I can't believe I have not blogged in over a year. I have to get back into it. Since my last blog post, I have run two half marathons and a full marathon, had many amazing interactions with my students, survived a new principal, and have gotten through another school year.… Read full post »

After the birth of my son, I decided it was time to get healthy and start taking care of myself. I was taking a long maternity leave, so I had no excuse not to use that time to figure out how to eat properly and learn to love exercising.

Since Hideo's… Read full post »

UFB is a hip hop group of recent Chicago high school graduates. Erk G, the young man in the Hollister hoodie, was in my 6th period Senior English class this year. His real name is Aarik, but on the first day of school he told me he wanted to be… Read full post »

I know I haven't posted in ages, and now the school year is over. But I'm going to try to get back in the habit of posting weekly, about school business and other things, too.

CPS is in dire financial straits and is looking to fire people, so I didn't feel… Read full post »

There seems to be one prevailing attitude regarding teachers. While a few people think we are saints, most people think we are morons who sit around and do nothing but collect a paycheck, and that is why our schools are so bad. We are the welfare moms of the 2010s. It's… Read full post »

 

 

 Here's the new me, with Emiko and Hideo

I made my Weight Watchers goal almost a month ago. I have been waiting to blog about it until Todd took a good pic of me. He still hasn't done that, so this pic will have to do. I love this … Read full post »

This student was in my division a couple of years ago for about a month before getting moved into the football division. He always seemed like a nice young man. I would say hi to him in the hallway. I never got any sort of negative vibe from him, but that/…

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Just to prove that I often have a good time at work. Each year a group of teachers and staff get together and perform for the homecoming pep rally. We call ourselves the Mighty Divas, since we are the Dunbar Mighty Men and Women. Which… Read full post »

 This cartoon made me laugh out loud this morning.

I just want to clarify -- that I do actually love my job most of the time.  More this year than ever before. I don't know if my eight months of maternity leave helped crystallize for me why I'm a teacher, or… Read full post »

This post makes my post from yesterday seem frivolous. In the grand scheme of things, I have nothing to complain about. Not when things like this keep happening.

A student was beaten to death outside Fenger High School last week. Apparently students were beating on the door of the high school,… Read full post »

It's now the fourth week of school. I am sorry I haven't blogged yet -- I've been meaning to. I am finding it harder to get everything done now that I've got two kids to take care of. I'm not complaining; my kids are amazing and I wouldn't trade them for… Read full post »

One of the things I've been doing this summer is getting in shape. I've hesitated to write about it, because I wanted to make sure I could do it, and because I really, really hate talking about weight loss issues.

But after having Hideo, I realized that I needed to decide what… Read full post »

I just finished sending an email to the chancellor of the University of Tennessee in regards to this matter. I can't believe they offered this asshole a full scholarship.

I know I've been terrible about blogging -- I've just been having a lot of fun focusing on Hideo and not doing… Read full post »

 

 

When is this going to get better? 508???

Since my last school post, I've been feeling that I came across as an elitist bitch. Which has been bugging me a lot. It's taken me awhile to update, because I have a fussy baby who likes being held, and it's really hard to type while holding him.

But he's happily sleeping… Read full post »

People who are not teachers for Chicago Public Schools often enjoy hearing my horror stories about my job. After one anecdote or another, they inevitably ask why I don't work for a better school. Or they wonder if I have tried to get a job at a better school.  As if… Read full post »

I have a coworker who texted me about this a couple of hours ago. I am so sick of this crap -- I don't understand when kids are going to stop shooting at each other. I hope and pray that someone will learn something from this, but I don't think that… Read full post »

OK, I haven't blogged in a bit. I've been distracted! But Hideo is sleeping in his swing, so I am going to try to put something together for your entertainment.

Things are going well baby-wise. Emiko was such a fussy baby her first few months. She would not sleep unless I… Read full post »

Hideo got to come home from the NICU on Christmas Eve afternoon. He is so sweet-tempered -- he sleeps pretty well and is eating really well. I forget how fun it is to have a newborn baby -- but boy it's tiring, too. But I think everyone is adjusting… Read full post »

Here is Hideo William -- he was born via c-section at 6:26 am on Saturday, December 20th. He is 6 lbs 10 1/2 oz, and is 19 inches long. And he's super cute. He was a little early, so that's why he has the nasal cannula and feeding tube.… Read full post »

I was going to try to work up through today, since today is the last day of school before Winter Break starts. But we had another big winter storm last night, and decided I did not want to deal with driving in to work in snow and ice. It took me… Read full post »

I'm not surprised by this, but I'm not too excited. I really wish President-Elect Obama had consulted me before making this pick.

I'm trying to decide if I want to write a longer post about this. Right now class is about to start. I may get back to you. In the… Read full post »

I read this article by Malcolm Gladwell yesterday, and I found it rather fascinating. It was published in The New Yorker, but I read it online.

I like Malcolm Gladwell -- I heard him speak a few years ago, and he was entertaining. I'm looking forward to reading his new book.… Read full post »

This is a true story, according to my sister. Although I do not remember this. My sister shared this story during her toast to me at my wedding reception. I do not think I've ever laughed so hard in my entire life.

According to my sister, when I was around 9… Read full post »