Miscellaneous Missives

  Distance Learning is taking its toll, but I'm super proud of our students.  One student went from an F to an A in my class in three days.  It's that easy my friends.  Do your work.  I hope now she will stay on track, so she doesn't get behind again.  I have instructed her to work on math and her math edpuzzles next.   Today was a day of online PD.  The morning was super painful, but the honest talk of the present after lunch was refreshing.  Unfortunately, it was squashed by the two hour pd that followed.   Luckily, it was nice out, so I took advantage of the sunshine and went for a walk to get myself back into a good place.  I'm not sure why I chose tonight to add more screen time and blog.

I look forward to Saturday morning because it's my farmers market morning.  Today was no different.  Even though it was misty and a little cold, I was excited to make the trip.  Thinking the edamame was snap peas at the first stall, I ask for snap peas even though I really knew it was too late in the season for snap peas.  After a short conversation about how to cook edamame, I bought some.  I've been snacking on it most of the afternoon. My favorite stall was gone today. absent. what?!  My favorite stop is W inter Goddess Foods .  It's my breakfast stop for Saturday and Sunday.  Plus, it is my sweet snack spot for the week. I always buy two pieces of coffee cake, a carrot muffin, and two lemon ricotta cookies.  They were gone today.  It was a disaster. A new stall, however, piqued my interest.  Crown the Writer was selling picture books.  I asked about one and ended up making the purchase.  Quite frankly, I probably spent...

  Anyone who is teaching in distance learning has to realize there's some good and bad.  The bad is really bad.  I miss walking around the class and being able to talk to kids while they're working, see their screens, see their faces, observe engagement (or lack of engagement).  Distance Learning is also more work.  The good things are good.  I can literally walk to the refrigerator to fill my glass with water while I'm teaching.  I can sit and eat my lunch while I wait for students to attend my office hour meets.  Plus, I can wear whatever I want.  Today students will not see that I'm wearing shorts and alpaca socks.   It's not as bad as I had imagined, but I really miss being in the classroom.  The students are actually attending classes and doing the work.  It's OK, but I hope it's over soon.

  I posted a month ago wondering how it was already August.  I sit here this morning staring at my computer screen wondering how it's already September.  Typically, we'd be in school at this time.  Instead we continue this barrage of online meetings and shared documents.  Although I think I'm ready for the first day, I won't know until it is finished.  This is true in face to face learning, but it is even more true as I start the adventure of digital learning.   Yesterday, it was raining, so I had to attend meetings inside.  As I sat for the meetings, I realized how important my standup desk was at the end of the year.  I also set up my first Google Voice account and used it to call the 30 parents of kids in my advisory.  As they shared their concerns about this year, I assured them that they were not alone.  I kept reassuring them that we would all do our best.  At least I was able to give them a number as a point person....

Today is the last day of July. It's crazy.  I promised myself that I would start working on school stuff in August.  Tomorrow's August, so I decided to use today to finish scanning pictures.  A few weeks ago when it rained, I went through old photo albums and marked photos to be saved.  It was a crazy "trip down memory lane."  Today I finished scanning them and returned the old albums to the basement.  If felt good to get the tub out of my dining area.   I love this picture of my brother and I.  Obviously, he was not interested in what I was doing. There were also these lovelies of my in/on the inner tube.  I guess floating devices have changed a lot over the years.   Goodbye July :(

This summer has been fairly uneventful, and it saddens me.  All of the big fun rides have been cancelled.  The Covid outbreak in NW Iowa is horrible, so I don't want to go back to Boji to visit.  Basically, I feel a bit stuck in Minneapolis seeing the same folks (who really are delightful).  Last weekend, however, I went to Cedar Falls. Iowa to play golf and bike with friends.  It was all low key, and we were never in a group of more than five people.  It felt good to get away.   On the ride through Waterloo, I back tracked to get a picture of this sculpture.  Notice the cassette even has a pencil in it (for those who remember cassettes).  I thought it was pretty cool. Yesterday I went on a ride following a new (to me) trail in Minneapolis.  I also back tracked to take this picture.  I'm not sure why, but I found it interesting.   Finally, my last week of outings brought me in touch with these two dogs.  Dogs lik...

Summer is a different thing this year.  I'm not on my bike as much as usual.  Covid has changed many of my socializing opportunities.  It's not all bad.  I've been reading and watching webinars.   I recently read Wes Moore's Five Days, the Fiery Reckoning of an American City.   It was amazing.  Although I've read Wes Moore's The Other Wes Moore: One Name Two Fates , I didn't know much about Wes Moore the writer (and so much more).  In preparation to watch last night's Webinar with Wes Moore, I started reading Wes Moore's My Work:  My Search for a Life that Matters.   It resonates with me as much as any of his other books.  Last night as I watched him speak and answer questions, I was reminded that I need to keep reading and watching these Webinars in order to become a better teacher and citizen.   Today I watched a Town Hall Meeting about the right of education .   I didn't know anything about the Lawsuit f...