Lainie Levin

Slice of Life Tuesday: Class Guest

Yes. My kids are learning about the Middle Ages. And trying their hands at Old English, and Beowulf, and Middle English, and Canterbury tales (just the Knight’s tale, friends!), and Shakespeare, and Noah Webster. All of it. Because kids deserve to wrestle with big ideas and difficult stuff…

Slice of Life Tuesday: Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda

This slice of life could have been about the daily wrestling match that gets fought at five a.m. between my alarm and my brain, or about the importance of having workout buddies who look out for me, who expect so much from me, who inspire me to do better, or about the way time. Slows.Continue reading “Slice of Life Tuesday: Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda”

Slice of Life Tuesday: Assigned Writing

Today, I shared a “grab bag” of writing ideas with my students. It’s a folder they can click on in their Schoology app in case they’re stuck for something to write on. I selected one of the topics at random to demonstrate how to set up a new document, and I figure it’s a fun one to dive into for today!

Slice of Life Tuesday: Writing “Process”

I spent…a LOT of my time writing this weekend.

Between one purpose and another, I probably spent 8-10 hours with my fingers on these keys. All of it was good, and writing in that great a volume has me wondering if I should be expecting more of myself or not. That line between grace and tough love is a fine one, my friends…

Slice of Life Tuesday: Expanding (Blowing!) Our Minds

Yesterday, in my third-grade class, our lesson went completely, totally, 100% around the corner and off the tracks. Ask me if I regret it.

Slice of Life: One Little Word 2022

Well, friends, it’s that time of year in the Slice of Life community where I reflect on where I am now, gaze ahead to the the coming year, and choose One Little Word to guide me. Last year, I started with the word gather, then slid into dissonance and landed, later on, on unfurl. I’m glad that I gave myselfContinue reading “Slice of Life: One Little Word 2022”

Slice of Life Tuesday: The Acknowledgement Section

This post is part of the weekly Slice of Life challenge from Two Writing Teachers. Check them out! Today is the day, in our district, where we tweet thanks or acknowledgements to other teachers and colleagues in our lives. Friends, it would be a VERY long Twitter thread for me to go into all of the manyContinue reading “Slice of Life Tuesday: The Acknowledgement Section”

Slice of Life Tuesday: Antennas Up

This post is part of the weekly Slice of Life challenge from Two Writing Teachers. Check them out! Today, I was walking the dog, listening to podcasts, as I always do. This time, I was listening to Mike Birbiglia’s Working It Out episode with Keegan-Michael Key. First of all. If you haven’t watched the Key & PeeleContinue reading “Slice of Life Tuesday: Antennas Up”

Wednesday Thoughts: On Teacher Guilt

I can’t help myself. I feel terrible, conflicted. Guilty. Perhaps not for the reasons you might think, though. Oh, there are ALL the reasons why teachers like me feel pushed and pulled across the emotional spectrum. Just look at the world around us. We’re crouched right at the center of societal conflict: COVID. Race. Gender.Continue reading “Wednesday Thoughts: On Teacher Guilt”

Slice of Life Tuesday: On Sunsets

This post is part of the weekly Slice of Life challenge from Two Writing Teachers. Check them out! Yesterday was a bingbangboom kind of a day. One of those days where I rely on to-do lists and razor-sharp logistics. Drop the dog off, take care of Chanukah packages, make it to my meeting, squeeze my plans in,Continue reading “Slice of Life Tuesday: On Sunsets”