If asked to pick a fictional character that most closely describes me in high school, it’s Hermione Granger, hands down. That girl and I are way too similar. Super organized, high strung about school, and bit too judgmental. (I’ve calmed down since high school.) […]
I’ve said this before and I will say this again – Hermione Granger is my spirit animal. I was an . . . intense student in high school and college: focused, a planner, and goal-oriented. When I read the Harry Potter books, I definitely saw […]
“Ms. P, if a teacher is good enough, their students will just learn. The teacher will teach and the students will just remember it all. Kids won’t have to write anything down or study or anything.” I will never forget the (misguided) young man who […]
“Ms. P, if a teacher is good enough, their students will just learn. The teacher will teach and the students will just remember it all. Kids won’t have to write anything down or study or anything.” I will never forget the (misguided) young man who […]
“What play did President Lincoln go see the night he was assassinated?” my 11th grade English teacher asked the class. “Our American Cousin,” this history nerd muttered. But apparently loud enough for the boy in front of me to hear. When the teacher announced it […]
When I taught, I used to check my e-mail on the weekends. But over time, I started getting more e-mails from parents that would ruin my entire weekend. So, I stopped checking my e-mail on the weekends. It wasn’t convenient for my students, but it […]
I’ve said this before and I will say this again – Hermione Granger is my spirit animal. I was an . . . intense student in high school and college: focused, a planner, and goal-oriented. When I read the Harry Potter books, I definitely saw […]
Every year I was in college, William & Mary (Go Tribe!) gave us students a giant desk calendar. “Thanks for all the tuition money. Here is a calendar worth $2.54.” For most people, it went on their desk and was promptly forgotten. However, I didn’t […]
So, I hate to run. Hate it. But a while back I had friends who loved to run together. So, I decided to start running, too. Peer pressure, yo. via GIPHY But I knew that I couldn’t just start running (literally out my door) without […]
“So, moving onto the next topic . . .” “Wait, Ms P! I’m still writing down what you said a minute ago. Can you go back for me?” I heard this a lot, usually from the same kids over and over again. Some students really […]
“How can I get Jake to do his homework?” If I had a dollar for every time a parent asked me this question during my teaching career, I wouldn’t be working anymore. No joke. Homework battles were the biggest problems facing most of my parents. […]
An e-mail arrived from my mom titled “Your Last First Day of School.” It was my senior year of college and I about to head off to the first day of classes. But I would leave a few minutes late and wiping my eyes. My […]
When I first got my own place, I had no money. (Spoiler alert: New teachers don’t make much money.) Consequently, much of my furniture came second-hand or from Ikea. One of the reasons I love Ikea, other than price, is its size. I lived in […]
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