First day of school with students was today. My day went somewhat off the rails before I even left the house.
I was zipping my backpack, getting ready to leave so I would be at work five minutes early, when there was an urgent pounding on the door.
I am so accustomed to children grabbing my hand to hold that when it happened at a ball game recently, I didn't even really notice. The friend I was with had to tell the kid I wasn't his mom.
Everyone who walks by on the sidewalk, she asks their name. I think she might already be running for mayor. (Her parents sit on the porch and watch her chalk the sidewalk or play in the rain. I like to sit on my porch and pretend I'm gonna read but really I'm there to gab.)
My next door neighbor kid is five and is going to start attending the school where I teach this fall.
Neighbor Kid: HI CAITLIN
Me: You know, you're going to need to call me a different version of my name pretty soon.
Neighbor Kid: You mean like Cait?
my parents expected As & were aghast at A-s. there was no celebration of excellence & no tolerance for mediocrity. grades were a measure of my worthiness.
I think about this when I assess my students. what do grades mean to them & what are alternative ways to motivate learning?
Kids around the corner are selling balloons. (Last year they sold paper airplanes.) I had no cash but they insisted on giving me a freebie, so now I am walking the dog all over the the neighborhood while carrying this lovely, um, sword.