The Sign Of These Times This chapter suddenly closesAnd I still have no idea why Was I really that loud?Did it sound more like a shout? But 22 years have come and goneI don't remember seeing such a callTo have me pipe down a decibel or moreSuddenly the students are keeping score And you said … Continue reading My Monday Metrical Musings #259
The following post first appeared here. [TLDR:Â Our country's students are afraid to speak up. Making drama a compulsory part of their curriculum may make them bolder.] Last year, I met up with an ex-colleague and good friend who retired as a senior lecturer at a local tertiary institution. She had been teaching there for the … Continue reading No drama? We could with some in our schools
I recently started teaching a short, informal online course to two friends on the art of structuring and writing a memoir. (These friends are fellow writers I got to know last year when we attended a Creative Non-fiction writing course together) Now in case you start searching online for my course, don't. Because you won't … Continue reading How Teaching Writing Helps My Writing & Lets Me Pay It Forward
Two days ago, I had arguably one of my worst experiences as a teacher in over 20 years. It was another hot and humid Thursday afternoon. After five weeks with them, I knew this wasn't exactly the most exciting class to teach. The students usually looked like droopy petals of a morning glory flower that … Continue reading Disagree if you will, but it takes courage to be a teacher
It's been two weeks since I resumed teaching face-to-face, now that Covid measures here have further eased. Yes, it does seem we're back to pre-Covid days again. Well, sort of. The thing I'm forgetting is this: even as the educator in me looks forward to engaging my students live and in person, the non-traveler in … Continue reading Back to daily in-person teaching after 2.5 years
What fun a busy month What fun a busy monthThis August will prove to beLearning daily but teaching fewOf things both familiarAnd sorta new. That should be the waySome would hasten to sayFor isn't lifelong learningThe ticket to a better day? That depends I think On where you're standingFor me, it's just more of the … Continue reading My (August) Monday Metrical Musings #91
This seems like a post I should have written long ago. After all, I've been teaching since 2003 so I definitely have a good two decades of experience in my belt to pen down some thoughts about this profession that's as old as time. Now don't worry. This isn't going to be one of those … Continue reading What 20 years of teaching has taught me
This period has been a very frustrating one because so much of what I usually do has been crowded out by the urgent and pressing needs of the moment. Having to home school my kids from Monday to Friday while trying to teach online classes that, just a few weeks ago I had fully expected … Continue reading Covid-19 fast tracks online teaching skills? Hmmm…yes, but “not quite yet”
Where I now teach, the semester usually kicks off with three weeks of classes followed by what they call a "Flex" week where no classes happen so students can attend camps, study trips and other co-curricular activities, and teachers like me can take a break before classes resume. I'm in that Flex week now and … Continue reading The Big Sick vs The Tiny Sick – which is better for teachers?
Yes it's true! Since becoming a full-time stay home dad some four months ago, I've started to notice that by the time Thursday comes around, I just wanna bail out! I find myself unable to be around my kids without flying into a rage. Well, okay maybe that's a tad bit exaggerated, but yes it's … Continue reading “Simply” Tuesday now feels like “Surrender” Thursday!
