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Guru of Grades Back to Guide Your Report Card Comment Writing
Yup! Another marking period has screeched to an underachieving halt! Time to candy coat the truth. Of course, I never bore you with the comments about the kids who are actually trying most of the...
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Fired Up for State Testing!
Each and every day for the four weeks leading up to THE TEST, I hand out practice test books. Each and every time I hand out the booklets, at least three students say, “Is this a test?” Then I push...
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My Boss, the Bubble Sheet
There was a period of time today when my classroom and its inhabitants were quiet and trying super hard to do their best on the first session of their state exams. Multiple choice. No one had a...
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Earth Day, Schmearth Day
Oh, had you been laboring under the impression that elementary school children in the U.S. of A. are learning all about how to “go green,” creating elaborate action plans and raising copious funds...
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Lettuce Pray
Reblogged from peachyteachy: This is a lettuce garden that is growing in my home. It lives in a Clementine box. I love the lettuce garden, but I don't expect it to be able to read graphs or do...
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My Little Pony: Life Lessons
“I think you’ve taken your assertiveness training too far, Fluttershy! You can’t go around being mean to everypony!” The formerly too-nice Fluttershy had begun to terrorize somepony in Equestria on a...
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Teacher Depreciation Day!
Reblogged from peachyteachy: This phenomenon is real. I remember other Teacher Appreciation Days which were marked by breakfasts, scented candles, coffee mugs and the like. Today, there was a three...
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Honoring Our Fallen Animal Doctors
Yup, I dared to interrupt the Urban-Doodle-S-Marathon-For-The-Cure today. The Cure for which my students search is the cure for having to think or put forth any perceptible effort that does not...
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Sweat = Learning
This is from a year ago. And from today. News flash from my classroom today: “It’s hot!” Not like the kind of hot that means cool or sexy. The kind of whiny, extended short o comment that implies...
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The Peachy Urban Education Awards
Snarky In The Suburbs has inspired me many times, and never more than with her divine end-of-year awards to all of the special lovelies that infest grace her favorite suburban institution. Of course,...
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School Year Ends: Building Remains Intact
It’s tough to beat the last day of work at school before summer when it comes to the rollercoaster-clusterfuck factor. Last minute directives that require hours of stupidity and tediousness–these make...
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Report Card Comments: End of Year Survival Report
I wish that I could have included this video somehow in the final report cards of about eight of my students this year, because this pretty much captures their learning this year. Eight kids who are...
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Midsummer Multiple Personalities
Here is an example of my midsummer monkey mind. It is an old public service announcement that single-handedly pushed countless teens into break dancing and drugs. Amanda, Queen of the Furfiles, this...
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Structured Procrastination Makes Me Awesome
Structured Procrastination is a thing, and a beautiful thing it is. The title of the book is, in itself, worth a look: The Art of Procrastination: A Guide to Effective Dawdling, Lollygagging, and...
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Slammin’ Poetry
For my readers who write and/or appreciate poetry: the following should make you feel like an amazing poet. You’re welcome. Season’s Boo-Hoo My ghetto pool Shivers blue in the cool air. My students,...
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Big People/Small People
I have teleported to a land where people are shorter than me. Also, they love my jewelry. I know of no better response than to curtsy in the middle of my higher level instruction. Surprising...
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Literacy in Action!
This year, I teach skills such as phonics. That’s the stuff that makes your brain understand the code involved in reading letter sounds and words. Example: The word “stock” has a consonant blend:...
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Open House Blues…Harmonica
Tomorrow, the folks at my workplace will be burning down opening the house. This means a twelve hour workday. I still don’t know what I’m going to wear. I know that there will be a good turnout,...
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Really, Truly, WTF Friday
Today, I asked my class of seven-year-olds to write about a time when something happened that caused them to feel a “strong feeling or emotion.” One little boy wrote illegibly. He struggles with...
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Dr. Peachy, Medicine Woman–There Will Be Blood
I’ve determined that my cosmic chemistry (which happens to also be a popular elective at the University of Phoenix) has positioned me to attract the bleeding and infirm of our young learners. Within...
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