I played "BROWN" earlier this week for 58 points. Just wanted to share.
How is it the end of January? I’m not speaking
figuratively—I mean I actually don’t know how it’s the end of January. Earlier
this week I mentioned to my students that we’d be starting parts of The Odyssey
the first week of February and one of my students piped up, “Ok, so really
soon, then.” And I laughed and said, “Oh, no. Like I said, we’ll start reading
the first week of February!” And my student looked at me like : | and I understood: February starts very soon.
Here are some things that have been happening!
A Good Thing
On Wednesday, I announced that they would have a sub next
Thursday, and my class said, “Nooo!” I said, “What? Was the sub last time
really bad or something?” and one of my students said, “We just hate it when
you’re gone.”
I’m sharing this with you not because I want you to know how
great I am, but as an opportunity to remind you that I used to be very much not great. In fact, especially during my
first few years of teaching, when I told students they would have a sub, my
announcement was met with joy. Not like hushed excitement that they tried to
stifle when they remembered that I’m watching their reaction and am a human
with feelings, but unapologetic, raucous shouts of acclamation. I was working so hard to be good at
teaching—harder than I’d worked at anything in my life—and to hear my students
effectively say, “We are happiest without you! Please be gone forever!” felt
crushing.
So. If you’re in your rookie years and are struggling so
hard that it feels impossible to even imagine the type of classroom you wish
you had—know that you will get there. Your journey might not look the way you
expected or happen as quickly as you’d like, but if you keep with it, one day
you’ll look back the way I did this week and realize: Oh. I’ve made it. (And if
you quit before you get there, you’re not weak or inadequate in some way—teaching
is hard. Plus, teenagers can be savage.)
A meme that really speaks
to me
via @lizandmollie
Two teacher-friendly
meals I’ve been making a lot
This
slow-cooker chicken tacos recipe. I’ve been making a vat of it on the
weekends and use it for leftovers for lunch the whole week—and I hate
leftovers. So that’s saying something. It’s cheap, easy, flavorful, healthy and
there is NO CHOPPING, which, if you’ve been following me for some time, you
know I loathe. I spoon the chicken onto a tortilla and heat it up in the
microwave for lunch, but you could put it on salads, add it to soups, stir it
in your coffee, WHATEVER.
My overnight oats recipe I’ve been playing around with. I’ve
always wanted to be a person who loves oatmeal—it’s filling, warm, soothing—but
could never come around to the experience of it hot. Turns out though, I LOVE
overnight oats! They’re so yummy and keep me full until lunchtime, which I
thought was impossible. I make mine this way:
-1/3 cup Greek yogurt (you’ll use full fat if you know what’s
good for you)
-2/3 cup almond milk
-1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
-1 tablespoon chia seeds (I don’t know what they actually do
but apparently are healthy?)
-maybe 2 teaspoons honey? I don’t know.
-splash of vanilla
-some shakes of cinnamon
-a tiny pinch of nutmeg
-a tiny pinch of salt
-toppings of your choice (pecan pieces and blueberries are
my jam)
1. Mix all the ingredients up in a mason jar (you can also
do this for the next two or three days in advance!!!) EXCEPT for toppings. Or
maybe you could go ahead and put the toppings in overnight? I don’t know. I’d
be worried about soggy pecans. But you do you.
2. Cover and chill in refrigerator overnight.
3. Eat it cold—plain or with toppings! Stay full until
lunch! Make overnight oats forever!
Be on the lookout for a Love, Teach cookbook! HAHA I’M KIDDING.
There would be a whole chapter on Pop-Tarts.
Give piece a chance
Is anyone else noticing a sweeping trend in the education
world of the use of the word “piece”? Add in the discussion piece, this is the
performance piece, the essay is the assessment piece, etc. It’s like one of
those things I never heard and then suddenly I hear it everywhere! Is it from
something?
I have some district professional development trainings
coming up and maybe I’ll throw “piece” around until someone notices. Excuse me,
when is the lunch piece? I like your scarf piece. I can’t wait to take this
info into the teaching piece.
More good things
Big things are coming your way in the Love, Teach world.
I’ve been teasing this every once in a while for what seems like years now, but
now things are really coming together. I’ll reveal the news sometime in
February. For now, all I can say is that I’m so, so, so excited to share it
with you, so be watching! How’s that for vague hype?!
I love you. Work hard. Take care of yourself. Eat my
overnight oats.
Love (and piece),
