kids these days – Blue Cereal Education

Things I Heard This Week

Blue Cereal — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 10:46:50 +0000

I teach in a district that’s had some struggles in recent years. We’re majority-minority and 100% of my kids are “free and reduced lunch” (mostly “free”). Add in eighteen months of not having real school and the fact that most of the schools feeding into mine are already under state “control” (an ironic term by any measure), and it’s easy to grow discouraged. There aren’t always those “breakthrough” moments you count on to stay motivated - personally or academically.

All the more reason to build a few monuments to the encouraging or amusing episodes which do occur from time to time. Here are three from this past week.

My Karma Ran Over My Dogma (A Confessional)

Blue Cereal — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 23:24:12 +0000

I always swore I’d never be one of those teachers. You know the type – frustrated and hostile, blaming their kids, and longing for the “good ol’ days.” To be honest, I’ve often kinda looked down on that flavor of educator – wondering why they’re still in the classroom, and hoping they find somewhere else … Continue reading

Why Don’t You Just MAKE Them?

Blue Cereal — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 04:41:49 +0000

The most adorable befuddlement comes over non-educators when the subject of student learning or behavior is brought up. And it’s completely understandable. Many of them have rose-damaged memories of their own school years – teachers wielding yardsticks, parents spanking and grounding, and a pervasive respect/terror of any and all authority figures. It's a wonder we haven't raised an entire generation of serial killers if even half these recollections are true.