After about thirty parent-teacher conferences over the last few days, I have to admit that I’ve pretty well run out of articulate things to say. But if I could take the recommendations, advice and encouragement from those conferences and wrap it all up with a bow, it would look something like this: Your child isContinue reading “On Parent Conferences”
Tag Archives: students
The Best (and Hardest) Part of My Day
(overheard in my third grade math group as some kids were trying to put a math problem together from random words and numbers) Them: Mrs. Levin, this is hard! Me: Yep. It is. You’re not complaining, are you? Them: No. Me: Oh good. Because you deserve to have things hard sometimes. (more work, more missingContinue reading “The Best (and Hardest) Part of My Day”
Poetry Month – Entry 2
The Poem I Didn’t Write Was the one about Our favorite tree, The one out front that you can’t get your arms around. The one my boys and I picnic under On lazy summer days while we Watch the drivers Pass life by The tree that grants quiet strength, Steadfast devotion (not unlike myContinue reading “Poetry Month – Entry 2”
What’s to Love?
So why is it, exactly, that I have taught for almost 18 years now without fear of burnout? I consider this week, a week so crazy I think it took me until Thursday before I had a real planning time longer than 15 minutes. A week so nuts that I was up every night lateContinue reading “What’s to Love?”
A Job Well Done: Exhibit A
Snapped this photo right after my fifth grade math class. I love this stuff. See all those pencil shavings? Know what that means? People were making mistakes. Mistakes they felt safe enough to make. Mistakes that they cared enough to correct. Consider how important that is to a room full of perfectionists. Makes my day.
What I Can’t (and Can) Understand: A Teacher’s Reflection
It’s 11:22. So far this weekend I’ve easily spent five hours on school stuff – by the standard of most weekends, a light load. Perhaps I have a light load, but a heavy heart. Lunchtime on Friday was when I heard about Sandy Hook. We teachers talked about the events at the table and taughtContinue reading “What I Can’t (and Can) Understand: A Teacher’s Reflection”
Soapbox: The Way I see Things 