I was going to write about writing and teaching today, because I’ve had some good thoughts about how teaching remedial writing to middle school kids has helped me with my own writing skills, plus a wee bit of a rant about currently accepted wisdom about teaching grammar (hint: some claim explicit grammar instruction doesn’t help student writing problems; I think there’s more to it than that and I strongly disagree with that particular conclusion).
But…we’ve got a snow day and I am here alone for most of the day. I’m as bad as my kids when it comes to big fluffy snowflakes, even down here at home and not in the mountains. I have things to work on that I’ve not been able to get to due to not feeling well, and later on I’ll be going out to writer’s group and hanging out with other writers, which is something that just hasn’t been able to happen for a while due to scheduling.
So here I am, working on some job application materials. The bird feeders are full and there’s major squirrel and bird action happening around every feeder. Occasionally we’re getting heavy flurries of big fat snowflakes which turn to slush. I keep jumping up to look at stuff. Yeah, bad as the students. But that’s the deep dark secret of teaching…we often share some of our students’ habits (if ever you have to teach a batch of teachers, especially middle school teachers, be afraid. Be Very Afraid. We know all the tricks, that’s how we can counter them when it’s Us in front of the room).
Gotta love the occasional snow day, even though it causes stresses of its own (when I was working full-time, quite often I’d get the call that there was a two-hour delay or cancellation while on the road to work. Not fun at all. I’d kind of prefer having a more steady and predictable situation any more).
Back to work now. Also have a presentation to prepare for tomorrow’s PLC. So lots to do, lots to do.
