Internet Finds

Went on a first date last night. Guy I met on a dating app. Never can be sure about internet finds, but hey, I keep looking.

Date was just okay for me. When it was about time to go, he asked, "So should we get separate checks?"

"Okay," I replied while looking away, because what I was thinking was HUGE QUESTION MARKS and I was not living out my best poker face at the moment. That check included one glass of red wine for me. On a date that he initiated.

I mean it's fine, I guess? It's not the first time it has happened, but always kinda takes me by surprise.

Check out my former years slicing here. Find me on Instagram here. And twitter, here.

Is it just me?

In our district we have a Health and Wellness committee. We create opportunities for students and staff to be mindful about health and wellness. Some of these events include a fun run for staff, student workout clubs, book clubs for staff, Biggest Loser competitions, and we have a health and wellness fair every spring. This year's fair was last night.

My job at the fair was to welcome the community vendors and show them where their table was. In return for being a vendor, they had to donate a prize to be raffled off to students.

As the vendors entered our building, I welcomed them, and escorted them to their spot. Once we arrived there, I would then ask, "Did you have a raffle prize to donate?"

So there was someone from a public health department of some capacity. We got to their table and I asked for their raffle prize.

You know a diaper cake that moms-to-be sometimes get at baby showers? Okay, picture that. Made of candy. At a HEALTH and WELLNESS FAIR.

Check out my former years slicing here. Find me on Instagram here. And twitter, here.

Not quite yet...

It's springtime so those standardized tests are quickly approaching. This year at our middle school, we are doing a little bit of test prep each morning in homeroom. Kids can earn Falcon Dollars and prizes based on their performance.

Today's test question was some algebra that they had to solve. Not sure I could figure it out anymore, but hey, I already passed eighth grade. Luckily we have an answer key!

A few kids got the answer correct, and then there was this response, "x = It's too early for math."

Maybe he would've felt better if he had coffee :-)

Check out my former years slicing here. Find me on Instagram here. And twitter, here.

"We should hang out sometime."

Today was 8th grade promotion picture day. I love this day because the kids come to school in their super fancy clothes looking all grown up. So naturally, I need to get a picture of them, them - as in the remaining kids from the class I taught last year. It was a seven-eight combo ELA class that looped, except we didn't reschedule that class again this year. So all of the kids I had, who are all eighth graders this year, are scattered across a few different ELA classes. 

During lunch, I went to the multipurpose room and got on the mike, "If you were in my BB3 class last year, meet me in the hall." I assumed I would have to go back in and take a long time to find all of them, so I was surprised when I walked up to the door and they were mostly all huddled together already.

"Who is missing?" I asked as we made our way into the hallway.

A few of them said, "Ayden isn't here," and then I sent them off to find him.

As I was organizing them for a good picture, so that I could see all their faces, they noticed Chris was missing, so someone ran off to grab him. And then they just started catching up, by no means prompted by me.

"Ms. Brezek! I was going through this folder I found under my bed. I found that picture you gave us last year."

Someone else chimed in, "I still have mine, too!"

And another, "And I have the book of poetry we made at the end of the year."

"We should hang out sometime," Jacob announced.

My heart melted.

Here was half of an ELA class, who are now all split up, asking to make time to see one another. Last year, they were not exactly fans of ELA. They had half of their class comprised by kids one year older than them, *and they had to alternate seventh and eighth grade lunch.

And now they miss one another.

We snapped a pic, and they immediately asked to see it. "I'll bring you a copy tomorrow, to add to your collection," I assured them, and back to lunch they went.

Check out my former years slicing here. Find me on Instagram here. And twitter, here.

10 things I love about teaching

Someone on another blog did this list yesterday, and I thought it would be a great way for me to remind myself why I love this job so.

10. Summer Vacation. Make no mistake that teachers need this time to be renewed for another year. I'm already looking forward to beach days, trips to visit friends and family, and following some of my other interests for those quick two months. 

9. Creating spaces that feel like home. If you came into my office today (or former classroom) you'd find soft lighting, plants, and walls decorated that reflect my values and beliefs. Conferring table is there and a very small teacher desk behind it. And a tree decal. Always a tree.

8. Funny emails that circulate every so often. Like this exchange:

JB (to whole staff)
Subject line: ALL HAIL CILANTRO
Message: Thank you for the tasty lunch today!

TJ, reply all: Yes, thank you! It was delicious!

GS, reply all: Thank you so much, it was awesome!

ES, reply all: TAAAAACOOOOOOOO TUUUUEEEEESDAY!!! Everything was delicious yesterday, thank you.

OR

JL (to whole staff): Seventh grader AM has lost one of her airpods this morning. If you see it, let me know.

JB, reply all: Has she checked her ear?

7. Middle School Commentary: An eighth grader telling me, "Ugghhhh, you're just like my mom," and me taking it as a term of endearment. Happened on a separate occasion last year, too. I don't mind :-)

6. Being able to constantly revise our work, ideas, and instruction. Like this year, our eighth grade teachers are making a few tweaks to the Serial Podcast Argument Unit. It makes so much more sense how we are ordering instruction this year. It was good last year, but will be even better this year.

5. Being creative. Our standards may be common, but lesson delivery can certainly be tailored to each individual person's interests and ideas. I would have never thought to teach an argument unit around a murder podcast, but hey, that works. And it's so engaging. But if a teacher isn't into it? No big deal! They can do something else!

4. The consistent routines and rituals built around a school year. Summers to relax and then in fall we're all engaged with back to school energy. The unwinding around Thanksgiving and fun around winter holidays. Valentine's day with adolescents is interesting and never boring, book clubs in the spring, and graduation rituals in May. I love the routines, and it's always cool to experience them with another group of kids. You know what is coming, and they live it in excitement.

3. Reading & Writing Workshop. Only the best instructional model out there. Demonstration for 10-12 minutes, Workshop where kids do the work for the bulk of the time (45ish minutes), and a closing where everyone shares what they've learned. Teachers confer, students get their instruction differentiated, and kids do most of the work. After all, whomever is doing the work is doing the learning, and I've already done eighth grade.

2. Ohana. A few years ago we came across Ohana, from Lilo and Stitch. We did a building wide activity around it, later  painted a mural of it in our hallways, and this year, put a decal up in our lounge about it, too. But it's more than just those visual reminders. It really does feel like family here at HMS. People know stuff about your life and care and ask. People share about their families. We do happy hour and lunches. When we take group pictures at staff outings, we come back to school the following week and find that picture was printed and placed in everyone's mailbox. It's a bunch of little things that add up to one really amazing feeling, of feeling right at home each day while we work.

1. Kids. I don't have my own kids yet, but I've loved some of the kids I've taught in a pretty fierce way, so I can only imagine what it is like to have a child of your own. But my students? They are pretty awesome. Even in the hard conversations. Maybe even *especially in the hard conversations. Over the years, I've learned how to address them with the most ease, and thankfully this list of tricks has come to my aid time and time again:

• When I notice some attitude or tone, I softly ask, "Are you mad at me?" This works well to open a dialogue with students I know well and those I don't know at all.
• Apologizing when I mess up. No one is perfect, and I think it's helpful to model the behaviors you expect form kids.
• Telling kids, "I wouldn't nag you if I didn't care about you," when we are in the thick of discipline.

And lastly, kids are just entertaining. There is never a dull moment. Like, when they can finish your sentences, when they call out others who have less tenure with you, when they abruptly run into your office to "say hi" (when they're actually being chased), when they leave you notes on your desk, idk. Kids are just the best. the best. the best.

Just a small part of what teaching means to me. And what about you? Leave a comment with your favorite things about teaching!

Check out my former years slicing here. Find me on Instagram here. And twitter, here.

Netflix Divorce

Anyone else out there share streaming services and accounts with friends? In my case, my friend Katie pays for Netflix (for four of us!) and I got the Costco membership. Usually, no issues. But last night, not the case.

When I got home yesterday, I was on a Scandal binge when I got a facebook video call from the four other people on the account. And a text, telling me to pick up.

So naturally I ignored the call, quit Netflix, and went to sleep. It was after nine, and I was dozing anyways. I was a little terrified about being yelled at. This was the second time this situation played out like this.

Then, this morning I woke up to 21 messages on facebook. I had no idea what had transpired after I fell asleep, but then remembered how a few friends wanted to off me from Netflix. The texts went like this:

"Katie, add Michelle to this chat, NOW."

"Michelle, stop watching Scandal and go to bed. It's like 11pm there."

"Time for a divorce."

"Netflix divorce."

Not sure if I still have access, but promised to binge Scandal at off-peak hours from now on.

Anyone else love Scandal? Like, how close is that to actual DC?

Check out my former years slicing here. Find me on Instagram here. And twitter, here.

Just one yes

March first. This year the Slice of Life snuck up on me. I'm a Literacy Coach in a Middle School and usually I get things going much sooner and we have classes writing, but this year, it snuck up. No students are being prompted to write, but Slicing in March is a ritual I enjoy and I'm committed to it once again this year.

But this morning I was wavering.

I thought, "Let me go for a run and think about it," knowing I do good thinking while I'm getting some movement in, too. I came back still unsure.

Did some laundry.

Started cleaning up my place, you know, adulting and all, and yet I was still wavering.

So I texted a friend from work and asked here, "Hey, are we in for Slice of Life this month? Not the kids, but us?"

And she wrote back with a gif which I cannot get into this post, but was a baby in a diaper dancing and it said, "Let's do it!!"

And so here I am.

She also said she fell down a hill, so she's got her first slice for you all later tonight. (She's ok. I checked.) :-)

That's the power in asking. Sometimes you get a yes on your first ask! Excited to write with you in March, Cap!

Checkout former years of slicing here. Find me on IG here. And Twitter, here.