- Responsive pedagogy: The kids love anime/manga. I knew this, and made a conversation assignment using a manga strip. My 6th graders FLIPPED OUT. Adorable and hopefully will help them actually do their homework.
- Teacher identity: I’ve gotten the attention of a random 6th grade Caps fan after he noticed my Flyers gear in the hall. I learned that his middle name is Gretzky while he showed me his Gretzky hockey card and told me about his dad’s collection and his Jari Kurri card when he was definitely already late to class 🤣
- Queer teacher identity: I’m beginning to suspect I’ve become the *queer* teacher to the queer kids after I knocked over my very gay hydroflask and one of my (suspected) queer students yelled, “Not the sacred bottle!”
4. Childhood emotional development: Understanding children’s emotions is hard and exhausting. Two separate students with emotional issues had outbursts in my class this week. I feel like I could’ve handled both situations better. I definitely was thoughtful of the first incident while the second one was happening and was surprised by how much smoother (?) it went. But I also just don’t know how I could do better? I’m working to figure it out but it’s one of many things that I know will take time and thoughtful reflection.
5. Black students & emotions: The two students who had outbursts were both Black boys and I’m scared to think of how another teacher would’ve and will react to them. How they are/will be seen by the world. I don’t know if I can reach them to help them, partly because I feel out of my depth, and because what they are confronting is so big. But I’ll keep working.
6. Teacher self-care: I’m committing to taking mental health days. I’m paranoid about using my sick days and I definitely grew up with the mentality that mental/emotional ailments are less serious physical ones. But I know now that’s not true. So I’m working to figure out how to allow myself to take mental health days without needing to take one every day that it’s hard to get out of bed.
The Alvearie 