#my social studies teacher is so “???” about why i'm excited

[killtheratwithameatcleaver]

my fucking social studies class watched john green explain slavery and don't know who he is???????? i was like "IS THAT JOHN GREEN??????????" and mutherfuckers realky said "yes. he is Very Polite. i wonder who he is" YES HE IS VERY POLITE BUT YOU DINT UNDERSTAND HES A WRITER THAT MAN IS A WRITER HE IS MY HERO STOP TALKING WHILE HES TALKING

[tranquilpetrichor]

lesson learned

synopsis: in which a tutoring session turns out to be much more in disguise.

cast: tutor!gunwook x fem!reader ft. gyuvin and ricky (briefly)

genre: high school!au, f2l

wc: 2.2k (2225)

warnings: suggestive, making out, yn’s outfit has a skirt, gunwook kisses yn on neck, they call each other "cute" and "hot, they r nerds, please don’t do this in a study room, barely proofread and edited help

a/n: i swear why is finishing stuff so hard, this could be so much better but i'm happy i managed to finish it. also it's kinda hard not writing from y/n's perspective but it shre is interesting. i wanna make longer fics lol but for now enjoy this bc i love writing about nerds and especially ones who are down bad.

be sure to reblog and like to support your creators!

bright sunlight filtered in through the windows of the empty study room as park gunwook typed away on his laptop, trying to get homework done quickly.

outside, some students were walking across campus, birds were flying freely, and there were a distinct lack of clouds in the sky.

he would probably be there too, but he was supposed to be tutoring you soon. as boredom was slowly starting to set in, he double-checked the time. it was one minute after your appointment was set to begin.

odd. you weren’t usually late to anything.

before he could ponder it further, you walked into the room, sighed and put your stuff beside him, apologizing for being late. “i was talking to another professor about something, and i didn’t expect it to take that long. my bad…”

something seemed a bit different about you, but he wasn’t sure why. he shrugged the thought off and chuckled quietly.

“it’s no problem, y/n. one minute is nothing. do you prefer the curtains open or closed?”

you waved a hand at the window. “let’s close them.”

he got up and pressed a button on the light switch panel near the doorway, and the curtains automatically came down. this private school sure spent money on interesting things, but at least they were occasionally useful.

cute outfit, he thought.

was that a new pair of boots? it paired nicely with the skirt you were wearing. you managed to look hot and adorable at the same time.

how unprofessional to be distracted by your appearance—he frowned.

snap out of it. it’s time to do math, not stare like an idiot.

luckily, you didn’t say anything, even though he swore he saw a tiny smirk on your face, which you quickly removed in favor of a more neutral expression.

that was weird, he thought as you got your tablet out—the one you liked to take notes on during the calculus class you two had together.

he wasn’t sure of your exact grade in the class, but he heard it was quite high. you were smart, but didn’t seem to have problems asking for help if you needed it. in his opinion, that was pretty admirable.

gunwook noticed that if you did need help, you’d go to the teacher or try and talk to him. the two of you exchanged numbers eventually, texting each other for study sessions.

he loved being able to talk to you more, slowly learning little things about you—like how you wore a certain necklace on big days for luck, that your go-to snack was nuts (he couldn’t help but think of you as a squirrel after that), and that you had a dog named citrus.

he got the feeling that you weren’t the biggest on socializing with many people, preferring to only keep compaany with a few friends. he’s mutual friends with a few of them, like jungwon.

it was refreshing compared to his large friend group (although he loved them) and the many people who were merely interested in him for his looks.

of course, he wouldn’t mind if you were interested in his looks, but hopefully you also liked something beyond that.

you probably did—who else would end up chatting about precious stones or logical fallacies with him? he loved seeing you excited and passionate.

god, his face was probably going to be red if he kept this up.

“i see you said you wanted to look at stuff from the last lecture when you were booking the session,” he said, trying to banish certain thoughts from his head. “series can be difficult, so i get it.”

you nodded, offering him a sweet smile. “yeah, i just wanna go over a few of the divergence and convergence problems on the first practice problem set. i have the problems listed here.”

you pushed your tablet in his direction, and he picked it up.

he glanced at your solution for the first one, nearly written. “i mean, it looks like you applied the test correctly. just to make sure, how did you know to use that one?”

you didn’t hesitate to answer.

“given series is a p-series where p is equal to three. p is greater than three, so the series will converge.”

as expected, you kept up with his questioning. of course you probably knew what a damn p-series is. he’d just wanted to hear your voice some more.

speaking of voices, maintaining a professional tone with you was a miracle. gunwook’s composure and eloquence were paramount to getting him through student council meetings, debates and tutoring sessions, but those skills seemed to want a temporary vacation.

“do you want to move onto the next one?” he said, defaulting to his standard tutor voice.

“mhm. i remember our teacher said there was more than one way to do it. i never tried to figure out the other ways, but now i’m curious.”

gunwook flipped to a certain page in his notebook. “do you want me to show you how i did it? it’s definitely a different method, but we got the same answer.”

you shrugged. “sure. take your time.”

you were twirling your stylus pen in your hands and swiftly tucked it atop your ear. fuck, did you not know how cute you looked? your hair was neatly parted near the middle right now, but he wondered what it’d be like to see you disheveled. at this point, he might be thinking with something other than his brain.

you spent another few minutes talking with him, bringing his memory back to previous tutoring sessions. he remembered you said once that having to justify your reasoning on a topic was one of the best ways to deepen understanding, and that he was skilled at identifying the holes in your arguments.

“that’s why i would hate to lose a debate against you,” you had admitted. “it’s always more fun when we can work together.”

the offhanded comment could’ve had another meeting. as an friend, gunwook couldn’t quite discern your intentions, though. whether you just wanted him at arms length or in your arms was just another guessing game he played.

he was aware that the balance of power was always shifting between you two, but at the end of the day, you two were pretty much equals intellectually, keeping things in equilibrium. however, his underlying feelings of attraction threatened to ruin the balance.

as the session continued, you had a satisfied smile. you asked him about unrelated math proofs and got him off track. why did you want to discuss all this when your sessions were usually more focused? something was definitely off.

“well, that was actually everything i wanted to ask about,” you said to him suddenly, packing up swiftly. “i was just going to go if you don’t have anything else.”

he frowned.

no, please don’t.

what was wrong with him?

“unless, you wanted me to stay..” you continued, a smirk on your face. your laptop was closed and all of your study materials were neatly filed away.

you were definitely teasing him, and it was working, your behavior making him somewhat flustered. there was no turning back if he let himself escalate things right now. he could just let you leave—that’s what rational gunwook would do.

fuck it. rational gunwook was not in the room right now.

he reached out and grasped your arm. “and if i did?”

you smirked and stepped towards him. “then i’ll make sure you don’t regret your choice.”

with that, you pressed your lips to his, surprising him. gunwook quickly recovered, his arm snaking around your waist, pulling you in more.

no wonder you booked the session for an hour and a half.

if anyone opens this door, i’m definitely getting kicked out as a tutor. at least these walls are pretty soundproof.

he pulled away for a bit to catch his breath. "wow, did you come here just to kiss me?”

you laughed, gazing at his eyes. "it wasn't only for that, although i'd be happy to do it again. let me clarify. i have feelings for you.”

you continued. “i’ve honestly thought about it. you’re hardworking, and not just in the classroom. when i see you practicing or studying, you dedicate yourself fully, and it inspires me to do the same. you're kind, even to people who don't deserve it. on top of that, you’ve always been a good person to talk to about anything and everything. i trust you.”

“oh, and i guess you’re cute. and hot.”

you added the last part with a small smile. after each reason, he found himself surprised by your sincere words.

gunwook groaned. “y/n, you have no idea how down bad i am. i don't even remember exactly when it started, but what i do know is that i met someone interesting, someone who challenges me and jokes with me. someone who's beautiful in every way. i'm so fucking into you."

he paused, before deciding to tease you a little. "i have a question about one thing, though. you ‘guess’ i’m cute?”

“well, did you want me to say for a fact that you’re cute?” you asked.

he pouted slightly. “would have been better.”

“fine,” you said, taking his hand. “it is an undisputed fact that you’re cute.”

“thank you.”

"and hot."

"i guess so..." you rolled your eyes, an amused grin on your face. “now can we get back to kissing?”

“i was acually trying to be professional, even though i had feelings for you too,” he whispered against your ear. “but since you insist, i’ll give you what you want.”

not wanting to rush despite his boyish excitement, he leaned down and slowly began to kiss you again, running one of his hands gently through your hair. you closed your eyes.

“want you to take control, gunwook,” you said, your breath hot against his skin and your arms wrapping around his neck.

how could he say no? he was so screwed whenever it came to you. wasting no time, he brought your hips closer to his, enjoying the proximity.

he’d never seen you like this, so blissful and carefree. all he wanted to do in this moment was to make sure you kept feeling that way.

he got a small idea.

“hold on, i’m going to lift you,” he said, and you tightened your hold on him, lifting your legs so that they wrapped around his waist. you looked like a koala, hanging on so protectively to him like he was a branch.

you let out a tiny laugh of glee—it was the cutest thing he’s ever heard.

he moved over to a chair, and carefully sat down with you in his arms. your skirt was spread across your lap, contributing to the newfound messiness of your appearance, and your legs dangled off both sides of the chair.

“let me know if you don’t like something,” he said in between kisses. “the last thing i want to do is pressure you.”

“of course,” you responded, squeezing his shoulders reassuringly.

as a surge of newfound confidence rushed through him, his kisses became more intense, trailing down to your collarbone. you tilted your neck slightly to allow him more access to the area.

shit, he was probably the luckiest guy alive right now.

“so beautiful,” he murmured, tracing your chin with one of his hands, “and you’re mine.”

damn, calm down now.

“wow, for someone who’s so sweet, you sure do have a possessive side.”

he winced. “is it too much?”

you laughed and smiled playfully. “not at all. i find it hot.”

that sentence alone sent a warmth through his body.

“that’s good to know,” he replied with a smirk. he was definitely going to do that more often.

soon, his lips found yours again, like a moth to a flame. damn, he could spend all day doing this (if they had no risk of getting caught).

in his pocket, his phone buzzed, and he sighed, looking at the notification.

gyuvin: r u coming to get ice cream with me and ricky? u said ur tutoring thing with ur gf ends at 4:00

the time was 3:44 pm. wow, were they really at it for that long?

gunwook smiled. gyuvin had texted “gf” as a joke, but little did the poor guy know.

“is it something important?” you asked, still on his lap.

he shut off the phone, looking back at you. “it’s gyuvin. during lunch, me, him and ricky made last minute plans to get ice cream—they’re asking me if i still want to come. i should get going soon.”

of course, his feet didn’t want to move.

you looked intrigued. “do they mind a plus one?”

yeah, they're going to tease me the entire time.

“i’ll ask,” he responded, face somewhat warm from embarrassment. "but one of these days, i’ll take you out on a proper date, just us two. you deserve it.”

your eyes lit up, and you smiled. “i’ll hold you to it, gunwook.”

his phone buzzed again.

gyuvin: yea sure bring her, we support

gyuvin: besides i have ricky he's gonna be my bf now

"they said yes," gunwook said, laughing silently at gyuvin's last message. "let's go in 5 minutes?"

you reciprocated, resting your head gently on his shoulder. "any longer and i don't think i could leave."

[shinra-makonoid]

The hardest chapter I went through so far in regards to social studies was in regards to the medicalization of society.

In general it describes the fact of medicine taking a role of giving a crutch to people so that they can be exploited further by the system we live in. The overall opioid epidemics in the US is a definitive caracteristic of that: people don't have the right to call it off when they're sick, don't have much vacations either, don't have protections, so they continue to work and get put under meds to handle it.

However, the teacher also talks about how the meds we access allow us to defy our biology and change our bodies. He took the example of esthetic surgeries, but the same thing could be talked about for trans people. The component of this all is double: in one way it makes us rely on medicine more, which removes from us our body autonomy, an ongoing topic in this lesson. But on the other hand, I do think it gave me more autonomy in general for things.

The whole field of medicine has started to create more and more categories of disorders in the mix, because it is the only way to protect and help and get empathy from people and society in general. One example that's given is about ADHD. In France at least, there is no consensus in regards to this disorder, but doctors keep giving the diagnosis because it allows children to be treated correctly, and parents get less stigma. And the teacher said, the first reason why parents go to the doctor in those case, it's about the stigma of being a bad parent. Not because the child has issues. They don't have a "bad" child, they have a "sick" child. And on top of all of that, giving them meds to correct their behavior allow them to be accepted into a system that isn't made for them (in school you need to learn, you need to be a good pupil, etc etc... Meds are a way to achieve that). Medicine has a huge control over how society functions that way, we rely on it for a lot of stuff that isn't about curing diseases.

Is it a good thing to ameliorate ourselves? I think so, but this goal is to keep the system going on the same way it ever was. In that sense, medicine is a full on actor to keep the system in place, because it will create disorders out of the people who do not fit, and will try to find the right tools to make them fit.

I'm not sure how I feel in regards to transness in that. Because in a sense, it's the same. I don't mean by that, that I would not be suffering from dysphoria if no gender existed, nor that I think I would make peace with my body as a woman if T didn't exist, I don't think it's true. The teacher had a whole bit about the virtue of patience in regards to pain and mourning, and while I do think people get a lot of meds super fast for reasons that aren't always great nowadays (to handle the system and all that, we get back at the start of the issue: the inhumain system), I don't think being able to handle suffering is a virtue.

No matter if you consider being excited/unable to properly read/impulsive being a "real" disorder, or gender dysphoria a "real" disorder, people do exist that way. The fact that it's considered a category in the medical sense doesn't change the fact that it exists in general. However, I mean that, if you really truly want to give autonomy to the people who are suffering from dysphoria, then you definitely need to separate HRT from pharmaceutics and medicine. In fact, anything in the optic of ameliorating our bodies/changing our bodies, should be left alone from medicine as much as possible for those reasons. But where is the limit exactly? Because ameliorating our bodies is just what medicine does.

This class made me quite uneasy during the whole time, it was packed with views I don't really agree with, and things I don't really like. Illich who was a philosopher in the 70s, was full blown against medicine in general because it causes issues, it makes people have disabilities and all that (which is true in a sense). When he got cancer he refused to get any treatment, which seems horrible and dumb to me. I just... We are opposites. I'd do almost anything to live a little more, ameliorate my body, putting distance from my biology through technology. I think in the end he liked much to be a sweaty sack of dying visceras when I am not.

I talked with the teacher about this after that, and he was friendly. I had to reread the whole thing today and I took a long time to do it because this makes me think a lot. All the other lessons we got were really obvious things I already know/thought about deeply/made sense easily to me. This one tho... Not so much.

[inkabelledesigns]

This trend of drawing Hatsune Miku from a variety of cultures has me thinking about many things. Like old doll collabs where people rendered her different outfits in doll custom form. But it also has me wondering how I can participate. Like, I've never drawn Miku before, but I'd like to try to. But I'm very insistent on staying anonymous, so I can't really draw her where I'm from if I want to post it. But I almost wonder if maybe, my way of doing this could be pulling from a time instead of a place.

What did fashion look like back when I was at the height of my Vocaloid phase? Gosh, when was that? I was a middle schooler back then. My own fashion was not great, but I had fun. XD I had an extensive phase of wearing colorful bandannas in my hair then (the pink cupcake one got so much use). I remember going to my very first convention with a Miku shirt on. One of my best friends introduced me to a form of larping, there was dancing to anime music, very sweet vendors, it was an interesting day. I wonder if that might be fun, drawing Miku tied to memories I have of where I was when I was into her and all her friends. This same friend and I look nothing alike, but for school spirit week, we dressed up for twin day together, like twice. One year I made us custom Vocaloid shirts with my newly acquired Photoshop and iron on transfer skills. X'''D They were so cheesy, but I remember being so excited. They were Rin and Len Kagamine themed, because they're twins and Len was my favorite. And I put the 02 from their arms onto the sleeves of each shirt. Theirs was positioned the same as Rin's, and mine was on the same side as Len's. It meant a lot at the time. It's just the sort of fun, slightly cringy thing you expect a middle schooler to do after learning you can customize stuff like that. XD I miss when I made my own shirts like that a little bit.

Vocaloid music fueled a lot of my love for art at the same time I drew Sonic fan art. I listened to it a lot as I drew. Okay, so like, I was supposed to meet with the school social worker once a week as part of my 504 plan, but she often ditched me, so most weeks I just had a private study hall in that office. Well, my global history teacher popped in at some point, and I was just sitting there doodling after having finished my homework. And I don't know why he said this, maybe I had pigtails in that day, or maybe I was smiling a lot, but he seemed very content as he said I looked like the girl on my shirt, which was that same Miku shirt. And I smiled and thanked him, but I never really got what he saw. I'm the furthest thing from a svelte hologram idol with teal eyes and long hair (hell, I had a really short bob for most of that time, it was my goal to look like Xion from Kingdom Hearts). But I guess, looking back on it, maybe I looked happy like Miku does. And what a nice compliment to get, for someone to think you look happy while creating. I was very happy. I think I was drawing my DJ character at the time, Drizzle Drop. I don't think I've ever posted her online. Maybe I ought to. XD She had a lot of blue in her palette, kinda like Miku, but not the same shade.

I dunno what I'll do with any of this, if I even have the energy to draw Miku, but it sure does make me smile to think about the time I enjoyed a lot of Vocaloid. Maybe I ought to turn the old playlist back on today.

[187days]

Day Five

It's the first day of school!!!!!

It was a really good one, too.

I had a feeling it would be because I was excited last night- like, can't sleep because Santa is coming excited- and I hadn't felt that way since before Covid. I never stopped loving teaching, but it's been really hard these past couple years. It still is, in some ways (like the teacher shortage), but a lot of the pandemic trauma has faded. And I know I'm not the only one who feels that way. A lot of my colleagues said it, too, and so did The Principal. There's a real upbeat vibe.

This is what my schedule looks like:

Prep, 80 minutes

Advisory/Flex, 10 students, 45 minutes

Global Studies, 19 students, 54 minutes

Global Studies, 17 students, 54 minutes

Global Studies, 16 students, 54 minutes

Lunch, 25 minutes

APGOV, 18 students, 80 minutes

Because it was the first day, we swapped Advisory and Block One so it functioned as a homeroom. My advisees are sophomores now- it's the same students I had last year, plus one who moved here from out of state- so we didn't have a ton of stuff to go over. I gave them the basic back-to-school paperwork, their schedules, and their chromebooks. Then we played a little trivia game (questions about the school) for the remainder of the time. The teams ended up tying, so everyone got a little prize, which was fun.

After that, I had time to do seating charts for my Global Studies sections, make photocopies for the students who were added to my APGOV roster, chat with The Principal, exchange "good luck" emails with Mrs. T, and take a walk through the halls.

Then it was rapid-fire Global Studies time! I always start by asking my students to introduce themselves and tell me something they're interested in so that I can have a quick conversation. Like, if they say they like music, I'll ask who their favorite band or singer is, or if they mention playing a sport I'll ask what position they play. Then I say "nice to meet you," and sometimes they say it back. It's a positive way to begin.

After introductions, I had them look around the room and find the useful stuff- trash can, spare pencils, art supplies- and went over the course guide. Once I outlined my expectations for them, I had them write me a note or an email (that I responded to after classes ended this afternoon) to tell me about their expectations for me as their teacher. And we wrapped up class with a little brainstorm about aspects of culture to get them ready for the first unit.

In APGOV, we chatted about why they chose to take the course, the benefits and challenges of an AP course, what my goals in teaching this specific course are, and so on. Then I had them take Pew's Political Typology Quiz and email me their results- tells me what my class looks like, ideologically- and I shared mine, as well. We discussed the various things that shaped our views (for them: the pandemic, inflation, social media, parents and peers, NHPR, rapid changes in this part of the state, the 2016 and 2020 elections...). It's a good way to start, and longtime readers will know it's one I use year after year.

We had enough time afterwards to start talking about history, and about the things that shaped our founders' views. They did a great job recalling what they learned in APUSH and American Studies, so that was cool. That's good prep for next class when we'll dive into the Declaration of Independence.

After the bell, I got a bunch of stuff set for tomorrow, answered emails, and went down to see how Ms. B's first day had gone (I saw Mr. X throughout the day since he's right across the hall). We chatted for a bit, I gave her some advice on a lesson she's planning in the future, and then I headed home. Actually, I headed to the grocery store because teaching is hungry work, but you get the idea.

That's my twentieth first day with students, all done!

[fff777]

just a reaction post on jaemin being a PE teacher

jaemin: lmao i am not qualified for this

i did hear that jaemin's mom was a teacher

contrary to what he said, i feel like haechan could be a good teacher because he would keep the students engaged, but that would depend on whether he was serious about staying on topic lol. if he was intent on goofing off then ah, maybe not ^^;;

jeno a math nerd eh

lmao mark arguing with the teacher about english

he's so amused

i've never seen a chalkboard eraser cleaning machine. i think we just washed them manually lol. definitely did in elementary school.

principal getting nervous on camera ^^;;

jaemin asking the important questions about a PE teacher's uniform

the other teacher working at his desk who's also listening in on the convo lol

teacher: please study these textbooks intensively jaemin: ...yes...of course...

teacher wonpyo wrapped the badminton grip :P

lol teachers wearing their whistles in their pockets because it's cool. definitely saw my fair share of folks in university having the lanyards of their keys sticking out of their pockets.

teacher teaching jaemin how to turn a mistake into an opportunity XD i remember i had a substitute teacher who told us how whenever they got a question they didn't know the answer to, they'd flip it back to the students as a discussion question lol. teacher tricks.

also always finish a little early because you'll be popular with the students

...is jaemin referring to all the students with -ie at the end? am i missing a korean grammar thing or is he cute-ifying all of their names lmao.

ok i see what the program means. their idea was that students would focus more if their favourite celebrities were their teachers. i was skeptical because i think i would just be kind of dazed seeing my favourite celeb up close. but i think the idea is that they try harder when they like their teacher XD like i would definitely want to impress my teacher if i liked them lol.

he thinks the kids are cute XD

explanation of badminton and its history. i actually didn't know it came from india. despite having played badminton throughout middle school and high school.

i do remember hearing somewhere that jaemin did play badminton so i think he does have the above average knowledge on badminton to teach it a bit

jaemin missing the basket after two students got it on first try ^^;;

that girl who's really good has probably trained in badminton before hehe

i feel like lunch with teachers could be really juicy for gossip lol

excellent for gas emission

i can see why kids don't have name tags now, especially with social media. you could film a video with students and now everyone knows those students' names. some of the students in the class were wearing face masks too. i don't know if it's because they knew they were going to be on TV.

PE teacher just doesn't remember the kids' name ToT

LOL relatable

lol this PE teacher is fun

now one-on-one counselling time with students

so fucking excited to hear the tea on high school romance

now i'm wondering if this situation is real or if they just made it up for the show ^^;;

yeah he does seem that way, he seems like the guy to turn everything into an opportunity

mister romantic

oh this was filmed on white day, a few weeks ago then

he is sooooo into this XD

aw, i feel for the second student, the vp of the student council...i had a bad relationship with my older brother too for a very long time.

the plot twists with this student just keep coming

meirl after making a phone call

third student wants to ask about career concerns

jaemin creating a scenario for the student to act in lmao

jaemin: we are best friends now

[soleadita]

Re your tags about the school major.... literally one of the biggest turnoffs for me about majoring in psych was being preached to by a bunch of middle aged white men about white men theories and they all thought they were the absolute shit and I was SOooooo just. Oh I was so fed up by graduation lol

LITERALLY. literally. oh my GOD. (ok so i tried really hard to answer this normally but it ended up being a rant of epic proportions and in hindsight i fear it's only tangentially related to your actual ask but i spent too long writing it so it's gonna stay.)

most of my professors were, thank god, not quite Like That (mostly older white women, which could be frustrating in other ways, but i cannot imagine having to take a bunch of white man psych dudes seriously for that long, holy shit) but boy oh BOY do i have one specific grievance to air.

so my major was specifically focused on child development (which officially spans ages 0-18 yrs), and basically we went through three years of like The Stages of Development (piaget, erikson, freud, vygotsky, etc) and Theories and The Major Studies and developmental milestones and preschool lab, and then in our fourth year, there was one (1!!!!!!) required class that was essentially like "cultural perspectives on xyz." (the titling of the class was absolute bullshit btw. cultural perspectives? as if we weren't already being taught from a cultural perspective. like, ok.)

the specifics of the class as a whole have mostly been lost to me at this point, but the gist was essentially "by the way, all the super old linear theories of development we've been drilling into your head aren't as widely applicable as everyone acts like they are and may, in fact, lead to detrimental assessments of people whose culture and backgrounds and experiences differ from the white upper-middle class cishet able-bodied male norm." (i did, for funsies, dig through my google docs this evening and skim some of my old notes. SHIT WAS WILD. god.) and i just remember feeling simultaneously super underwhelmed (like, yes, i figured this out two years ago and it would've been nice to get more than 10 weeks worth of a class on it?) and incensed (WHY ISN'T THIS MORE CENTRAL TO THE CURRICULUM FOR THE ENTIRE DEGREE?).

it's like. idk. when i wanted a tamale recipe that would taste close to my grandma's, i googled it in spanish, bc when i google it in english i get assaulted by white lady food blogs. but googling in spanish gives vastly different (and much more helpful) results. and that's kinda how i felt by the end of my degree. like, what would this have looked like if i studied it in other countries and in other languages? what's in their textbooks? who are the other scholars? and that's also tricky, i guess, because i get the sense that academia is pretty gatekept across the board, and it's not like going to other places is gonna change that necessarily? but still. other non-us-centric perspectives at the fucking least.

and the thing that kills me is like...wouldn't this be so much more exciting if we could pick this apart and examine it from multiple angles? and wouldn't you be equipping these future teachers or occupational therapists or social workers etc etc so much better? and wouldn't your research be stronger? and wouldn't you be able to better understand and serve and care for the children and families you're trying to work with? and how are you content to sit in your tenured position and teach the same shit quarter after quarter when you know there's SO MUCH MORE TO THE PUZZLE that you're NOT LOOKING AT?

ANYWAY. this is so far removed from the original point. i'm so sorry. i just love bitching and commiserating about shit like this. <3

[penig]

It used to be taken for granted that married couples might have different preferred candidates, and it was used as an excuse to not vote, the concept being that they would "kill each other's vote." That a husband and wife voting for different candidates would cancel each other out, so why bother?

There is a story, I'm pretty sure in a book of connected short stories called The Nine Brides and Granny Hite,* published in 1952, featuring an immigrant, a European refugee excited to vote in her first election, who encounters this argument while going around town infecting blase Americans with her immigrant enthusiasm. She is taken aback at first, because it sounds reasonable enough, but her gut says it's wrong, and after thinking a minute she comes back with: "You and I, we are each on one end of a two-handled saw with a tree in between. If you go back, I go forward, I go forward you go back. We say to each other, We cancel each other out, so we stop. Does this cut the tree down?"

This argument was still common enough in the early 70s that my social studies teachers would feature it as a popular fallacy when talking about elections and democracy. It seems to be as old as female suffrage.

To find the argument that women will necessarily be guided by their husbands when they vote, you have to go all the way back to arguments against granting women suffrage at all. Because what would be the point? They'd just vote like their husbands anyway! Sometimes with " or fathers" thrown in, when someone remembered that unmarried women exist.

This is not a coincidence. The people disgusted by these ads would happily roll us back to before female suffrage. To before "Negro suffrage." And, ultimately, to before suffrage for adult white males who don't own real property. Don't think they won't!

*I found the link but didn't take the time to confirm the story is in there. I remember it as a distinct change of tone from the other stories, which are mostly little romances.

From the October 31, 2024 article:

“In the one place in America where women still have a right to choose, you can vote any way you want. And no one will ever know,” Roberts says in the ad as a woman on screen meets up with her husband after casting her ballot for Harris.

The voter winks at a fellow female voter as her husband asks if she made the “right choice.”

Republicans have responded to the video with outrage, with some claiming that a wife lying about her vote is as bad as an affair.

“If I found out Emma was going to the voting booth and pulling the lever for Harris, that’s the same thing as having an affair,” Fox News host Jesse Watters said on air Wednesday in a clip highlighted by Mediaite.

Other GOP members including Charlie Kirk said the thought was “nauseating.”

[facesofcsl]

Alana Tollenaar- Program Coordinator of Alberta Council for Environmental Education (ACEE)

What is your role at your organization?

I'm Alana Tollenaar, and I use she/her pronouns. I'm the program coordinator at the Alberta Council for Environmental Education, also known as ACEE. I coordinate the AYLEE program, which stands for Alberta Youth Leaders for Environmental Education. It's a virtual program for youth across Alberta in grades 7 to 12, focused on doing a deep dive into environmental issues. My role involves recruiting students and facilitators, including partnering with CSL to bring in university students, particularly prospective teachers, to work with our youth participants.

Can you trace your involvement with the CSL program?

I graduated from the University of Alberta in 2021, and during my undergraduate studies in Environmental and Conservation Sciences, I took several CSL courses. Two notable projects stand out: one with Boyle Street, where we created a community cookbook to improve nutrition for vulnerable populations, and another developing a social media strategy for a local growers guild. After graduation, I participated in interviews for a longitudinal study conducted by the CSL office studying what graduates chose for their careers. Now, I've come full circle, working with ACEE as a community partner for CSL, and offering CSL opportunities to students.

Why did you choose to incorporate CSL students into your organization?

I encouraged ACEE to partner with CSL because I knew the benefits of the program from my own participation. I recognized that it would be beneficial not just for our program's sustainability, but also for students to gain real-world experience. Last semester was our pilot, and it went really well. It's helped us expand our capacity as an organization, making it easier to manage the 60 junior high and high school students in our program.

What do CSL students learn in their placements?

CSL students, particularly those studying education, learn: facilitation skills, leadership skills, communication skills, and how to manage conflict. They practice encouraging conversations on difficult topics and gain experience engaging with students virtually. Many of our CSL students reported that it was challenging to engage with students online at first, but by the end, they had developed strategies to ensure the program participants were benefiting from the experience.

What have CSL and CSL students added to your organization?

CSL students have increased our capacity, allowing us to handle more students in the AYLEE program. They provide one-on-one attention to participants, which is crucial for the program's success. There's also a beautiful level of mentorship that happens – I've noticed strong connections forming between our CSL students and the program participants. This has allowed our program to grow and become more sustainable, as it's not feasible for one person to manage 60 kids effectively.

What have you learned by being involved with CSL?

Being involved with CSL has taught me so much, both as a student and now as a community partner. I can see things from both perspectives, which helps me understand the students' needs and time constraints. I've learned the importance of providing a meaningful experience within the limited time they have available. I've also learned about being a supportive community partner, offering feedback, suggestions, and encouragement. This experience has allowed me to develop my own mentorship and leadership skills.

Have you had any new experiences from the CSL program?

One memorable experience was a discussion with both participant students and the CSL students focused on designing sustainable future transportation. Almost all of our CSL facilitators mentioned this as their favorite moment. The students were incredibly excited, engaging in meaningful discussions about futuristic transportation like hoverboards. It was the first time everything really clicked, and I could see the impact on both our program participants and the CSL students. Seeing my vision for this partnership come to life was a new and meaningful experience for me.

Sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence:

CSL has provided me with valuable experiences both as a student and as a community partner, offering opportunities for personal growth, career development, and meaningful community impact.

With the support of CSL's BHER Partnership, what projects and initiatives is your organization working towards, and how has this partnership benefitted your organization?

Our organization is all about creating more environmentally educated Albertans through programs like AYLEE so it’s about creating citizens who have an appreciation for the natural world and want to move towards a more sustainable future. Therefore, receiving funding to advance our mission is so important. I think the funding would primarily go to expanding our AYLEE program, and being able to offer some in-person opportunities for students. We’re all virtual right now because we have students across the province and we have a limited budget. However, some additional funding would allow us to offer different kinds of opportunities to students or potentially funding for them to pursue their action projects in their own communities supported by ACEE.

In partnership with the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER), and with support from the Government of Canada, CSL provides financial support to environmentally-focused community partners for their educational and mentoring roles with CSL students.

[ducknotinarow]

[RichardBailey] [CALM] The sender's kiss calms the receiver's nerves, quieting their speech.

| "Shut Up" Kiss starters

Richard was really starting to hate those morning lifts to school with his father. At first he was nothing but excited at the prospect of the alone time with his father. Who, only ever seemed to have that time to give to his brother Zane instead. Clearly Richard had be done something to earn his father's attention, So, Richard should be excited anytime his father brought up getting to ride with him. It had gotten to a point his father just seemed to expect Richard to be joining him.

So why did those car rides feel stressful?

They were even talking now while in the car yet that was far more messing with his nerves than the car rides where his father didn't open his mouth at all. Richard in part knew it was because if he wanted this to keep going on he had to keep doing better. The conditioning he was raised by went over his head so easily. Clearly working as Richard was holed up in the library far earlier then he needed to be. Richard skipped lunch just to be here, already getting through his own work. Now he was working through his TA duties. The teacher he was the TA for just asked him to edit the essays for review. Richard however, did more than red pen the need for capitals or misspelled words. Annotating on the margins 'advice' on how to make the essay better. Handling that job for the teacher as well.

Spinning the pen in his hand as he let his other hand rub at his neck, it was hurting him a lot today, like something was causing the muscles of his neck to tighten up. Richard still needed to look over things for student council next, they had to do stupid things for the next upcoming dance. Richard also needed to look over the current study guide he made up for Bailey. Before he made a copy for Bailey, that rooster might love pink but it made Richard go blind trying to read anything on an all pet set of paper.

Lowering his hand a moment to just close his eyes for a small second. Reaching into his backpack so he could safely tuck away the essays now that he finished them. Seeking out the pink portfolio he got for Bailey. Hoping the rooster would appreciated the glitter heart stickers he plastered all over the cover for them. When he felt something brushing against his feathers. Faint something smooth, and sort of sharp but not like a blade or needle. It wasn't cutting more like searching for something? At least, till finally coming across it a slight tug at his feather breaking it free from the rest. Richard startled and near about knocked over the chair beside him as he moved to stand up suddenly hand covering where the feather was plucked from.

Richard face redden a bit around his beak his heart beat quicken faster than he ever felt it do so before when he found Bailey stood behind him, brown feather in thier beak seeming to find the way they got Richard to jump amusing. "You could have just tapped my shoulder if you wanted my attention." Richard said needing a second to control his voice so to not make that weird screech he did when he first spoke. Taking a moment to clear his that as the rooster explained he thought about it then noticed the out of place feather, as they took it out thier mouth teasing Richard over not taking time to properly care for his feathers. Richard's feather tufts flared a bit as he fixed the rooster with a look. "That isn't how that works and you know that."

It was just preening why was he so worked up about that simple action. Birds preened each other all time especially birds like Bailey, it was a very social act nothing else. Richard tried to remind himself as he turned to grab for the portfolio for Bailey. "since you're here I guess I can give you this, that pink enough for you? I also tried summering things more clearly on flash cards for you. Though I'm not sure if my terminology is correct? I tried to make it relate more to things I know you like already?" Richard said hoping the change in topic would get his mind off the feeling of Bailey's beak on his neck yet he kept staring at said beak noticing a smudge.

Meaning, that same pink goop they had on thier beak was now on his neck. Richard should be annoyed but instead that just had his thoughts run wild, he needed to bury that all away! As he looked at the rooster. Unable to help himself he reached over and wiped at the smeared trail with his thumb. "And you say I'm the one slacking here?" Richard teased back, hoping that didn't come off as flirting when he knew very well he was flirting just now.

Chances were Bailey wouldn't catch on once told that, but the other eyes on the pair right now? might say other wise.

[starsincline]

Hello, my friend. I hope this message finds you well. 🙏

I'm Ola, a graduate student from the Faculty of Science at Al-Azhar University . I'm a dedicated and passionate student, striving to become a good researcher and teacher.

Unexpectedly, my life took a drastic turn transforming me from a passionate student into a person struggling for survival. 🥺

My family is in a perilous situation due to the harsh conditions and the famine we have endured for 11 months. We are facing immense challenges, So I have created a campaign to help me and my family rebuild our lives and meet our basic needs for food, drink, and other essentials in these harsh conditions. This will also help me continue my education. At this critical moment, I implore you to share my campaign with your network, both offline and on social media platforms. Your advocacy is vital to our success.

All I am asking for is your support. Every simple thing makes a difference in changing the situation we are in. You can help us either by giving direct support to our campaign or simply by sharing/reblogging the pinned post on my page and/or writing a post about my campaign. This would greatly help us reach more potential donors, and I would be very grateful if you could share the campaign link with your friends and family via email or other social media platforms. ❤️

I sincerely hope you can empathize with our dire situation and consider supporting us. Please be assured that any help brings us closer to our goal, and no matter how small your donation might be, it will make a significant difference in my family's lives.

I would appreciate it if you could follow me to stay updated, as I will always need your help. 💔

This is my GFM link:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/empower-olas-pursuit-of-education-amid-crisis?qid=30ec4c502382b9962b96d698a687d9a8

My campaign has been verified by @/90-ghost, @/northgazaupdates, @/el-shab-Hussien, and @/nabulsi's vetted list (line 205).

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1yYkNp5U3ANwILl2MknJi9G7ArY4uVTEEQ1CVfzR8Ioo/htmlview#gid=0

Thank you in advance for your kindness and support. I am waiting for your response. ❤️

Please donate and/or share with others. 🥺🙏

Sincerely,

Ola

I really hope your circumstances improve soon 🙏💚

vetted: one (line 205) , two

$58,896 USD raised of $85,000 goal

For eight months until now, we have been struggling to get proper food after prices increased by 15 to 20 times, struggling to have clean water for use and drinking. We lacked security and stability as we were forced to evacuate our house and left everything behind. Then we had to move at least three times since every new area we seek refuge to gets bombed. Before October 7th, my days were filled with attending lectures, working, and volunteering. I completed my bachelor's degree in Mathematics with a GPA 96.01% with a grade of distinction with first class honors. Once I completed my graduate studies, I began looking for a job to cover the study expenses. I got my first contract as a mathematics teacher on August 30, 2023, at a school here in Gaza. I was very excited, happy and full of passion for this new chapter in my life as a student and teacher at the same time. It was one month like a beautiful dream in which I began my work as a teacher to my students in the seventh grade. I was explaining mathematics using extracurricular activities. However since October 7th, my life turned upside down, darkness prevailed, all hopes and dreams quickly vanished. Our once peaceful neighborhood has been devastated by relentless bombings, leaving my home, university, and my workplace destroyed. Although, there is nothing here but rubble and ash color and a dark and gloomy future looms ahead, my family and I fight every day holding onto a thin thread of hope that tomorrow might be better. This is why I decided to start this campaign and seek your help and support to create hope for me and my family.

[phanfinger]

I'm in a multiple subject credential program currently.

So I get to student teach. This is not my first rodeo. I've student taught two times before.

First time was 9 years ago. I was a child development major at the community college that I went to. I did the practicum class, for preschool. Oh my god, I had the worst experience ever. The mentor teacher or whatever the fuck she was called was so incredibly bad at giving my constructive criticism. I thought that I was bad because she never had something nice to say me ever. I seriously remember that the only positive thing she ever said to me was that I noticed things in children that she did not notice. I was in the preschool classroom once a week for four hours. I spent the entire time on edge because of her. But I did enjoy being around the children. When I was getting my end of the year review from her from my lecture teacher, I really thought that I was going to fail. My lecture teacher misplaced my review from her so she called her right then to review me. To my disbelief, the mentor teacher gave me a glowing review. I was incredibly shocked. Fuck that bitch honestly. I almost quit the whole major all together.

But I continued on. I got into a California State University. Majored in Early Childhood Studies. I still enjoyed learning about children. I enjoyed my lecture teachers. It had its own student teaching program. But uh oh! Covid happened! So student teaching had to be online. It fucking sucked so bad. Not because the children I had to observe were annoying or anything but mostly because of the state of the world. My teachers assigned us videos to watch and create curriculum that way. It was not ideal for sure. I got my degree in early childhood studies in spring of 2021. I was so done. I was finished. I was burnt out so badly. Got a shitty preschool job. I quit after three days.

But then I got a good preschool job. I stayed there for three years. There was a moment in my first year where my co teacher's husband had open heart surgery and so she was out for 2 weeks. I was able to run that classroom. I was so happy. I felt like that I proved that mentor teacher bitch wrong. I could do this. I can be a teacher. I just finished there about two weeks ago. It feels weird but I needed to move on.

Why? Well, TK (Transitional Kindergarten, which takes kids as early as 4 years old) is taking enrollment away from preschool. Unless I wanted to work with children who were barely 3 years old and not potty trained, I am shit out of luck. Also, preschool doesn't pay shit. I fully believe in preschool though. If you have the means to, send your child to several years of preschool. Your child needs the social skills, believe me. Your child knowing their ABCs and their numbers up to 20 doesn't mean shit if they're hitting their friends, taking things without permission, or being unable to listen to people in general.

Anyway, I've been assigned 3rd grade. Quite different than preschool. I think it's pretty funny because I actually repeated the third grade. My family was moving across the city we lived in and my science skills were not up to my science teacher mom's standards. So moved schools but repeated third grade. I remember my second year of third grade being much easier and reading a lot. My teacher was on the verge of retirement so she didn't care what I did when I finished my work. I am very excited to relearn the material again 21 years later!

I've met up with my cooperating teacher twice now. She seems fine as a person.

However, her entire classroom and the way she has organized her classroom is entirely Harry Potter themed and based. Don't get me wrong, it's pretty impressive but at the same time so incredibly cringe. I mean, she's had years to change it and she hasn't. And she's basically admitted to me that she has spent so much time, effort, and money making her classroom look and operate like this. She asked me if I was a fan. I said that I had read all the books and seen all the movies based on the books. She interrupted me and said that I was way ahead of her previous student teachers. I told her that I was 30 that I grew up with it but I'm not a fan of it anymore.

She's vaguely aware of J.K's assholery but not really. I told her what J.K. just recently did and her response was literally, "Well, that is too bad."

She's kind of an ally. I guess. A very basic one. I referred to my non binary twin as "they" and she stopped me and told me to say that it again as she wants to get pronouns right. Her 20 year old majoring in art daughter always yells at her about getting pronouns right for her friends. I took the opportunity to tell her that I was agender. She was as supportive as she could muster I guess. But I told her that in the classroom that I was a woman. She said that was best because the elementary school that I've been assigned to hosts military families and they can be a bit conservative. It makes sense because there are two local bases.

Anyway, first day is Wednesday. I'm hoping to muster enough energy to write about my experiences every day but we'll see.

[thoughts-in-20s]

FIRST WEEK IN THAILAND 🇹🇭

สวัสดีคะ!

Hello how was your week? We have safely arrived here in Thailand last Wednesday night and I've been here in Ayutthaya (my first area) for only 4 days and it's been such a very tough week for me although I already know the first 3 months in the field would be hard I didn't really expect it to be this hard. Guess what we are opening this area haha great my first area is an open and biking area I don't really know what to feel to be honest but I kinda feel like this area would progress because the members here are so so nice and sweet and they have 3 returned missionaries here who also served in thailand which is a good thing because they for sure know about the area but one thing about Ayutthaya they never had their missionaries ever since pandemic so that explains why there are only less than 30 members here but I'm excited to work on this area also we have another set of 2 missionaries who will be serving with us so 1 companionship of Elders (Elder Anderson and Elder Badal) and 1 companionship of senior missionaries (Elder and Sister Cook) they are so sweeettttt they even treat us for dinner last night plus help us get our groceries I love them so much. So last night we have a bunch of meetings and I was just so lost in translations I can't even understand a single word but it's a good thing for me because it motivates me to like strive more in learning thai and I've been doing language study 2 times harder than I was in the MTC. I really testify SYL is so so important trust me it will seriously help you when you'll already out in the field now it's clear to me why our teachers in the mtc are trying their very best for us to do SYL I guarantee it's 100% helpful. Anyways my trainer is (Sister Loranger) she is the best companion you would ever have she is so patientttt and kind to me, and also she is the referral secretary so we'll kinda do a lot of stuffs with social media because most of the people here use it so it's kinda useful to get referrals because they usually chat in our page if they wanna get Book of Mormon or if they wanna learn about the Gospel. President and Sister Burgener are so sweet they welcomed us warmly and the first time we got here the first thing we saw was the Thailand Bangkok Temple it was so prettyyyyy I really felt the assurance and peace that everything will be well. We'll also be having our zone conference next week and we'll be singing with our native language which is a funny thing because this is my first time singing in tagalog and I'm the only Filipino in this area. Things are literally new here for me especially the food because to be honest I never had a food here which is not spicy so Goodluck to me hahaha. But even though it's hard I know He is always there to bear me up and the same goes to you. I like how the Lord will always make it hard for us at first so that we can be more tougher. I miss my ward, my family, my friends and MTC but I know I will eventually love it more here. Thai people are literally the sweetest they are more into their feelings when they talk to you and you can literally feel their sincerity. I am so blessed that the Lord chose Ayutthaya to be my first area couldn't be more grateful. I love the Book of Mormon so much I can't even count how many times it had helped me during my difficult times. I really testify the power of prayer from the very first day we arrived here I really felt the Lord is very mindful to me. Whenever you feel discourage just always remember Mosiah 14: 3-5 He lives and He is there for you even if don't feel it His love is always there. Words can't even describe how grateful I am for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The work is so so hard here but the work Jesus Christ did was a lot harder I love Him with all my heart and I will always do my best to glorify Him and Heavenly Father ! I hope you are doing well, Take care always and I would love to hear from you too!

1. Ayutthaya District

2. My Trainer (Sister Loranger) 💛✊️

3. Nephi district I miss y'all so so much

4. Ayutthaya Branch

5. Elephant sanctuary (I kinda feel bad for the Elephant tbh)

[whisperinthehaze]

MY SENIOR HIGH EXPERIENCE

I used to imagine what my "Senior High Life" would be like when I was in grade 10. If I kept up my active study habits, I wondered if I would succeed academically. At the same time, I find it difficult to decide between HUMSS, STEM, and GAS. At first, I said that I wanted to pursue HUMSS because I want to work as a psychologist, political analyst, and journalist. However, I also said that I wanted to pursue STEM because science is my favorite subject and I'm curious about what I will learn if I pursue STEM. Lastly, I claimed that I wanted to pursue GAS because I'm unsure and confused. I recognized that the Humanities and Social Sciences strand will help me grow as a person and as a student; I see myself excelling in this strand and that the journey with this strand will be successful. Suddenly, though, it dawned on me that "HUMSS is the strand I will take in Senior High." I remember my First Day at Perpetual Help College of Manila. I was excited because it was a new school, new classmates, a new life. HUMSS-G. Silang They became my first family in my Senior High Life. My whole year was happy, I became an active student, I improved my performance in all subjects. I also became involved in extracurricular activities such as Buwan ng Wika, Museo De Filipino, Presidential Week, Sci-Dama, and won second place. I also joined the Broadcasting Committee and wrote news about events that occurred during the Parade of Talent 2022-2023. But, despite being an active student, there are problems associated with it, obstacles that I must overcome, trials that will come in my life I believe that I must succeed because if I fail, all of my efforts will be useless I became an Academic Achiever from Midterm and Final Term because of my family who always supported me and always reminded me that nothing is impossible and that I can do the things I want to achieve.

In my second year, I went to the HUMSS-Sapphire family and I am very happy because we have a great teacher who is ready to guide, teach tirelessly, take care of us and make us happy. I also have classmates who are willing to help and be with me in the joys and sorrows of life In senior high I learned to be a strong person, it taught me to stand on my own feet, it taught me to do what my heart and mind screamed, Senior high taught me that if others can do it, so can I. I am with the strand HUMSS in the challenge of life.

It taught me to be understanding, it taught me different values ​​that I will need in my next journey, and it taught me to be a good person. I had a calm life when I started senior high school, and it inspired me to get a better education so that I could one day support my family, friends, and the community. Since I've learned a lot from my experiences—"It's a long way, but my storytelling has traveled a long way"—why should I quit now? If I can be a better student. I will always treasure this experience and the priceless memories that my senior high school life gave me. I'll keep the memories I've collected with me and use them as motivation and inspiration to succeed in the future. Reminiscences that are incomparable to once-in-a-lifetime events Being a student is a unique opportunity, so we should make the most of it. Based on what I've learnt, I believe it has been worth living.

[apomaro-mellow]

Work rant under the cut cuz im about to mcfreakin lose it

so my official title is paraprofessional. i was originally hired at this school to work as a kindergarten aid. and that 1st year was pretty good. The only time I was called away from kindergarten was to sub for teachers who were out.

The longest stint i ever had was subbing 1st grade the week before winter break (i subbed them the most frequently too).

Here comes my 2nd year, and at first the email me like mid-August asking if I could teach pre-k. I don't have my certification, and they knew this, but I accepted anyway. There's a very confusing back and forth and it's not until I step foot in the school weeks later that I'm told (by the kinder teacher NOT admin) that I'm going to be w/2nd grade.

Not ideal, especially when during that 1st week, I don't know if I'm the homeroom teacher or just an aid, bc there's an ESOL teacher and she seemed to be taking the lead. I literally had to email the principal for clarification. (and also to you know, have it in writing that im teaching and that im a teacher just in case i need it for compensation)

The year goes on, honestly not as bad as it could have been, but ONLY because I had support from other teachers and was able to get some aids myself from time to time.

Now for this year. I was somewhat prepared because I knew SEVERAL teachers had left. Including the other 2nd grade teacher. So in my mind, I would think it made sense that IF i needed to cover a class, it would be 2nd grade. But um, no. For some reason the 3rd grade teacher is taking 2nd.

Yall....I really feel like an employee shouldn't have to ask what their role is. But I come in Monday and I still don't know so I ask "Hey, have yall zeroed in on a role for me yet?" Assisstant principal says "you're aiding 2nd grade.....BUT hold on bc we might need someone for 3rd."

And guess what they called me in the office during my lunch break to tell me? I think you already know.

On the surface, it's not as bad as last year. Instead of covering ELA and Social Studies, I'm just supposed to cover SS. And they're crossing their fingers, the teacher slotted for this position comes back from maternity leave in November. But then they want me to aid her in 3rd grade and to me that is just unacceptable.

So here's were logistics and facts go out the window and im just fully emotional. Because the 2nd graders I thought I was going to be with are the kindergarteners I started with at this school. Yall, I love them so much and was excited to be with them in any capacity, teacher or aid.

But these incoming 3rd graders? I love them too but there are some in that group that need extra love, if you know what I mean. I was able to hold it down and give it to them last year but i was Tapped. Out.

I can't do it again this year, especially when there's so much uncertainty. Not for my mental health or the children's. I already had a hunch about this which is why I literally updated my resume today. Time to send it out.

[noneedtoamputate]

Hello! For the BoB ask game! I hope you’re having a wonderful day!

2. Is there a character you liked/disliked at first, but then changed opinion on throughout the show?

3. When did you first watch the show?

4. If you could pick three characters to be on your zombie apocalypse team, who would they be and why?

6. If you had to pick only one episode as your favourite, which one would it be?

7. What’s your favourite quote from the show?

8. How did you find out about the show?

9. Is there a character you think is very underrated or that you think people should show more love to? Who and why?

10. Would you ever do the same thing the boys did if you got the chance? Why/why not?

11. What’s your favourite location from the show?

12. What do you think your army nickname would be if you were in it?

14. How many pairs of socks would you bring to Bastogne? [Because, as they say, socks are important!]

17. Did the 101st Airborne need saving in Bastogne?

18. If you had to be named after one of the boys, who would it be and why?

19. What song [beside the original scores] do you connect the most with the show?

20. If you have a(ny) ship(s) when it comes to the show, which one(s) is your absolute favourite?

Sorry there’s so many lol but like I tell everyone, I’m super curious! Have fun answering these (if you’d like)!

Whew, let me see if I can answer all of these!

Hmm, I think when I first watched the show, I didn't like Speirs. I was 20, and I saw the world in black or white and I didn't fully understand the positions the men were in (and I understand that I still don't, since I have never been in combat.) He's since become one of my favorite characters.

3. I first watched the show when it came out in 2021. My family are huge history buffs (my dad and my brother are social studies teachers, and I ended up majoring in history for my undergraduate degree.) I've seen lots of war movies, been to battle sites, etc., so I was very excited to see the miniseries.

4. This is a tough one. I would pick Shifty because I would need a sniper. I would pick Spiers because I would need someone fearless who accepts he is already dead. Finally, I think I would pick Lip, because he's a great solider, and great leader, and he would also keep my morale and focus up.

5. I would pick Speirs. I wouldn't want to commit any war crimes, but I would love to experience the fearlessness he exudes on screen.

6. The Breaking Point kills me every time I watch it. You get the sense of comradery and loss all in one.

7. "What's a guy gotta do to die around here?" - Joe Toye. But during this recent rewatch, I've really connected with Skip Muck. I love when Don asks him where he's been, and Skip answers, "Well, Don, I was at home in Tonawanda, but then Hitler started this whole thing, so now I'm here." Skip's sarcastic sense of humor is very similar to my own.

8. I think I just heard about it from all the promos at the time of its release.

9. Chuck Grant

10. I would love to go skydiving one day, but I don't have an interest in being in the military or in combat.

11. I love the scenes at Camp Toccoa and The Eagle's Nest.

12. Maybe Jack (part of my previous last name) or Bookie (I would be the one with a book during break time.)

14. ALL THE SOCKS. My feel are always freezing! I would leave the cigarettes and trade for them with all the socks I brought.

15. Okay, so this may be unpopular. They didn't NEED saving, but it sure was nice Patton's boys showed up when they did, right? I don't need my husband to make me coffee in the morning either, but I'm not going to turn that down.

18. I think maybe Johnny Martin, so it be almost impossible to find my on social media sites.

19, My current WIP is called Everything Beautiful Thing, a line from In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel. The song has a quality that I am striving for in the story.

20. I am open to all ships, but i think one underrated one is Harry and Kitty, and I would love to see more fiction featuring them. The man carried his spare chute and stole Hitler's silverware for her!