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It's not you. It's me. For better or worse, we've both really changed since we've been together, and I don't know if we're as good of a fit as we used to be. I can remember when you made me so happy, and all I wanted to do was give back and give back. I wanted to be better for you.  But lately, well, Teaching, you're a jerk Maybe you've been a jerk all along, manipulating me into giving you everything I've got, then asking for more. You've exploited my natural curiosity for your own gains. You know all my faults and just how to make them seem huge and insurmoutable. You make me feel bad about myself. You, do, you know. Teaching, you make me feel like I'll never be good enough for you. You keep changing the rules, changing the steps to this dance that I thought that we were good at together. Just when we're in sync and everything is going really well, it all falls apart again. I don't have two left feet, Teaching. I'...

You know what quote I hate most of all? If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. The most trouble I've ever been in with my principal got me told this long story about how these children in Africa found some fruit and they could either all go together to the fruit or one could go alone... ...or something because honestly I stopped listening since I had no clue what it had to do with me saying that I couldn't rearrange my schedule to fit in that one class since Monday was a holiday and a teacher missed prep time. Anyway. The moral of the story (I guess?) was essentially that phrase, and you know, I just don't see the world that way at all. What's wrong with me going to scout out that fruit on my own and bringing some back? I can tell you where it is, if there was a lot of it, what dangers you find on the way. The quote naturally assumes the worst about people - that I'm going to hoard all the fruit (or whatever I find by going f...

I have a Thing I want to say. I've been writing it over and over again. I edit it. Seems shiny. But I can't post it yet. It's still not ready. So I make another draft and edit that one too. (Ooh. Shiny.) But don't post it. Because it's still not ready. And I'm starting to think that maybe the post is ready, But I'm not.

Opinions wanted. What does everyone think the purpose is of specialists? Are specialist classes for exposure, deep level learning?+ — Kory Graham (@korytellers) March 17, 2017 I told Kory that my response would need to be typed, double-spaced 12-point Times, but this will do too. What's the purpose of specialists? This: It's the truth and the truth hurts so, so much. https://t.co/l5ZI7cwDhm — Sarah Windisch (@slwindisch) March 17, 2017 It's true. That's what created my job, and it's not me being jaded or burnt-out, it's me accepting reality. When being a specialist is awful, it's because you're treated like you're no more than a person who takes the class so you can make copies or pee or just have a moment because OMG they're so loud and inside recess and I just can't anymore... I get it. Most specialists get it. It's fine. It's job security. But the great part of being a specialist? Teaching something you're pass...

Magma, Gojira's latest album has been on heavy rotation for me lately. It's a great album. You should listen to it, regardless of what sort of music you typically enjoy. On my way to work this morning, the line, "When you change yourself, you change the world" from the song Silvera dug itself into my brain. That idea wouldn't let go. I thought about it all day. About change. How changing yourself and the betterment of the self is so glorified these days. I'm certainly not saying you should be stagnant. Good grief. No. Consider the Butterfly Effect, though. Or Newton's Third Law. Every action, every change, "good" or "bad" has a consequence also "good" or "bad." Change for change's sake seems to be a Thing right now, (Innovate! Iterate!) but I think it gets lost that we don't exist independently of each other. Not that you can worry constantly about the impact of your change on others, but it deserves ...

inspired by the #doodleaday prompt for 3/8/17 Draw love. Without hearts or using the color red. No problem. Those aren't really things I associate with love so much anyway. Valentine's Day, yes, but love? Nah. As I was thinking about this prompt, I realized that I am a person that "overuses" the word love. I'm always telling people that I love their ideas. Their funky socks. Their faces. I was wondering if that cheapens "love." Then I realized that was probably the stupidest thought I'd ever had. I tell people I love them and their ideas and thoughts and whatevers because I DO . Love for me isn't scarce. I don't need to ration it. I don't need to hoard it for myself. When other people are clever or creative or unabashedly themselves, it makes me outrageously happy, and I want them to know. I need to tell them that these little bits of awesome are noticed. Appreciated. So that brings us to the doodle. It's a circle - no b...

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