Discussions about reopening schools are everywhere now. Families are understandably in various levels of desperation for schools to start. Adults need to work without distractions and children need the education, safety, and many other services that schools provide. As a school teacher I feel this desperation acutely too. I did not enjoy my involuntary spring […]
A few weeks ago I was in my classroom to clean it for the summer. It was just me, my mask, and twenty-six empty desks on a sunny May morning. It’s something I’ve done before and the drudgery lured me into complacency. It was quiet, but of course my room is always quiet when no […]
This past Sunday afternoon I went on a prayer walk with my daughter. This in itself is unusual given I do not actively pray a whole lot and if I exercise I am more inclined to run than walk. Despite these inclinations it was sunny and quiet and with my daughter wrapped in a blanket […]
In the US every student is entitled to FAPE, a free appropriate public education up to age 21 (or whenever they graduate.) This is a huge positive for our society as every kid in a community is expected and welcomed into a school. If students have poor attendance or simply do not show up, schools […]
One thing that seems to pop up every year in my classroom is the question, “Am I your favorite student?” This is closely followed by its popular cousin, “Is ________ your least favorite student?” Students generally are curious what us teachers are thinking so I typically give an answer but rarely the one they want. […]
After a nearly hour long commute home on a rainy Monday afternoon I opened up an innocuous email to find out absolutely devastating news. The summer camp I had grown up attending and consequently working at as a young adult was closing, effective immediately. Summer camp elicits lots of stereotypes and images for different people […]
The news coming from Willow Creek Community Church in the last week is incredibly sad. Allegations against long time pastor Bill Hybels from multiple women have turned out to be far worse than originally stated. The blowback resulted in two pastors resigning and last night the entire board of elders announced they would be resigning. […]
It is a well-known fact that most teachers get a summer break. For me, a public school teacher, that equates from about mid-June to Late August. Obviously having a huge summer break is different from most industries. I thought it would be nice to list (in extremely rough chronological order) what I have done in […]
The moment had arrived. My wife was ready, after three location changes and over a day of waiting and hospital care, to deliver our first child. I look over at the first doctor on the scene and rather sheepishly ask, “Do I have time to go to the bathroom?” I did and I did. Less […]
One of the most surprising things about adulthood is the number of things you experience for the first time and than you feel like you have become an expert on. You knew absolutely NOTHING about something and then suddenly you are able to carry on a conversation for a solid 20 minutes about it. If […]
