deciphering the days

So. Many. Questions. On top of questioning whether or not I should even be a teacher ( Part 1 ), I have a million and one questions concerning the curriculum and pedagogy of the job. Round 1 of questions reached its capacity after the first semester of teaching. I spent most of my Christmas break pondering the following: How do I get students to take more responsibility for themselves, their actions, and the actions of those around them? How can I get students to keep up with papers? (I do not, nor do they, have the luxury of classroom computers, so the papers stay.) How can I manage the material and instruction that absent students miss? How do I put the responsibility of absences on them? How can I minimize the endless printing and wasted paper? How can I more effectively distribute and collect papers? How can I help students who miss entire units of instruction? How can I differentiate between learning abilities? Can handouts be structured to accommodate? How ...

Well. I went from doing calculus three and inorganic chemistry to explaining basic arithmetic and the phase changes of water. Not what I saw coming. I'm not particularly thrilled about it either. Being a teacher seems much less glamorous than the scientist I imagined.  But it's not so bad either.  In this post (part 1) I will elaborate on my internal conflict as to whether I am should 'be a teacher' or find a different profession. Already, it seems as I should take the new profession route as no one wants to ask their teacher "Why do you love teaching?" only to receive the response, "Actually, I'm not thrilled about it. But I guess it's not so bad either." Furthermore, I strongly relate to both the worldly and crass caricatures below: Yeah...probably shouldn't be a teacher. Then again, my school loves me. My principal says he "cannot believe I am only a first year teacher." My supervising teacher sai...

Not having any children of my own, I find it strange to give parenting tips - how would I know? Not to mentioned most of us have felt the wrath of a stressed and poorly rested parent who was not in the mood to listen to parenting advice from the free and single. Understandably of course. However I was a child once. And this weekend (for whatever clinically significant reason) I have stumbled across many unpleasant childhood memories that for some weird purpose or lack of resolutions, I am still toting around in an emotional handbag. So here is to writing them down and remembering them when I am a parent. And here is to the parents who will listen to parenting advice from a non-parent. 1. Give your child the initial benefit of the doubt. In word, action, and deed. Sometimes this means trusting them over other kids/adults or even being wrong about your child's actions. Believe the best in your child and ask for their side of the story before you jump on the bandwagon. If your c...

Occasionally I feel the need to write about my family (which you know if you have ready any of my other posts). But more often than not, I do not actually publish what I write about them. I walk a very fine line between needing to process and...complaining. I don't want to loathe in self pity and write pages and pages of hurtful and emotionally inspired works. But I still desire to describe my family and my relationship with them... The following is my family in memes and pictures and posts, etc. Not necessarily capturing their essence, but rather when I see it, I think of them. I will continue to update it as more arrive... Mother: (except this one - this one captures my mother's essence) Father: (I feel like I should tell him this...) Older Brother: (my favorites of his picks. they both reflect his occupation and struggles with mental health)          Younger Brother: (my pick based on his humor and tattoos) (his picks)   Young...