2 The only reason I remembered was that I re-read yesterday's DN, which mentioned garbage as a cue that it's Thursday.
3 I wouldn't know, and that's actually a good thing.
4 Means I'm into the swing of spring, even though it's still winter. Nothing like remembering garbage day to put a little spring into your morning!
5 Moving On, Part One: Teaching Teachers: One of the toughest things to teach new teachers is that your weekends, days of leisure, and vacays during the school year are illusions.
6 It's a seasonal job just like baseball or football.
7 Coming back after a Christmas holiday, or a three-day can be absolute murder and mayhem.
8 Relaxing during the Christmas holiday when semester grades come due?
9 It's like relaxing before an execution.
10 You have to train. You have to work like hell. You have to come back on a Monday morning and throw the kitchen sink at the students.
11 And you have to smile while doing it.
12 Sounds easy.
13 Until your swag gets interrupted by a VHS not set properly, or a film that somehow is a DVD copy, only spoken in Greek. Did I say a VHS? Well, this week, yes. = ) <-----awkward smiley emoticon dude
14 Or a super-shy student calling twenty minutes before the grade deadline telling you he mailed four essays and one major project to the wrong email address in September, and if it would be possible for you kindly to grade it and get it in before deadline.
15
16 Is there a presumption of innocence there?
17 Of course. There is always a presumption of innocence in 'Merica.
18 Did I fall for it?
19
21
23 Presumption of innocence: work was done. No evidence of ever having done it earlier, no evidence of ever bringing note from parents, no evidence of anything but saggy underpants in cheeks.
24 Result: grade moved up, but barely to "C" level. After all, innocence presumed. This is 'Merica.
25 And then: "In college your professors would have laughed in your face. Do you see that? Let's make it so your grade survives; then let's work to get things done on time, even if computers break down, or even if YOU break down; keep fighting. They won't all be this kind. Now skedaddle."
26 Can you do this with a hundred or so other students?
27 Not in this life, not in the next.
28 Did this student learn? He was shy, scared, let those things haunt him the entire semester. He finally got brave enough to call and take care of it. I saw absolute fear on the guy's face.
39 That couldn't have been easy.
40 This Old Brown Shoe has experience.
41 I hope to see this guy get to Cal or Stanford some day.
42 A reader out there might roll his or her eyes.
43 I intend to help this guy get there.
44 I've seen this stuff turn kids around over the years.
45 Sometimes I get asked, "What constitutes a good teacher?"
46 I usually say things like "passion" or "perseverance" or "heart" any number of other wonderful cliches.
47 I also think that one important element is "instinct."
48 My first real principal was John Hernandez over at YB. He gave me some advice that I will never forget. I asked him during my interview what advice he would give to a beginning teacher. This is what he said: "Be genuine."
49 Indeed.
50 Whew.
51 Crazy week. I'd like to give birthday shout-outs to my good friends Thuy Ann Le and Trinh Le. You guys are jewels, so have some AWESOMENESS and pixie dust, directly from Disneyland and Mickey!
53 Enjoy your weekend.
54 You're all awesome.
55 Be genuine.
56 See you again.
57 Peace.
~H~
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