Misguided Angel

Never Try to Teach A Pig to Sing

JCK — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:28:00 GMT

It wastes your time and it annoys the pig. This is related to setting expectations. Negative people are a waste of time, but they are persistent. They never give up trying to point out defeat, so I have found it is best to kick back and watch. I don't...(read more)

In My PJs

JCK — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:54:00 GMT

The prospect of the New Year is ahead of us, great things could happen, and I am still in my pjs. Today is a gloomy day outside, and all I want is to cuddle and hide from the world. It has been raining all morning, the clouds progressively darker. It's...(read more)

Teacher to Teacher

JCK — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:19:00 GMT

I haven't written anything in a while. Usual excuses--too busy, not enough time... I am not delusional about how introspective thinking works--the more I do it, the more the truth hurts. When we fail, we know it. Accepting it and dealing with it is a...(read more)

Saying Goodbye to BJ

JCK — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:18:00 GMT

Over the last two months I have been thoroughly absorbed on my teaching and students. Working again is exhilarating and exhausting; the struggle to balance everything keeps me on my toes. Many funny, wonderful things have happened. Those days I feel like...(read more)

At The Mercy Of Bureaucrats

JCK — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:03:00 GMT

Most of us know that we have to deal with administrators and other authority figures. Fine. I treat everyone with respect, listen attentively for changes and policies, and follow directions to the best of my ability. I cannot, however, suffer fools. And...(read more)

The Secret World of Writing

JCK — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:24:00 GMT

Writing is a tricky subject. It is the one place where questions and answers are within us, and all you can do is round them up and see what pours out onto the pages of a blog, a notebook, or a restaurant napkin. I am a passionate reader, so I can bear...(read more)

Take it on Faith

JCK — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:29:00 GMT

The real process of taking down and setting up a classroom is a bit like losing your mind. When I began moving boxes back to school, I was elated. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on my things again, to imagine how everything would fit and how these items...(read more)

All creatures, great and small...

JCK — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:09:00 GMT

I got this from a friend, and I wanted to share--If you love animals, you'll understand... DOG DIARY 8:00 am Dog food! My favorite thing! 9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing! 9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing! 10:30 am - Got rubbed and...(read more)

The Power of Words

JCK — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 22:45:00 GMT

At night, I have been spending a lot of time with my professional books. They always looked as if they’ve been through battle, because I underscore and highlight, and make notes on the margins just as I did back in college. My kids laugh when I show them,...(read more)

The Still Small Voice of Gratitude...

JCK — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:43:00 GMT

I have begun to move into my new digs, room 206. It’s a new building, and the room echoes empty until I’m able to move the majority of resources and really have some fun decorating and planning. It takes a lot of work and organization to make a classroom...(read more)

Alone For a Few Rainy Days With My Books...

JCK — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 23:48:00 GMT

My husband and son have left for a short vacation (just the boys). I chose to stay home this time, and spend sometime by myself. While I was sad to see them go, I am the type of person who enjoys being alone, not necessarily lonely. While I miss my family...(read more)

Where are the signs?

JCK — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:46:00 GMT

I never believed in signs. People waiting for some sort of clue from the universe, waiting to tell them where to go or what to do. My Mom, on the other hand, has unshakeable faith. She tries to pass it on, but sometimes I don't believe because, lets face...(read more)

My Forgotten Garden

JCK — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:40:00 GMT

Before you begin reading, I must warn you--this is not a post about a metaphorical garden, where young minds must grow and prosper, blah, blah, blah...This is an actual, honest to goodness garden, a very cool place at my school, tucked away between two...(read more)

Blessed

JCK — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:47:00 GMT

I got to see my new classroom yesterday. It is like staring at the proverbial blank canvas, and wondering what pictures we will paint in this neutral, empty space. I know other teachers may prefer less materials, books, posters, and crooked pictures of student work on the wall, but I am the total opposite. I love teaching from all sides with charts and posters; my books cover the walls, along with newspaper clippings, sketches, and photos of mad science experiments. We even have four computers which I am sure they will try to take away when they realized their mistake. I hope they don't. The room also has windows--that's a first. I'll be able to look out into the fields and the trees. I'll try to remind myself not to jump (just kidding!) I also feel a packrat phase coming up--did I mention I love to shop for teaching supplies? Target, AIMS, Kagan, and Lakeshore are playing my song. It is almost a religious experience to examine, ponder, and agonize over every choice, thinking what it will be used for, where you'll store it, and how much they'll enjoy it in class. Used bookstores and libraries are my favorite--the smell and feel of books is essential. Stickers and post-its are a must. And pencils--gotta have pencils everywhere, and fresh sheets of crispy, lined paper. Bright fabric for bulletin boards. Stuffed animals. Comfy chair. Coffee mugs. A ton of coffee... Blessings come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. My friend Lenny, who is a custodian in our school, gave me a huge hug when he saw me and showed me to the room. He had just finished cleaning it, and even arranged the desks the way I liked them, in groups. He showed me, smiling, some of the old supplies that were left behind, which he squirreled away in drawers for me. He and my husband laughed as they commiserated on all the projects I intend to try this year, or the amount of money I will be spending. Times are hard, he said, but I am so glad you're back. We used to have great talks while he cleaned up and I picked up after my crazy day. He gave great advice. Lenny is a big fan of Ben Franklin--"Well done is better than well said." I think he's right. My principal, also a friend, called everyone we know. I tried calling my friends--former principals, my reading coach, my other teacher friends--it turns out they all knew, and they were screaming on the phone, congratulating me. I was surprised--I did not think they would give it a second thought beyond "how nice for you". And I am working with a power group of teachers. Blessings, I tell you. I am surrounded by good will and best wishes, and I didn't even know it. So I stood in that empty room, thinking--now what? We'll see, I guess. For now, clearly, I'll be blessed with a ton of work.

To all dedicated (but hopeful) cynics...

JCK — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 01:37:00 GMT

According to Wikipedia, The Cynics (Greek: Κυνικοί, Latin: Cynici) were an influential group of philosophers from the ancient school of Cynicism. Their philosophy was that the purpose of life was to live a life of Virtue in agreement with Nature. This meant rejecting all conventional desires for wealth, power, health, and fame, and by living a life free from all possessions. As reasoning creatures, people could gain happiness by rigorous training and by living in way which was natural for humans. They believed that the world belonged equally to everyone, and that suffering was caused by false judgments of what was valuable and by the worthless customs and conventions which surrounded society. So, the question is: Are all of us as teachers philosophical cynics? Because this description fits most of us to a T... Blog posts, journals, and chat rooms are brimming with teachers who are anxious for answers, tips, anything they can hang on to in order to be proactive and land just one opportunity. It is one of those situations you have to live through to understand, and as grateful I am it is almost over, I am not sorry I went through it myself. As I prepare to go back to work, I feel deeply connected to the hundreds of people I have read about, talked to, and e-mailed about the lack of teaching jobs. They have had the rigorous training, given up the worldly possessions, and are ready to banish the worthless customs and conventions. However, they are still struggling just to get a chance. Just when I start losing faith in human nature (daily) I am reminded of so many who are supportive and generous with their feedback and advice, setting an example to us by connecting to each other through invisible lifelines. You can vent, pray, and rant regularly without upsetting the balance of the universe, knowing that someone out there gets it. As teachers, we have most certainly rejected all desire for power, wealth and fame--heck, we just want to get back in the classroom and make the worthless customs go away book by book, math problem by math problem. So I dedicate this post to all closet cynics who also happen to be teachers, and to those who have spent endless hours encouraging, talking, and saving their hope. May we all live to teach another day.