#stem learning kit

[intellibrain]

Engage kids in studies proactively with STEM Activity Kits

We frequently hear from kids that "school is boring," "Maths and Science are hard," "memorising theory is meaningless" and other such phrases. It has been like this for decades and will continue to be like this if we continue the same old teaching methodology. Without a doubt, education is the most crucial thing a parent can provide kids in order to ensure their survival, success, and development as wonderful people. But when kids are disinterested and skip school because of the way education is delivered, things become challenging. It then becomes crucial to begin actively involving kids in their everyday schooling and introducing STEM Activity Kits to kids to accomplish this.

STEM is an abbreviation that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. STEM is a learning technique that focuses on encouraging interest in learning, fostering curiosity and building critical thinking skills. STEM activity kits include age-appropriate activities that offer a significantly different learning experience than textbooks and lectures. STEM kits for kids are deliberately made to feel like a play time.

Here are some of the reasons why proactively engaging kids in studies using STEM Activity Kits is strongly suggested.

-  Mapped with school curriculum

The best STEM activity kits are ones that are perfectly aligned with the academic programme. Thus, it enables kids to engage in hands-on activities or get first-hand knowledge of theories and concepts they have learned in school. The kid won't feel burdened or under pressure to learn anything new in this method. Rather, the kids gradually come to understand that these activities are only a supplement to their academic studies and a more enjoyable approach for them to retain what they have learnt in class.

-  Experiential learning

STEM activity provides a unique and entertaining way to approach problem-solving and a much more engaging learning experience than textbooks and lectures. The experimental and experiential techniques of education are highly emphasised in these kits. These are especially made to feel like a play experience and they learn in a setting by engaging in experiments and activities.

-  DIY activities kit

STEM activity kits contain carefully crafted activities with clearly defined instructions that a kid may perform alone or with a little assistance from elders at home. These are DIY activity box that are based on real-life examples, allowing kids to understand the significance of a subject or topic.

-  Better focus & understanding of concepts

As these activities are so engaging, kids must focus and pay close attention while performing. Additionally, it helps students learn ideas and concepts more thoroughly by using activities that are relevant to their daily lives. It also disproves the assumption that the majority of the stuff kids learn in school is useless in real life. Kids would never feel that way if they learned about a subject through experiments and real-world experiences.

-  Knowledge Retention

Several research shows that when kids play and learn, the knowledge is retained for a longer period or throughout life. The major plus is that these experiences and activities stick with them in a way that traditional textbook and lecture-style teaching does not. Such knowledge retention helps them perform well in school or any competitive exams.

To sum up, the purpose of these DIY activity kits should be to foster positive emotions, pleasant memories, a fundamental understanding of concepts, and a love of learning that will last throughout their life. Incorporating STEM learning kits into the educational process is therefore strongly advised.

ALLEN Intelli SMART Box is one of the top STEM activity kits in India for kids in grades 1 to 8. It features more than 100 play-based educational activities that kids can perform on their own or with little assistance. Its robust 360° learning method, as well as real-life applications of ideas and concepts, has been shown to improve knowledge retention in kids by 70%.

[getbreaded]

Playing around with LEDs and circuits for the first time ever!

Anyone have any advice on the best bibliography or YouTube channels? Somewhere I can start learning from scratch?

My life is infinitely better now I can make my own Christmas lights (✿◠‿◠)

[binduspoint]

Best Educational Toys for Kids

Educational toys The Smartivity Mega Science Kit is an engaging and educational resource designed for young minds, providing an exciting exploration into the world of chemistry. Tailored for boys and girls aged 6 to 14, this comprehensive kit offers 135 captivating chemistry experiments. With a focus on safety, this Kids Safe Science Kit ensures a secure environment for children to delve into…

[andaalbanagere]

Alphabet & Shapes with Osmo!

February 28th, 2023 – Andaal is having an phenomenal hands-on learning experience with Osmo’s Little Genius Starter Kit! She is learning to create Letters (uppercase and lowercase), along with Shapes with squishy, colorful Sticks & Rings. Continue reading Untitled

[finalgirlfailure]

My job gives out art kits every few days and I got some for my baby cousins and they're having such a fun time im so so happy :]

[systlin]

Hey friend!

I don't think I've seen you mention anything about doing embroidery, but I am confident I've seen you mention you're in SCA! Can you offer any research tips or point me in any good directions to learn about period embroidery?

I keep managing to forget to ask the experienced folks at my local SCA before they have to head out. 🤦

I do embroider! Usually on clothing items rather than samplers, though I did make my mom a purchased sampler kit recently. Turned it into a pillow. She liked it.

BUT ANYWAY I found this site specifically very helpful when looking into period embroidery for my specific persona.

Long and short of it is; a lot of split stitch, stem stitch, chain stitch, and herringbone stitch. Also couching of gold. I picked up a couple books in the bibliography of that page and they used satin stitch as well to fill bits in.

[mantis-clan]

Mantisclan Year 3 Lineup

I realised I haven’t properly fleshed these guys’ personalities out! Better late than never :D Here’s all our current cats and a bit about them as of year three!

previous / next

Quietstar

Quietstar is a perfectionist at heart, and has been through a lot in the last three years, from losing their deputy and apprentice to then losing their mate, Bonespeckle, over the course of just a few moons. A bit neurotic, Quietstar has always seen flickers of strange shadows and movements in the corners of their vision. Pious to the last breath, the one thing Quietstar cares about more than Starclan and Mantisclan is their daughter. Sunsap.

Bluesky

A former kittypet abandoned by his owners due to sickness, Bluesky joined the clan on moon twelve. He’s very daring, but secretly afraid of becoming a burden to those he loves and being abandoned again.

Blisseyes

The clan’s resident healer, Blisseyes trained under Bonespeckle before the older molly changed paths to being a warrior. She’s an excellent storyteller, able to make even the most mundane of herbs sound interesting.

Fumble

Fumble joined the clan on moon twenty two after a particularly rough kitting on Mantisclan territory. Perpetually an anxious wreck, Fumble gets through his day by telling himself stories and reassuring himself with the knowledge that he’s fast enough to outrun any threat. Though that’s not quite enough to stop him worrying about his kits, Thistle, Osprey and Tadpole.

Breeze

A troublemaker at heart, Breeze joined the clan on moon seventeen, having boldly asked to join with her newborn kits Locust, Branch and Echo. Sometimes she lets her nature get the better of her and can come across as rude or mean-spirited but she really just wants her and her family to have a good laugh.

Perditofog

On moon twenty five, Perditofog and her two kits Stem and Magnolia joined the clan. Just as much, if not more of a troublemaker than Breeze, those two queens get up to plenty of trouble together.

Lynx

The most recent addition to the clan, Lynx is an old friend of Peter Pangrove’s and knew him when she was a kit in a loner group with him. Aggressive and energetic, Lynx seems to have some connection to Spider…

Sunsap

Quietstar and Bonespeckle’s adopted daughter, Sunsap doesn’t let the fact that she’s missing a leg stop her from wanting to follow her ba’s pawsteps in becoming clan leader someday. Ambitious and driven, Sunsap is the first to jump into battle when the time comes.

Mumblecrackle

Once an apprentice from Snailclan, Mumblecrackle ran away to join Mantisclan on moon twenty seven. Always eager to have some fun, Mumblecrackle lives to have a good time.

Locustpond, Branchheart & Echodapple

Breeze’s litter, these three are each unique characters. Locustpond, while she was an odd apprentice, has turned into a stern, Starclan-worshipping adult. Branchheart seems to blend into the background, not seeming to have a solid identity of her own and Echodapple has grown from an egotistical kit into a compassionate, if impulsive, adult. Locustpond and Echodapple both suffer from chronic pain and have bonded a lot over that fact.

Tadpolewood, Thistlefire & Ospreyrip

Fumble’s kits, these three newly made warriors have a lot of learning and growing to go. While Tadpolewood endlessly strives for perfection and recognition, Thistlefire and Ospreyrip seem content to goof off rather than take their duties seriously.

Stempaw & Magnoliapaw

The youngest members of the clan, these two brothers are quite similar in some ways and different in others. Stempaw always has a snappy comeback prepared and excels in debate and inciting arguments while Magnoliapaw is often left to smooth over his brother’s disagreements- not that he struggles all that much, what with his charming personality.

Peter Pangrove

The oldest member of the clan, Peter Pangrove has loved and lost a lot in his life and as a result feels constantly lonely even when surrounded by cats he cares about. He seems to have been a friend of Lynx’s in the past, but, then again, he seems to know everyone.

Dovewhisker

Ambitious and bloodthirsty, this former deputy of Mantisclan acquired the position by murdering Quietstar’s mate- not that anybody knows this, of course. He has since mellowed out in his old age, and may be starting to regret some of his actions, why else would he step down from the deputy position?

Briarmoth

Killed on moon number one by a bear trap, Briarmoth hardly had any time at all to be the fierce deputy for Mantisclan that he wanted to be.

Bonespeckle

The deputy of Mantisclan before Dovewhisker and Quietstar’s mate, Bonespeckle was never one to outwardly show much glee, but that doesn’t mean she loved her family any less.

Larkshade

Grumpy, yet always with time to tell stories for the kits, Larkshade lost herself in her grief when Bonespeckle died and eventually succumbed to a wound she received from a rogue while out on patrol alone.

Spider

New to the concept of clans and Starclan, Spider joined Mantisclan to escape from something in her past- but it seemed to follow her anyway and she ended up dead from injuries sustained in her getaway. Was she murdered, and what did she know about Lynx?

Mousepaw

Poor Mousepaw. Dying tragically young and doomed to the Dark Forest for reasons beyond his comprehension, the gloomy tom has every reason to resent Starclan.

[vaporclan]

Moon 192 Part 19

In case it isn't clear, a lot of Cricket’s behaviour stems from being around Hail the most.

Ice tries to stop his bullying and redirect him, telling him it'll feel better if he does something nice for cats instead (which, to be fair, he HAS tried and is trying with Caterpillar) While Ice does try, she's more passive than she'd like to be

Minty has a much shorter temper when it comes to him, cause she doesn't understand why he isn't learning or growing out of these behaviours, or why he bullies Twig of all cats. She sometimes snaps and yells at him, which obviously won't fix his behaviour

When Ice and Minty need breaks from him, there comes Hail and Frost to come help and babysit. Cricket is also a little menace to Frost, because he finds him annoying. Hail, however, does not stop him when she sees him doing these things. She finds his behaviour funny cause its never directed at her. She often enables him as a "joke" meanwhile all Cricket is learning is that biting cats gets him positive attention from his big sister who he thinks is the coolest ever

Also to note: Hail isn't like. Trying to make him evil. This isn't a case of her training him to attack others or whatever. She legitimately just finds him funny and thinks this is just a kit phase and she should enjoy it while she can before he grows up. Hail is a HORRIBLE role model, she's not exactly trying to be a good one. She does enjoy hanging out with her baby brother though, most entertainment she's had in years

Hail is not self aware and believes she herself grew up "fine" and "normal" despite everything that happened with Ivy. (She did not)

Sometimes, if Cricket isn't being TOO rough, Frost will just let it happen cause . When Cricket is a menace, Hail finds it funny and Frost knows that this is like. the first time he's seen his sister laugh since they were kits.

He likes seeing his family happy even if he has to throw himself under the bus to do so

which,,, also enables Cricket... unintentionally

[spenobis]

Can I request a leosagi interaction? >.> (abandoned au)

:AbandonedAU: For context: Leo works at a local coffee shop, he is a cashier and the one making the orders since only a few costumers come in, save for a few well-stayers who are familiar and kind around Leo. He is still the family medic (Medic Leo supremacy) when Usagi and him met in an accident (i'll save that for another time) they grew closer which are stemmed from curiosity and interest because Leo has never met someone who is like him other than his brothers, and Usagi who has hatred towards humankind sees a yokai (he doesn't know that the turtles are creations of draxum's.) living among humans so casually. They both learn a lot from each other, Usagi will sneakily visit Leo on work time because he likes Leo's playful and layback energy as oppose to most people he works with and nothing more than that. Sometimes he visits looking somewhat beaten up and Leo will fret over him and patch him up (he now brings a first Aid kit to work.) They are just good friends :))

[pinteresttransfer777]

I know no one wants to hear this, but adding the A to make STEAM is actively hurting trying to introduce young girls to subjects previously gatekept from them

The entire point of STEM and specifically Women in STEM is to encourage kids to pursue nerdy school shit that they wouldn't otherwise. Go to the STEM club, kids! you'll build a tiny trebuchet, program a turtle in blujay, solder a flashlight yourselves, get help with your science fair poster! That's good shit, esp geared towards grade school girls when they're constantly told as they grow up that girls are just naturally worse at math, and computers are a boy thing, and all these fields are mostly men cuz that's just what men are good at and you'll probably be better in like, nursing or english or something more appropriate for your woman-ness.

The entire point of girl-centered STEM programs is to introduce them to the subjects young so learning them at a more advanced level later is not foreign, or discouraging, or just a boy thing cuz the societal pressure cut their interest at the root.

When you add the A for arts, practically no afterschool program is going to bother trying to teach kids (and girls) all that nerdy shit (INCLUDING fine arts, which is the POINT of the A) when they don't understand that shit themselves and could just start a STEAM program leaning heavily on the Arts and then adding a cute little "and crafts" to it. I see it in stores, too. A little paint-by-number style craft kit where you glue yarn in the shape of a rainbow was labeled "STEAM!" in bright pink. Sewing kits are labeled STEAM now.

Suddenly your "inclusive" for-girls mentorship program is shoehorning girls directly into the artsy-creative-handcrafts bullshit hole that Women in STEM was meant to take them out of in the first place.

Fine arts is so unbelievably important to teach to and foster in kids, but for fucks' sake, stop forcing girls into the shitty infantilizing version of it, especially with the movement that's supposed to do the opposite

[t1bb1zoey]

Okay, I have screamed, squealed, hyperventilated, and smiled like a dork over this all damn day (I am by no means exaggerating).

Let's analyze this tasty ass chapter Old Xian, the fuckin legend he is, gave us on this holy day 🙌 😍

FIRST OF ALL

Bruh, they were MAKING OUT. You can even see in the other panels, Mo's lips are red and kind of puffy, so it makes you wonder how long they were going for before we popped back in again (I'm seriously going to try not to squeal all the way through writing this). The last chapter people were confused on whether it was a kiss on the lips or not. I still hold firm that it was.

NOW, LET'S LOOK AT THAT DANG KISS:

I think something very important happened here, aside from the actual physical kiss. Mo was able to, in the best way he could, articulate that he has feelings for He Tian, and He Tian also articulated in his way that he does not want to dominate or control Mo, like maybe he had in the past.

In the last chapter, He Tian knelt a little so he was not looming over Mo. I think this is important and was the first step in what He Tian was trying to do here in this interaction. Kneeling to someone's eye level means you are putting yourself on equal levels. You are taking this person seriously and you are doing your best not to be threatening or overbearing in any way.

After the first kiss that went wrong, He Tian has been controlling himself like crazy. He's still devilish at times, but flicking Mo's butt or kissing him on the cheek is not as aggressive as other things he did in the past (groping, shoving his tongue down Mo's throat, dragging an unwilling Mo places). He's backed off, and he backed off even more after learning that Mo's anxiety stems from She Li attacking, controlling, and dominating him. He Tian also learned that Mo's financial situation is no small thing and he has gained perspective into Mo's life and needs. In other words, He Tian has matured and has worked on himself so he could be someone Mo would love.

So, of course Mo loves him back now and kisses him. We pick up with both of them processing that kiss here:

So, remember, Mo knew that he was dragging He Tian to his room because he was overwhelmed with feelings and wanted to kiss him finally, but He Tian had NO IDEA what was happening until he was standing in front of Mo, so he's processing this as much as Mo is. And the way they process is so different.

I love that Mo begins trying to explain himself, but also cannot bring himself to say that he loves He Tian directly (yes LOVE, not like). He says that his mom also doesn't dislike him, the most roundabout way he could say "I like you" (but we all know he LOVES him, right?). And he continues to talk really fast and look away from He Tian, because I think for whatever reason, he's scared to see how He Tian is reacting (because Mo is insecure) and also simply because he's embarassed of course.

And how is He Tian reacting? In that panel where Mo is just word-vomiting at him, he's studying Mo. His face is calm, like he's trying to get a read on what Mo's motivations for kissing him are. He's also reluctant to let Mo go. He even continues to hold his hand when Mo goes to take the ear piercing kit from the drawer.

I think He Tian is probably feeling a combination of "Does he think this is what he has to do to repay me?" and also a bit of "please let this be real". So he makes Mo look at him, because the ear piercing kit probably sent some worry through him. He knows Mo has been preyed upon by She Li before, so He Tian is making sure Mo knows he's not the same as She Li. Remember, this was He Tian a couple hours, terrified Mo was going to reject him for being the same as She Li, and a few minutes ago, replaying what he did and feeling like he's bought into his father's violent world:

He's still carrying that with him here, the terror that Mo saw what he did and the inner-conflict about being a part of She Li and his father's dark world. In this moment, he doesn't want Mo to think he's another violent person who Mo needs to serve or placate. He explicitly says to Mo: "You're the one who saved me."

AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

It could be literal, when Mo came up behind She Li and whacked him in the head to get him off He Tian.

OR, it very likely means Mo made He Tian change for the better. He's not the same guy who forced a kiss on Mo, or who tried to control him, or who threw money at him to get Mo to do what he wanted. He's changed into someone who wants to work hard, who wants to protect goodness, who wants to be gentle and kind like Mo is. Mo did save him. He can be someone different from his father, his brother, and She Li if Mo is there to remind him how to be.

So he reminds Mo of this because he wants Mo to know that he owes He Tian nothing. He doesn't have to pierce his ear for him to show that He Tian has any sort of ownership or dominance or anything. I think He Tian missed the fact that Mo is having a rough time, even now, being direct.

For Mo, he's trying to remind He Tian of this

He's trying to say, indirectly, you can help me do this because, yes, I do like you back. But He Tian's caught up in making sure Mo's not feeling any obligation to him just because he took care of She Li. AND ISN'T THAT BOTH SO CUTE AND HILARIOUS?! 🤣

Mo's out here doing his best to let He Tian know he's ready to admit his feelings now, and He Tian's so worried for Mo that he needs to know FOR SURE this is something Mo actually wants. He has to see his face and he has to have some form of explicit confirmation before he can let himself accept what's happening. He could have just gone in for another kiss on his own, but he wouldn't do it. For He Tian, he does not want to "disgust" Mo ever again. It's full consent or nothing. So, after making it clear that Mo owes him nothing, he asks him outright, "tell me what you want".

And poor Mo's still having a hard time. He can't say the words quite yet, and that's okay. For Mo, I think actually asking for something he truly wants is quite difficult, because nothing goes well for him. Wanting anything is a dangerous game for him, so even just saying it out loud is like a jinx for him, like the universe will hear and He Tian will be taken away (and we do know he will be and I don't know how Mo's going to handle that). So he just points. It's the best he can do. He Tian's just gonna have to accept that.

And the SECOND he gets the confirmation he needed, He Tian kisses Mo again. IMAGINE WHAT THAT WOULD FEEL LIKE?! The person you've been blood-sweat-and-tears-ing for tells you they want you back??! He Tian's ear blushes in that panel where Mo points to him, because NOW it hits him that yes, this is real. The boy of his dreams actually wants him back!

And it's the gentlest kiss ever. It's so sweet and heartfelt. I'm really proud of He Tian's and Mo's character development. I would say He Tian has evolved more than Mo, just because we see that he's learned his lesson here fully and Mo is still fighting to voice his wants, but man both characters have come so far.

And He Tian says he'll give Mo anything. Anything. Mo's out here trying to give He Tian things (literal soup, a place to stay, piercing his ear), and He Tian turns around and says NO, YOU OWE ME NOTHING AND I WILL GIVE YOU ANYTHING. He Tian was going to straight up murder She Li for Mo. He was going to KILL someone.

I saw someone on here say that in the English language, we have no equivalent to what He Tian said here. He basically told Mo anything he was, is, and ever will be, anything he can get his hands on for Mo, anything he can do for Mo, for all time, forever and ever, is Mo's. He exists for Mo now.

LIKE???

I'M SORRY, WHAT???

Guys, they are married. All these rings and earrings and shit. Like, this is the vow that accompanies them.

I just ... I can't?

Wonderful and BRAVE chapter from Old Xian. I will NEVER get over it.

[thelampisaflashlight]

*peeks around the corner and slides you a mug of coffee and a plate of croissants*

Oh Laammppp...Bea and/or Quincy vs the Imps. Thoughts?

💙

Owoughh coffee, thanks~<3

With the imps, Bea treats them similar to, say, a barn cat.

She puts food out for them if she knows some of them are outside, and every so often she wrestles one or two to get some flea and tick medication on them, because there's parts of the grounds where the lawn is deliberately left uncut/undisturbed (for a variety of reasons), and they keep coming to her covered in bugs.

She also takes seeds/burrs off of their fur if they have it, and occasionally she'll let Mountain's imp hang around inside of the cabin if it's particularly nasty out, but the thing is basically the size of a horse, so she usually just sticks it in the woodshed.

She doesn't really view them as creatures with the capacity to develop a human level of intellect, and to be fair most of them never do, but she's always a bit confused when one of the imps demonstrates the ability to do/learn complex tasks, or speak, though she knows most imps are able to perform mimicry, like corvids.

She just thinks they're just clever little animals, and doesn't dwell on the fact that they could turn into something nearly human if they wanted to.

As for Quincy, he, surprisingly, doesn't encounter imps all that often; They're actually banned from the library, because they tend to climb on the shelves and knock over the books/disturb the siblings when they're trying to study.

He has met one or two, but his experience with them is very limited, and the majority of his knowledge about them stems from his interactions with Dewdles, Dew's pet, and because of how he is, Quincy just assumes most imps are like... cats or small dogs.

Dewdles is a pretty strong example of an imp that will likely never develop into anything else, as he is quite happy being carried around and treated like a pet.

What really confuses Quincy, though, is Aeon and Aurora, because those two started as imps that the ghouls summoned, and then became, well, Aeon and Aurora.

He's not quite sure how the whole evolutionary line of ghouls and imps and all of that works, and to be honest he isn't sure he wants to know.

Quincy has met kits before and made the mistake of treating them like an imp, and that really confused the hell out of him, because why do they look the same if they're not the same creature??

The answer is camouflage.

Kits are often left in imp dens because the imps will protect them like their own, and the whole safety in numbers thing is important in the pit.

However, most surface dwelling ghouls don't practice this anymore, since there's more available resources to keep their kits safe, and, really, the baby buggy should have been a strong indicator that it was a kit, and not an imp.

...Although, truthfully, it can be very hard to tell when Dew carries Dewdles around like this sometimes:

He's learning though.

Among ghouls, Bea's relationship with the imps/caretaking habits towards them is more in line with how they treat them in the pit, and the imps and Bea seem to have an understanding of one another.

[mileenaxyz]

*Spoilers ahead*

I was going to rant about how Season 3 of Industry wasn't Industrying for me. I was going to bitch about the infamous "Season 3 Slump" some shows tend to suffer from. I was going to compare it to The Bear and complain that just like I hadn't gotten enough of Sydney Adamu in S3, I wasn't getting enough of Harper Stern in S3.

I was going to ask if Harper was being phased out in favor of Yasmin and Robert, and I was going to point out that as fond as I am both of those characters, neither one is "enough" to lead this show alongside Eric the way Harper is.

I was also going to call Kit Harington's casting publicity casting and point out that anybody could've been played Henry Muck, because I don't feel like Kit did anything special acting wise.

I was going to do all of that and then...last night's episode dropped.

Y'ALL. Since the end of S2 I've been waiting for Harper to rain fire and blood on PierPoint. I wanted to see how she'd do it and how long she'd draw out the pain and agony. When she started the fund with Petra and became a client of Pierpoint's (and demanded first class service from Eric), I was like, "That's cute and all...but it's not fire and blood."

And then seeing her scheme with Kenny, Daria and the Scottish brunette whose name I can never remember, my jaw fell on the floor. I started screaming, "There's my Harper! THERE'S my fucking Harper Stern." And watching Eric blow up....

Speaking of Eric, I had no complaints about him this season. Both Ken Leung and the writers did some excellent work; I just felt I needed to see more interactions with Harper (I've dubbed their father/daughter ship Harpsichord). But depriving us worked, because he's been avoiding her all season when she clearly wants his attention, and when he finally confronted her in her office, it was AMAZING! I was soooooo happy when he finally addressed the daddy elephant in the room and she finally pointed out her "monstrous" tendencies stem from him, and PierPoint by and large. Because when we first met Harper, she was too afraid to even pick up the phone.

Eric dragged her kicking and screaming from her shell, tutored her, molded her, and taught her the art of betrayal. He made her a monster and now he's mad...that she's a monster?

And after that, Yasmin's storyline FINALLY paid off, and it was eye-opening.

You have to understand something about me; I'm asexual, so I miss a lot of cues and when it comes to sex on TV, I typically fast forward through that shit because I don't care. I don't think it contributes to the story but this time, it actually did. I now understand why Yasmin feels the impulse to get sexually involved with damn near everybody. Since S1, I found it annoying and thought it was just some dumb thing the writers were throwing in (because so many shows do that shit), but this time, it had an actual point. Yasmin's father weaponized his wealth and status so he could fuck anything with a pulse, so is it any surprise she learned to do the same?

In fact, I think the only reason she blew up at Eric at the restaurant was that she didn't find him attractive. If she did, they would've ended up in that bathroom together. Because wealth and status (and pale skin privilege) taught Yasmin that she can behave in this manner with no consequences (Harper obviously cannot).

Which brings us to the seasonal Harper/Yasmin confrontation. A part of me wants them to be friends, another part a couple, and yet another part thinks they need to permanently split up. Such is the reality of life, and a testament to the writers. Yeah, yeah...Harper's a "monster", but I don't think Yasmin is a "talentless and useless and a fucking whore." Yasmin speaks seven languages, is a deft manipulator, and simply needs to learn that screwing your coworkers, clients, and boss is unprofessional and extremely tacky.

And Harper, honey, sweetie, boo...let that man go. Your little crush should've wrapped up in S1 the minute he chose the spicy white girl who treats him like dirt. I get that Robert's an adorable sweetheart and all, but you're not his preference and you need to get over him. Matter of fact, you've been making bank for a while now - why are you still living with these people?

This is the one part of the story that really works my nerve, but I can't really criticize it because it's real. Harper likes Robert; he's a good guy she has to see everyday at both work and home. The part of her that feels both inferior AND superior to Yasmin desperately wants to "win" him from the spicy white girl who treats him like dirt. That's real. It's as annoying as Yasmin's ill-advised sexcapades, but they're young, insecure women in a cutthroat world, and it's real.

*shrug*

[kira-fluff]

𝖑𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊 || 𝖙𝖆𝖎𝖏𝖚 𝖘𝖍𝖎𝖇𝖆

pairing: single!dad!taiju shiba x fem!teacher!reader tw: suggestive (fluff to smut), shower sex, taiju being a service dom, adhd!child (cuz taiju has adhd change my mind), language, references to tokyo rev [spoilers] about taiju's back story and arc, mentions of therapy because no one talks about taiju's redemption for some reason, dead spouse, guilt, mentions of god bc taiju is canonically very religious, virgin!reader, handjob/bj a/n: so fun fact i'm an education major lmfao and i love taiju so much this was a shameless word vomit because i love my major and taiju aight - yes i changed the formatting again sorry lol also omggg we're almost to 2k followers i can't believe it!

every classroom has at least one student that you liked to call "the student you loved the most". this student was typically the student with the most behavioral issues in your classroom. this term, "the student you loved the most" wasn't sarcastic - you recognized that these students were often really the ones who needed the most love.

one of the most important things you learned while running your kindergarten classroom was that the behaviors you saw in the classroom did not reflect the child's character, but rather, their poor coping skills with something going on in their life.

the same could be said about one of your students - koji shiba. he was truly such a bright child, yet not only did he struggle with attention deficit disorder, but he frequently disrupted recess with physical fights with other boys his age. you frequently wrestled with how to handle his struggles. on one hand, you understood that these outbursts stemmed from his adhd... but you were almost certain there was something else that you weren't seeing. however, your meeting with his parents was arriving quickly.

koji sat next to you at recess, a bruised elbow and a bleeding knee (all patched up now, thankfully, because you started bringing a first aid kit to recess). he was scowling, looking down at the ground with his arms crossed.

you kneeled down to look at him at the same level, "koji, could you tell me what happened?"

"he was lookin' at me like i was stupid."

you eyed him for a moment before showing concern, "koji, do you remember what i said we should do when we are having big emotions?"

he avoided your gaze, turning his head away from you as he replied, "nuh-uh."

you gave a patient smile, "when we have big emotions, we don't have to handle them all by ourselves. do you know why?"

he shook his head.

you continued, "because otherwise, those big emotions get bigger and bigger until we can't handle them anymore because they're so heavy!"

he looked pensive for a moment before saying, "'m sorry i punched him. i didn't mean it."

"i know you didn't, your big emotions just got a little too heavy. but who do you think you should be apologizing to right now?"

he lowered his head, pointing toward the boy who was running around the playground with a big bandage on his cheek. with an encouraging nod from you, he slid off the bench, making his way over to the boy. you watched from afar to ensure that both boys were safe, smiling as you saw koji sheepishly apologize to the boy with his head down, scuffing the sand with his foot. from what you could read from the other boy's body language, he seemed like he didn't mind too much, offering a smile and shrug and even inviting koji to play.

sometime later that day, koji came up to you with a big grin on his face. tapping your arm gently, you turned to him as he said, "miss y/l/n, you're my favorite teacher. i like you."

you held back a laugh at his cuteness (and the fact that you're the only teacher he's ever had). "thank you koji, that means a lot." you ruffled his hair, "i'm so excited to tell your parents what good choices you made today!"

"oh, it's just me and dad."

your eyes widened and you quickly searched his eyes for any signs of sadness or uncomfortability. however, he seemed rather relaxed and even unbothered, though you supposed sometimes kids weren't able to fully process things like that at this age.

you decided to reply in kind, "what's dad like? is he as cool as you?"

you beamed as his eyes lit up, "oh yeah! dad is super cool! maybe even cooler than me! he used to beat up tons of guys.. but he says i better not because that's not nice. dad was in a gang when he was younger so he could beat up all the other kids' dads if they try to mess with me!" he replied proudly, puffing out his chest.

you laughed outright at that, "he does sound pretty cool."

"yeah, and he's single!"

you nearly choked on your own spit. this parent-teacher conference was going to be interesting, you knew that for sure. a former gang member? you couldn't help your mind wander to what he looked like, imaging tattoos, piercings, and the like.

[taiju's pov]

koji had been going on and on about his teacher since the first day of school. it was a different story every day but usually included the same statements: "she's so pretty!", "she's so nice", "she lets me play with my pencil during lessons to help me listen", "she didn't yell at me when i wasn't paying attention" - all things considered, she sounded like a great teacher. which was good because, well, for most of koji's life he didn't have a mother figure. his aunt who would've been present otherwise was currently in college (as she should be!) and wasn't near our home. but, i think koji felt an absence without his mother, even if he never said anything or didn't even realize it.

it wasn't long after koji was born that we lost her to a car accident on her way to her first day back at work from maternity leave. there wasn't any use in blamin' myself for it anymore and god knows how much fuckin' money i've spent on therapy just trying to fix myself even before all that shit happened.

i swore after the way that i treated hakkai and yuzuha that i'd fix myself and never do that to my family ever again. i struggled for years with unbearable self-hatred at the way i'd treated them. even then, it's a struggle i have to bear because at the end of the day, my therapist says i gotta be kind to myself, too, or some bullshit like that. that i "had a lot on my back as the oldest" and that i "didn't learn good copin' mechanisms". wasn't diagnosed with adhd and a trauma disorder until i was fuckin' 30. still, to me it sounded all like excuses.. still does if i'm honest.

she was the one who taught me to see past myself - past my past self and instead look toward livin' in the present. my late wife was the one who brought me back from the hell i was livin' in day in and day out, and i'll never forget her for that.

my thoughts were interrupted by my son.

"dad, why are we goin' back to school during nighttime?"

"'s time for the meetin' between your teacher and me," i smiled, turning toward koji who started skipping excitedly.

i've met his teacher once before, but only for a moment as introductions were done at the beginning of the year to make sure koji got his school supplies. embarrassingly, though, i could barely remember what she looked like.

"you're mr. shiba, right? sorry, i'm still trying to connect all of the names to faces," you smiled, bowing to greet koji's father.

"big" was an understatement. this man was massive. you mustn't have realized it last time because you were speaking to a whole crowd of parents from the front of the classroom while they were all sitting, but holy shit, this guy is enormous. similar to your image of a gang member, mr. shiba sported tattoos along his neck that likely trailed down to his chest from what you could see from his suit. no piercings though, contrary to your imagery, however. he must be at least 6'4 from what you could see and incredibly muscular.

realizing you were staring, you cleared your throat awkwardly and motioned for him to take a seat as you took yours, toji following suit as well. your cheeks flushed as you noticed a hint of a smirk on his face as he took his seat.

you folded your hands on top of your desk. "first of all, i wanted to just say that koji is an incredibly intelligent and gifted young man." you smiled toward koji, "but we're still working on making the right choice, however, when we have really big feelings."

mr. shiba raised an eyebrow, "so, he's been actin' up?" he turned toward his son with an expression that clearly said "we'll talk about this later", to which koji shrunk in his chair.

you leaned in closer, raising your voice a little, "i-i want to clarify that after koji and i talk after he makes a mistake, he tries his very best to fix it and make the right choice, mr. shiba."

"you can call me taiju. i've heard about some of the hittin' stuff from the principal, but is there more?"

"sometimes he struggles with paying attention in class, but this is something we are working on as a team, as you know. he is able to do mathematics at least two grade levels above his peers, so i think as long as we continue to practice redirection techniques he'll continue to succeed."

the conversation continued on longer than you anticipated, and you were grateful then that taiju and koji were your last meeting of the day. the conversation went from speaking of koji's behavior and overall developmental and academic success to things of a more casual nature. taiju, you found, was incredibly sweet. he had a way of getting you to laugh when you least expected it. koji got bored pretty early on in the conversation and began to color at his desk instead. taiju showed a great amount of courtesy, smiling softly while you talked and nodding along as you spoke.

in a moment of silence in your conversation, you looked at the clock and realized that it was already seven o'clock.

"oh, i guess it's getting rather late. thank you so much for meeting with me mr. shi-- taiju," you laughed, "and i look forward to seeing how koji grows this year!"

"pleasures all ours, right koji?" the little boy nodded enthusiastically as taiju moved him toward the classroom exit door. just as he was about to move through the threshold, he turned around once more.

"...have ya eaten yet?"

you looked up from your notes, startled, "dinner? ah, i had a late lunch..."

he eyed you for a moment, "... do ya wanna get dinner? ...with koji and i? on me, of course."

"oh, i couldn't impose on you.."

"ya wouldn't be imposin', i offered."

you mulled it over for a moment then replied, "well, if you insist.."

following your impromptu dinner, you and taiju seemed to get closer. he had your number already because it was on the teacher-parent relationship form he'd received from the beginning of the year, but you'd found each other in the habit of texting each other almost every day. little did you know, this was something out of the ordinary for taiju, as he was rarely on his phone unless he needed it for business work.

taiju didn't know when it started, but that feeling he had once felt with his late wife... it was back.

he knew it was because of you. and that feeling - peace - was something that had seemed too foreign for so many years. the moment he met you again.. saw the way you were looking at him up and down, he knew that he was already falling for you. it was strange because taiju usually didn't let people in very easily, but with you, it was as if all his walls came down immediately. after months of spending time with you, seeing how you treated his son like he was your own.. he knew he couldn't ever let you go. he had to have you. and it was at that moment he knew he was in love.

but... did he really deserve you? he already felt that perhaps god wasn't going to give him another chance after his first love left this world. but slowly, he decided that made it was ok to be selfish again. that maybe if it was you, god would forgive him for wanting more. he reasoned that you would be such a great mom to koji some day, if you loved him back.

if you loved him back.

taiju was blind to the way you longingly gazed at him, wishing for something more. you wrestled with the ethical reasons first. was it wrong to date one of your student's fathers? after wrestling with that issue and your heart one, it was on to another challenge. what if he didn't like you back? after all, he'd opened up to you about his late wife.. explaining that she was no longer in this world... would his heart be ready and open to love someone else again? maybe he was just extremely kind, though you couldn't ignore the way you sometimes caught him looking at you... but you reasoned that it must be something you were trying to see rather than reality.

everything changed one night.

"thanks for tonight, again... i had fun." you shyly brushed away a stray hair behind your ear as you stood at taiju's doorstep. you'd had yet another one of your little "dinners" ("dates"?) with taiju as koji was at hakkai's for the night.

taiju remained silent, staring down at you. his eyes flicking between your own, and down at your lips. self-consciously, you licked them, swallowing in the uncomfortable silence.

"...is everything okay, taiju?"

his brows furrowed, "....can't..back.....you..."

you raised an eyebrow, moving closer, "what did you say taiju?"

he shuffled his feet closer to you, his hands ghosting over your hips, asking permission. "...i can't hold back anymore with you..."

you placed your hands over his, moving them securely onto your hips as you leaned even closer. "you don't need to hold back, taiju.." you stared at him, eyes hooded with desire.

he sucked in a deep breath, "i hope you know what you're gettin' yourself into."

you carded your hands gently through his hair, then ran them down his cheeks.

he searched your face for any indication of protest before he held more firmly to your waist. then, he leaned in, though he couldn't help himself, and did so rather rapidly, crashing his lips into yours. you felt something stir in your stomach as his lips pressed against yours and a moan escaped your mouth, thus allowing him entrance into your mouth. you felt his wet tongue roam around your mouth in between breathy pants and sharp curses. he moved in closer to you, one of his knees sliding in between your legs as he pushed you up against the door of his home, only the sounds of your moans and his curses between the two of you.

you couldn't hold back any longer, either, as you began to grind your clothed cunt against his black slacks, eliciting a sharp heave from taiju.

"fuck, just like that..." he breathed out between pants, once more encasing your lips in his.

you whimpered as you felt his hands lightly skim below the hem of your shirt. you leaned even closer, if that was at all possible, whispering a soft, "please" in his ear.

he growled, picking you up by the back of your knees and hauling you over his shoulder as you yelped in surprise. he hurriedly thrust open the door to his home, lugging you to his bedroom. he then placed you down, standing up just near the edge of his bed.

he drank in the sight of you as he reached toward his belt, preparing to unbuckle it, when you covered your hand over his.

"wait... can... can i?"

his eyebrows rose as a smirk grew on his face, "ya don't have to ask me twice."

he moved in closer to continue to kiss you as you fumbled to unbuckle his belt, then slide his slacks down his legs. while you continued your ministrations, he worked at unbuttoning your blouse. he could scarcely breathe as he took in the beautiful sight of your tits as they bounced free from your bra - a laced one - he noted. you were so beautiful.

"don't know what i did 't deserve this.."

"taiju, you don't ever need to earn love."

he kissed you again, moving his hands down to trace the outline of your ass. you were wearing a skirt, much to his pleasure, so he slipped his fingers under the hem, skirting his fingers against your thighs.

"jesus, fuck, yer already so fucking wet."

you moaned as his dexterous fingers moved between your thighs, then up toward your waistline, yanking your panties down to your knees.

without an ounce of hesitation, he stuffed a finger into your needy hole, groaning as he felt you clamp around his finger. he then began thrusting in and out of your cunt, adding another finger.

"ah, right there.." you moaned, feeling tears already pooling in your eyes.

"yer so fuckin' pretty, ya know that? so fuckin' pretty for me."

you could only whimper as you felt him continue to thrust his long fingers in and out of you with an almost inhuman speed.

suddenly, he withdrew his fingers from your drooling cunt and picked you up by your ass, tossing you gently onto the bed.

"i can make you feel even better than that," he promised.

without any other warning, he readjusted so his head was just between your legs, and began slowly licking at your wetness, using his finger to flick your clit.

"you taste so fuckin' good," he moaned, "'m already so fuckin' hard for you and i haven't even taken off yer damn skirt yet," he noted as your skirt had merely been pushed further above you, resting a few inches below your tits.

his mouth worked wonders as he lapped at your cunt, drinking you up as you moaned your praises while you gripped his hair tightly. he continued to drink you up as you shook with pleasure until you gripped his hair a little tighter, "taiju, taiju 'm close!"

you cried as he pulled back, your juices covering his face.

he let out a soft chuckle, "don't worry, darlin'. 's okay if i...?"

"yes, yes, please, taiju," you begged, bucking your hips up to try to convey your need and desire.

his eyes were nearly black with lust and he slipped off his boxers. and goddammit, you took in his rock-hard cock, and you weren't sure if you'd be able to take it. everything about this man was massive from his broad shoulders and wide chest that was covered in tattoos.. to even his fat cock, dripping with precum. it was red-hot as he guided it to your hole. you clenched tightly just around the tip and he sucked in a deep breath.

"jesus, doll, 'm not even half-way in," he quipped.

"i-i.. don't know if it's.. gonna fit, taiju," you worried.

"i'll be slow, if ya worried... shit, are you a virgin?"

you blushed a deep red, turning away and nodding.

"fuck, i didn't think i could get any harder. look at what ya do to me, doll."

you slowly turned, looking once more at his angry red rip. you could practically feel his heartbeat inside of you as he pushed deeper into you, ever so slowly. the deeper he went, the closer he leaned into you, readjusting as he took you into his arms.

"y-you can go faster now, taiju.."

sweat was dripping off of him as he tentatively asked, "ya sure?"

you nodded, "'m ready for you."

he couldn't have held back even if he tried after hearing you say that and he began immediately thrusting into you, his pace quickly gaining speed.

"ah-AH taiju!" you called his name, and he let out another groan, thrusting into you harder. you felt so hot..it was unlike any other sensation you'd ever felt before. the tight knot in your belly coiled further almost toward its breaking point.

and all at once, you shouted out his name, cumming onto his cock as he continued to thrust into you, attentively slowing his pace for a moment. just the sound of your yelps of his name, your moans of pleasure, it was enough to make him go insane. he'd never admit to you the hundreds of times he'd woken up in a sweat in his bed, his cock hardened as he dreamt of fucking you until you saw stars. he'd imagined how you'd sound, but nothing could compare to the sweet sound of reality. you were so fucking beautiful. the thought alone was enough to make him let out a loud moan before he quickly pulled out, releasing his seed into the bed sheets. he couldn't help it as his lips met your own sloppily as he muttered praise and curses, telling you just how lovely you are.

"let's clean you up, yeah?"

you nodded shyly, following him to the bathroom where he turned on the shower. you took the opportunity as he was turned around to hug him tightly from behind, muttering a quiet, "i love you."

he froze and for a moment you thought he was uncomfortable before he replied just as softly, "i love you too. so much."

the shower was warm against your hot skin, and you nearly melted as taiju worked at rubbing the shampoo into your hair gently. gaining a bit of confidence, you smiled mischievously and let your hand wander down to his cock. you were pleased to find it was already semi-hard. he took in a sharp breath, "quit teasin' me."

you turned around, letting the water wash the shampoo out of your hair as you replied, "i wanna make you feel good, too."

you swore his brain short-circuited what with the way his eyes bulged out of his head, eyebrows raised nearly to his hairline. however, just as quickly, a smug grin overtook his surprise. "gettin' bold already?"

not allowing him a chance to one-up you, you dropped to your knees, grasping his fat, drooling cock in your hand. you laughed as you heard him nearly choke in shock.

you gave his cock a few pumps before replacing your hand with your mouth, teasing the tip with your tongue as you heard him groan loudly from above you. you hummed, the vibrations sending chills down his body as you leaned further onto his cock, taking him in your mouth. he sighed breathily, stroking your hair and muttering, "just like that... yer so perfect..."

you hollowed out your cheeks, trying your best to take him fully. taiju, on the other hand, tried to be conscious of you, but he couldn't help thrusting his hips into you, causing you to gag. how the fuck were you so good at this?

you continued to suck him off and, unsurprisingly, taiju couldn't hold on for very long (he was beginning to realize in almost every case he couldn't hold back when it came to you). he made sure to warn you that he was about to cum, letting his seed splatter onto the shower floor.

"yer so good to me, doll. i hope ya know how much i love you."

you awoke to tangled limbs and messy hair and above all, perfection. everything was just right. taiju slept softly next to you, his strong arms embracing you tightly as you slept together.

maybe one more hour couldn't hurt.

a/n: lmfao remember when i only wrote fluff? lmfaooooo anywhere here's this shit

[ironyscleverer]

Can I do a little rant about Nate Shelley for a sec? Im gonna rant about Nate Shelley for a sec. Just becuase for a show about masculinity and healthy relationships and self-love, I HATED how they handled his character arc so fucking much.

Nate starts off in season 1 as this meek, nerdy, short, chubby Asian man who's routinely bullied by the guys (players) that he works for. He's very specifically disrespected becuase he's not conventionally masculine. It's important to note that Asian guys especially are emasculated a lot in society, doubly so if you're shy and/or brainy like Nate is.

But then once he starts getting a little respect and attention from Ted, we first get to see his confidence grow, but then we also start to see a nastier side of him emerge. He uses his new position of power to feed his insecurities and he becomes vindictive, cruel and resentful. He takes it out on his players, his former bullies, but even then he chooses the weakest person to pick on (ie Colin, who's a closeted queer man as we discover later).

And I actually think this part of the arc is really well done and interesting; it feels very real and throughout season 2, even though he's absolutely horrible, I can still see how it's stemming from a place of pain and bitterness. Being part of a system that abuses and disrespects you, especially when race is a factor, can really turn people sour and warp their perception of reality. Frankly, I think I would have a lot less sympathy for Nate's character if he was just another resentful white man, but his being brown really adds a lot of layers to the character.

And it's important to note that even once he becomes a coach Nate still suffers becuase of how he presents himself! The people at Richmond do occasionally make jabs at him (Jan Maas and the suit), and you can't tell me the situation at the Greek restaurant wasn't some kind of racist power trip. Even though he has more systemic power now, he still doesn't get respect becuase of how he exists in the world.

In that context, his choice to go work for Rupert at the end of season 2 makes complete sense. Richmond was a toxic environment for him given his past experiences there, and he was not going to get the mentorship or understand that he needed. I hoped that his season 3 redemption arc would involve him untangling his victim complex, learning to trust and stand up for himself, and looking out for people who are weaker than him (so basically this fic lmao). Basically, I wanted him to step up to the challenge of being a head coach and really confront his insecurities and their roots. Maybe he could've talked to another coach of color or something. I don't know.

But ultimately, the direction they went in with Nate in season 3 was frustrating to me because he ends up right back where he started at the beginning of the show; at Richmond, working as a kit man for a bunch of white people. Sure, he's forgiven by Ted and he learns his lesson about power, but none of the actual, very understandable hurts on his end are really addressed. He's right back to the same environment he was in before, albeit a bit less toxic. He isn't allowed to grow or distance himself from that chapter of his life. (the writers also decided to just give him a girlfriend and make that fix everythin which I don't appreciate, but that's another essay entirely).

If I had it my way, I would have had him do the whole scene with coach Beard, reconcile with Ted, but respecfully tell them that he can't go back to Richmond. There's too much history there, and even if they've forgiven each other, it would be a bad environment for him. Then Nate and Ted/Beard/others can have a new relationship as equals, built on respect, rather than a boss/employee dynamic. But maybe that's just me being delusional.

Anyway, in conclusion, Nate deserved a better ending and I'm disappointed that they didn't give it to him. Thank you for reading this completely unedited rant, I may do another in the future about Ted Lasso's queer rep or its female characters. Lmk if you want to hear it.