Monthly Archives: October 2025

School Night

Family, Slice of Life
Part of Slice of Life Tuesday Slices on Two Writing Teachers! 
Join in and write on Tuesdays!

I took my son back to school tonight — fall break is over.
We talked about egoism and empathy for most of the trip. But, with five minutes of the ride left, I gave him some reminders.
I think he
really appreciated my sound bites of advice.
18 year-olds usually do.
“I get a hug!” I said, as we pulled into the parking lot, and he said, “Okay, but it has to before I grab all my stuff.”
Spoiler alert: I gave him one hug before
and one after.
Plus, as he crossed the street, I yelled,
”Goodbye! I love you!”
And he said it return.
I win!
I drove back, betrayed Sheetz for a
Wawa coffee stop —
which I like better, I have to admit, Wawa coffee.
Maybe it’s nostalgia, I don’t know.
Now I’m home,
in time for bed.
I’m hoping the melatonin wins against the coffee
on this school night.





There Are Leaves Crumbling All Over

Reflections on teaching, Slice of Life
Part of Slice of Life Tuesday Slices on Two Writing Teachers! 
Join in and write on Tuesdays!

There are leaves crumbling all over the tabletop
and I love it
but
this morning I balanced a box of capybara squishies
as my coffee dripped all over the top of my lunchbox
just so I could swipe my ID, open a door —
but
I love it

Teaching is an odd thing to do with your time
today I told someone to stop talking about milk
so they could finish their breakfast of apple juice poured on cinnamon Chex
The things you never even thought of to think you’d never say, you know?
One year I had to tell my sixth graders that we do not form cults in middle school
So far, there have been no talk of cults in second grade.
Instead we talk a lot about Star Behavior—
but
I love it.

Today I had to stop science because too many 7 and 8 year olds yelled,
“It’s a magnet!” And ruined the
aha!
for half the class.
We had a
short
class meeting where we talked about the
big
feelings we had from not getting to figure things out ourselves, and I reminded them that we all make mistakes, no need to say
“Thanks a lot!” to friends in a way that means
everything but
thank you.
After that we celebrated finishing our read aloud
I handed out capybara squishies
to a chorus of “You’re the best teacher ever.”
and we lined up to go home

Awhile later as I was leaving my classroom
I passed our community art table
and saw that the leaves were still crumbling all over the tabletop
but more were glued in place
a scene was starting to be set
I hope it is a metaphor
and
I love it.