Teaching

Las montañas: Returning to Guatemala, 1

February 26, 2024 First Person ForeignBeauty

So, I booked a trip. I’ve been lucky to book so many before, but this one took some plotting. All of the layovers on the US dollar looked egregious: red eyes on opposite coasts, or[…]

‘Twas the Flight Before Christmas

February 10, 2024 First Person Foreigncoffee

Trigger Warning about thoughts related to self-harm mentioned at the end. Read with care! Did I mention how hilarious I find it? I am 37 and a thought will attack me as I rush to[…]

Lockdown

April 30, 2023April 30, 2023 First Person ForeignHard Thing

If you aren’t sure about a career, like if you are in tears by third period because the jittery 13-year-olds didn’t learn anything in three days reading the same chapter, and they keep singing the[…]

Teaching in Another Place, in Another Population

March 11, 2023 First Person ForeignArizona

This blog was initially created to explore the feeling of not belonging, but on-purpose, and teaching is the essence of that feeling on lots of caffeine. We use this word in teaching, “populations,” because (in[…]

You Will Never Be Enough

September 22, 2021September 22, 2021 First Person ForeignBeauty

Any job will tell you this. Before I jump in, I adhere to the rules of FERPA: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. I will never reveal my students’ identities, their performance in my classes,[…]

Education

September 15, 2021September 22, 2021 First Person ForeignArizona

Before I begin this post, I adhere to the rules of FERPA: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. I will never reveal my students’ identities, their performance in my classes, or reveal anything about them[…]

Survive Teaching // Teaching to Survive

June 15, 2021June 15, 2021 First Person ForeignArizona

I sit, a woman of average means and multiplying wrinkles, as a survivor of the Zoomiverse. I’m not sure if I’m better for having taught a lifetime of high school classes on Zoom, or if[…]

The Lockdown

December 4, 2019December 4, 2019 First Person ForeignDoubts

One time my sister and I were playing in a borrowed minivan when we were young. We were making a family trip to Tennessee where we would stay in a cabin for free: borrowed leaves,[…]