostly for … silence. For just a little while longer.
Effective Training
Sat, 16 Nov 2024, 11:58 AM (-06:00)
Let me just say that I am flattered that you consider me such an integral part of your business that you send me regular updates about what is going on in your world. What new procedures you offer. What new staff you have hired. What kind of software upgrades you have made to your systems.
I suppose in some alternative universe, these things might be … good to know.
But in this universe none of us has the time nor the interest. It is pure noise, and you are training us quite effectively to ignore every single thing we get from you.
A Better Look
Thu, 14 Nov 2024, 07:26 PM (-06:00)
To be fair, Trudy had a point. When she said she didn’t like my hair (her comment wasn’t quite that gentle), I couldn’t really argue, since it had indeed been past time for a hair cut. That was last week. It’s still past time.
So I’m in my classroom this morning as the morning crew starts showing up. There’s a handful of them that come in to just hang out before the day starts, some are students of mine, others are friends and friends of friends.
“Mister Hasan,” one of them said. “Your hair looks good. Did you do something to it?”
Recalling her analysis from last week, I texted Trudy, to relay this alternative viewpoint.
“Just sayin’” I said.
“A third opinion is needed,” she replied.
Moments laster, someone else came into the room, one of the young (female) math teachers. She looked at me from the doorway. “Mr. Hasan,” she said loudly, making sure all the students could hear her. “You’re looking quite dapper today — your hair, and look at that shirt!…”
I relayed this (third) opinion back to Trudy.
“That is so weird,” she said. “I should have gotten a better look at you before you left.”
Um, thank you?
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