Ow, My Brain...

Sixth Classroom...

Three weeks just sitting in a library watching ELLs take the ACCESS test…

Oh great, Corona.

I’m banned from the school and go home.

Now, the school shuts down and the children seldom show.

I sit in my bedroom talking to the walls on Zoom.

YouTube stories…picture books and animations on environmental and wildlife conservation…

Stories lead to class discussions and simple assignments.

The edTPA is not going to happen.

Thankfully I don’t need it for institutional backing once I finally graduate.

Virtual classrooms where students are constantly interrupted by poor internet or having to watch younger siblings.

These kids are learning nothing yet being passed onto the next grade.

It’s such a disservice…

Depression...

It’s hard to keep your head above the water when you’re drowning in your own tears...  Take that, former me who wrote horrible Goth poetry! 

I was so cute as a kid...

My very first day of teaching…

I taught paleontology.

I was six-years-old.

I had five students.

They were my Cabbage Patch Kids.

Second Classroom...

My second classroom…

I taught Japanese studies.

I was twelve-years-old.

I had a whole classroom full of peers that hated me.

I was the ‘weird’ kid who was friends with all the teachers.

Many of my peers left my speech on Japan wanting to visit the country.

It was nerve wracking but wonderful.

My Valentines...

Asexual me

I’m Aromantic so please

Do not scar with ‘love’…

White Cherry Blossoms...

White petals flutter

Warm sun, gentle breeze, sunny

Spring has come at last

I’m Trying...

Class Rules

 1.      Stay quiet.

2.      Look at the teacher.

3.      Listen to the teacher.

4.      Stay in your seat.

5.      Answer questions.

  Prizes

 1.      One good day gets you one sticker.

2.      A whole week of stickers gets you a small prize.

3.      A whole month of stickers gets you a bigger prize.

  Punishments

 1.      Verbal warning and no sticker.

2.      Five minutes off of recess.

3.      A call home.

  Signals

 1.      Finger to lips – Quiet!

2.      Teacher points to eye – Look at teacher.

3.      Teacher touches ear – Listen to teacher.

4.      Push down with palm – Sit.

5.      Hand up – Raise your hand to answer.

6.      X with arms – STOP!

Forth Classroom…

I was at a community college, panicking over my BA in English.

So I went for an associate’s in medical secretary.

I helped my friend learn her medical terminology, abbreviations, grammar, and anatomy.

I helped another friend learn about computers as we had to take Windows, Excel, and Access.

All three of us struggled comically over transcription.

The Puerto Rican said that the “Puerto Rican” doctor on the recording didn’t sound right.

The Caucasian said, “Where the heck do you find the ‘send’ key?!”

I felt like the smartest person in the room for the first time in my life.

Looking up...

Breakthrough finally

Happiness can be real now

I have a new job.

Breaking News!

There is a young boy at my school.  I have no idea what he has been through for the past several months.  All I know is that his grandfather now has custody of a two-year-old, a four-year-old, and a six-year-old (my student).  These kids haven’t been in school since it shut down back in March of 2020.  Grandpa owns his own company…a small one-person kind of company.  He can’t afford to feed and clothe these kids. Mercifully this little guy has a decent coat and sneakers.

My school provided a backpack.

His other teacher provided school supplies.

I bought him masks and hand sanitizer.  His teacher showed me a picture of him with a messy faced grin as he ate his breakfast. One of the masks I got him hung just under his chin.  It was dark blue with stars and rocket ships.  I’m so happy I could put a smile on this boy’s face!

Now if only I could get him to like reading…