Cara

Yeah, it claims I can see mine if I click, and it’ll notify me when it’s ready, but it’s been hours…

Love it so much!

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Photo of a book cover, “Vanishing Landscapes: The story of plants and how we lost them” by Bonnie Lander Johnson. There is a quote on the cover “Rich and replenishing…I felt lovesick for it after it was done — Eleanor Catton”. There is a drawing of a small branch of an apple tree and a bird

Some of the most gorgeous and interesting nonfiction books I’ve read this year.

First — Bonnie Lander Johnson’s Vanishing Lancscapes: The Story of Plants and How We Lost Them

I’ve never enjoyed a nonfiction book this much. I felt nostalgic for a time I never lived in. The world feels different now

It’s so so good.

Teaching at a Title 1 school isn’t a sympathy badge. Our Black & brown students deserve to be seen for their brilliance, not as charity cases. Let’s honor them with dignity, not pity. #clearthelist with integrity.

Students start on the 25th, but some of mine were in the building this week to pick up their schedules and help the incoming 6th graders with their orientation.
So of course one popped into my office and asked “Got any food?”
Really need to make that Costco run before school starts…

Today in #schoolcounselor I spent 12 hours straight working on schedules. Just fixing all the mistakes that the helpful preloading done via computer had utterly messed up.
Still so very much to do…

I am a super anxious flyer, and turbulence is worse than ever. Thankfully my technique of eating Sour Patch Kids, doing some color-by-number coloring, and listening to favorite episodes of @threebeansaladpod.bsky.social is helping immensely.
Still anxious but not panicking.

Oof. I saw so much of this when my kids were young. Or a kid happily doing something while the parent repeatedly went “Look! A slide! Do you want to do the slide? Come try the slide! The slide!”
If your kid is happily playing, do.not.interrupt.them

Hahaha I usually have seen the internet things they’re referring to which blows my husband away, because he’s on a very different side of the internet. But I hadn’t seen this one!

My 16 year old: Okay, wait. Internet thing. Have you seen that thing with that one guy from Murder on the Orient Express who’s in that new rom-com with that one girl?

Me: Okay, stop and don’t give me anymore information. I really want to figure it out just from this.

Spending 3 hours this morning with her and her mom catching up on all the things was such a gift. That little 3rd grader is now a freshman!

Five years ago I had a tough school year as a TA, and then Covid hit. One of my students moved away mid-lockdown. She sent me emails of her artwork and stories for a while before they faded away.
Her mom emailed me last week to say they live here again, and the student wanted to see me.

A pond in the foreground is reflecting the images of the large green trees on the other side

An abstract mural on the side of a brick building that has many different colors (orange, white, black, red, blue, yellow)

A mural of pink and yellow flowers painted on a brick building

Sitting on a table are a book, a pain aux raisin on a white ceramic plate, and a pistachio latte in a white ceramic mug

One of my favorite things this summer has been pretending I’m on vacation in my own city.
Leaving the house in the morning, taking a walk, going to a cafe. Perfect.

Oh look, my Assyriologist husband’s exact pet peeve

(Sorry I’m a Chelsea fan) Hannah Hampton!!!
Beautiful beautiful result

So many penalties! But honestly I was so much more worried about Spain scoring in the last 90 seconds there. Whew…

This part. I’m going for coffee today with a now freshman (and her mom). She was in my class as a 3rd grader when we shut down for Covid. I was a TA in the class, and we bonded over books.
They moved away and just moved back, and her mom emailed saying the kid really wanted to see me. It matters.

I called him back later, and he just wanted to see if I was interested in being a part of a new team at work and perhaps taking lead on it. “You know you’re who I come to for these things because I think our philosophy and values align when it comes to students.”
True.

Went disc golfing with friends yesterday and had a weird premonition that my assistant principal would call me. I think maybe because when we went disc golfing last year I was waiting for a call from him to find out if I had gotten a job there?
Anyway. My phone rang. It was him. So very strange.

Greg, it’s sincerely so wonderful. You do such a good job truly making it sound like you’re just speaking conversationally and not rote reading off text. The tone and little asides add so much to it.

Reading is quite literally my favorite thing to do.
I’ve read over 100 books this year, all in print, because I don’t do well with audiobooks.
BUT. I have been rereading @gregjenner.bsky.social’s Dead Famous via his narrating the audiobook, and it is a delight via that medium and *such* a good book.

I have this on my wish list for my counseling office too!

That’s true, it doesn’t teach writing, but he’s not teaching writing or composition like Chanea is. So I get that it is a different situation.

The end result is that he gets absolutely stunning projects from students every semester. Sculptures, video game designs, poetry, music videos, plays, etc.
All showing evidence of what they learned in the class and allowing for students to show that learning in various ways.

My husband is a university prof, and for differentiating he has his courses gamified. Students choose exactly how they’d like to reach the grade they desire. There are no required exams, so students can choose an exam if they wish but can also do creative projects. Same for papers.

This is all true, and it was used in the Angry Birds movie, so there’s an additional connection point for kids.

I love when my kids’ personalities shine so differently.
The 16 year old got an electric bass this summer.
The 12 year old got a lyre.

For the first time?!

Absolutely baffled and livid that JP what’s his face couldn’t be bothered to learn how to pronounce these players’ names. So I’m not learning his last name.
#WEEuros2025