It was a warm weekend evening. Acorns were falling from the Oak trees, banging onto car tops, crunching underfoot. Izzy was pulling at the leash. I dialed my cousin. “Hi, David!” she said. We spoke about school. We spoke about the kids. She asked about my progress in year two. I asked about her recent […]
Category Archives: Default
The Acorns Wouldn’t Wait
Sun, 17 Nov 2019, 05:58 PM (-06:00)
I gathered them up from the gravel along the sidewalk: acorns fallen from the four young Lacy Oaks struggling in the strip of ground between the restaurant and the parking lot. On two separate occasions, I gathered full pockets of them. This has been a bumper acorn year. Although I am told trees just 30 […]
Putting the Pieces Together Again
Fri, 15 Nov 2019, 07:00 PM (-06:00)
Yes, yes. I know. You might guess, so don’t ask. But now I’m here, and all sorts of technical glitches are making this enterprise somehow … difficult. My brother is out buying truck tires at the tire store next to his office. And here I am, trying to get the blog and the laptop and […]
Teacher Cartoon Dude
Thu, 5 Sep 2019, 07:57 PM (-06:00)
There is a cartoon stick figure who makes an appearance in my algebra classes from time to time. He wears a top hat for no other reason than he is the teacher cartoon dude, and I need to distinguish him from the cartoon students who are usually seated. His role is to make sidebar comments […]
Friday Night Game
Sat, 31 Aug 2019, 01:32 PM (-06:00)
For the most part, students like seeing teachers outside of school, although they don’t always know quite what to do. Some are enthusiastic (“Mr. Hasan!”). Some are nervous (“How are you?” “Ok… I guess. I mean…”). And some just pretend you’re not there. In no particular order… 1. Fast Food The guy behind the cash […]
The Red Rocket and The Dangling Else
Thu, 29 Aug 2019, 08:28 PM (-06:00)
There was a cartoon on the screen at the front of the room. It was a hand-drawn thing, the sort I use a lot in class. The ground was green. The sea was blue. The rocket was red. … Yes. There was a rocket. What else would you use for a visual aid if you’re trying […]
Upon Return
Wed, 28 Aug 2019, 08:47 PM (-06:00)
I know. I went dark. But that’s the prerogative of a teacher, right? To go dark in the summer. There is much to tell, and perhaps I might get around to telling some of it. But school has begun so for now, some things the kids said today… 1. Band I was talking to a […]
Not Nearly As
Wed, 28 Aug 2019, 08:26 PM (-06:00)
And so year two has begun… My throat hurt badly after the first day, although it didn’t hurt nearly as long as last year. My feet are sore again, although not nearly as bad as last year. I’m still one of the last teachers to leave my side of the building, although not nearly as […]
It Comes with Experience
Thu, 23 May 2019, 07:32 PM (-06:00)
Two grasshopper moments from this past week… 1. Sharpening Pencils He came to sharpen his pencil. There is an electric sharpener sitting on a low table by the wall just below the whiteboard, and the students know that they may come up at any time to sharpen their pencils. A student who wants an effective […]
Checking Her Answers
Tue, 21 May 2019, 08:24 PM (-06:00)
The period was over. Most of the students had turned in their tests. I scanned the room and saw a student closely examining hers — not rushing to get one more answers in but rather looking it over closely. She was done. She had answered every question. And yet, she didn’t just hop up and […]