I’ve found it difficult to merge the two worlds together. I especially find it difficult to share teaching stories with my non-teaching friends. You can’t expect someone to fully sympathize and understand the classroom when they haven’t walked in your shoes. We can all agree on this right? You can argue that this is universal with all experiences, right?

In the past, the best, most fruitful venting sessions were those I shared w/ colleagues. That all changed last week when a friend decided to spend some of her winter break with Mr. G.

She joined the adventure, and each second sans students was a moment of thoughtful exchange. She offered 3 days worth of different perspectives to the classroom, pointing out different angles to my teaching, student dialogue she found hilarious, and other reflections I appreciate. Things like “it’s a little better than I expected” to “How do you get their attention like that?” to “Wow, that 6th period is exactly as you described. Crazy” to “How am I supposed to help students who don’t want help?” It was nice to know that, at least for a second, it wasn’t 1 vs 30, it was 2 vs 30. HUGE DIFFERENCE. When there’s 2, there’s someone who shares the experience with you. Someone who understands your angle.

On Thursday the classroom felt lonely without her. We all had to adjust, especially the students. “Where’s Ms Angeles??”

Anyway, THANK YOU Ms Angeles, for becoming one of the first to fully understand both my identities. We all hope you come back to the classroom one day, whether in the capacity of a visitor… or even a teacher…

One contributor and I spoke excitedly a few months ago on the topic of our site’s recent success. And by success, I mean increased readership. I pin this on dy/dan, whose recent mention of ST brought some traffic flow. Thank you, sir. Sincerely. We jokingly proposed creating SupTeach t-shirts for all contributors once our subscriber count hit the 100-mark…

Is it possible that we’re paralyzed b/c of this larger reader base? Are we now self-conscious of what we have to say? Are we afraid of critique? Do we presume that our rookie words will be unworthy to vets?

SupTeach does not have a specific purpose. Check our “about”, check our sidebar and you get the sense that we’re here merely to share our experiences – even if only to our small blogosphere of friends.

I’m not sure what my specific goal was in beginning this post, but I would like to acknowledge that I hope to begin writing again (and more consistently) but without presumption that 100+ readers will come across my words. Not that an increased readership is a hindrance; it’s a blessing. And I love it. And I love feedback. But only because I know words will flow more freely from these weary teacher fingers of mine if I do so.

So to begin, one awesome quote from my 2nd period remedial algebra class:

Me: “Really, did you guys figure out 2n+2 all by yourselves?”

S1: “No, she did! Cus she’s a freak!”

She: “No, I’m not a freak. I’m just smarter than I thought I was.”

Indeed, she, indeed. Even if only a handful of revelations like this one occur yearly, you LOVE it when they do.

And to end:

SupTeach writers, WHERE THE EFF ARE YOU!? COME OUT OF YOUR EFFIN CAVES!!!!!!!!!!!

Let’s give a warm welcome to Mistermaestro and CMalixi!

Mistermaestro teaches at a middle school in Oakland, while CMalixi is working and student teaching towards a single subject social studies credential. Both would like to share their experiences with you.

If you’re new to SupTeach and would like to read up on backgrounds and other tidbits of all our writers, check out the contributors tab up top!

After putting hours and hours of sweat, stress, and work into your teaching, October is the month you realize you probably won’t reach every single student. That realization is heartbreaking, heartbreaking to the point that you don’t want to do it anymore. You start to think, “what’s the point?” You start blaming the administration for handing you too rough a schedule. And you start to wonder how much greener the grass is on the other side.

Couple this with the horrifying reality that NO extended break exists in sight within a months time, and you feel suffocated.

Last year, October was the month I left ALC. This year, I have nights where I want to throw in the towel once again. One day I’m flying, the next, I’ll wake and hide under my blanket and hope responsibility will take a chill pill for once.

Last Thursday, I loved my job. This Sunday night, I feel overwhelmed by the weight of another 5-day week. October days have my emotions on an erratic track.

I’d like to send a shout out to all those who look out. The phone calls, the check-ins, the “how was your day?’s” – the positivity when you hear that it’s good, the concern when you hear that it’s bad. I know I’ll vent and complain over and over, but it’s comforting to know there’s folks out there who care, who understand, and who root for my success as a teacher – for the success of my students. I’m beyond appreciative.

This Wednesday is my first presentation of the year at a small charter school in the Peninsula.  Before I try my new stuff, I’ll probably go with classic material that gets the attention of students and staff alike:

My younger sister and I both graduated from UC Berkeley.  The paths we took to get there were completely different.  She went straight from high school and I transferred from CSM.  By going to a community college first, I saved our parents over $50,000 in tuition.  Who do you think they love more?

Camille, it’s just a bit =P.

This is a response to the recent uprising of collablogs in our local blogosphere.
and by recent uprising, i mean two.
and by collablogs, i mean collaboration-blogs (yes, i made another word up).

and by all that i mean The Steel Closet and Sup Teach?

both very interesting blogs, and both updated by not one, but several writers. I won’t say much about these blogs in particular, except that i am a fan (cuz everyone who knows me knows what a fashion-savvy school teacher i am, right?)
seriously though, i DO enjoy the posts, so keep up the good work, people! (and Cas, you are a blogging MONSTER. be sure to take breaks, cuz 19 posts a day might give you carpal tunnel syndrome. not that i’m complaining.)

So what’s my point? only this: collablogs look FUN. Sharing your thoughts and experiences on a common interest with like-minded people… kinda makes me wonder what I would make a collablog about if i found a team of fellow bloggers.
or for that matter, even without a team, what would I blog about if i decided to make a serious, more themed blog for a general audience…

Word. Here’s to a new era of blogging, to blogging in a new era.

in response to supteach

something disturbing:
when did we become the others? the non-kids? the…(dare i say)…”adults”???

i am wowed by the new collaborative edublog, Sup Teach? but reading these posts makes me even more resistant to considering myself outside the realm of childhood. i think my distaste for having that mindset is a result of my fear for being unable to relate to individuals whose capacity to imagine, think and wonder has no limits. after all, didn’t God instruct us to be like children?

you all make me wish i had actually followed through with my childhood aspiration to be a teacher (an idea i ditched once i realized it existed for the sole purpose of having the ability to write on the board ALL THE TIME). it’s funny because i’ve often thought about having a separate blog or posting more about my job…but if i wrote all of the most interesting parts…i’d probably be fired.

right on, folks. write on.