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Daria

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9 comments on can/cannot/science fair/closets

can/cannot/science fair/closets

First, a reminder to myself since this was a hard week, teaching-wise.

I can:

Go to the gym

Go for a walk

Get outside

Text a friend

Take deep breaths

Laugh with students

Laugh with my kids

Laugh with my husband

Laugh with myself

Close my computer

Turn off my phone

Articulate things in a direct and respectful way

Model good citizenship

I cannot:

Create a miracle

Make a student care

Force a student to learn

Guarantee a certain grade

Make traffic move out of my way

Control other people’s actions or emotions

This is not my first rodeo since I’ve been teaching for many years. This week, however, I am seeing a decrease in student care and effort. Low effort students are even lower, and students that are usually hard-working are sliding. It is dispiriting.

All I can do is continue creating good lessons, welcome them to my class, and the rest is up to them. The ball is in their court.

In other news…

Eid Mubarak! We are invited to my friend H’s house for a small celebration this Sunday.

Science Fair. On Wednesday evening, my kids’ school had their first science fair. So many great projects, so much learning! Guess who got first place in K-1 grade level? This guy!

My hat is off to Ms. H who organized the whole thing. So much work!

R and his winning project: a maglev train
Winner winner, chicken dinner

My daughter also created a project but she did not win. There were some tears but it was a good life lesson.

Hydroponic vs hydrophobic project

On Thursday, I found myself all alone at the house from about 3:30 to 5pm. My husband took R to BJJ and my daughter was in aftercare.

And so I spent some time decluttering more stuff. Specifically, some closets. This guest room closet is dedicated to off-season clothes: in the summer, it has all the winter stuff, in winter: summer clothes. I have only plucked out the two heaviest sweaters but as the weather gets warmer, I will rotate more.

My summer dresses and the two heaviest sweaters. Upper shelves: two extra pillows and a comforter.

This guest room closet is dedicated to travel stuff: carryons, backpacks, a fanny pack, rain ponchos, travel pillows, international adaptors and travel size accessories – in the two bins. Plus, a camping blanket on top shelf.

And this is my closet in the master bedroom:

At the moment it’s rather packed but, once I rotate the heavy things out, it’ll be lighter.

Exercise: went to the gym twice.

St Patrick’s day! Delicious but rather greasy corned beef.

Green cereal but no leprechaun in the trap 🪤

How was your week? What are some things you can/cannot do?

Daria's avatar

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Daria

Mother, teacher, partner, friend. I love coffee, books, and travel with and without kids. I dislike exercise. Nothing glamorous here but do have moments of insight.

9 responses to “can/cannot/science fair/closets”

  1. Common Household Mom Avatar
    Common Household Mom

    Your daughter’s project wins in my book because of the excellent pun in the title. And for me, understanding scents is important because I’m very sensitive to perfumes. Your son’s project is cool – a tabletop maglev train!

    There are too many things for me to list on the things I have to tell myself I cannot change. But what I can do, and am going to do right now, is to go to a sidewalk rally. It starts in 30 minutes!

    I hope things turn around for you in the classroom. What I have seen over the years is that teachers care a great deal about how their students are doing, and this is evident in what you say here. I am sorry it is difficult right now but I am glad that you care.

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    1. Daria Avatar
      Daria

      Carolyn, thank you for stopping by! It was quite a clever title for sure.
      I have four days at the school before spring break and I am trying to not treat them as prison sentences: I will create good, nurturing activities, engage the kids and those do don’t want to learn… can’t do nothing about that…

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  2. Lisa’s Yarns Avatar
    Lisa’s Yarns

    Way to go R on the science fair win! It’s optional for our kids until 4th grade so we are not participating. Which is probably lazy but oh well. I can’t add another thing to my plate. I am so sorry you’ve had a rough week at work. It’s probably extra bad with spring break approaching. The break from school will be good for everyone! Our spring break also starts on Friday. Paul and I fly to DC that morning for our 4-night trip to see my sister. I’m excited!

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    1. Daria Avatar
      Daria

      Thank you! We did the projects a month in advance during those snow days in February. At first Lyra didn’t want to participate because she thought you have to present in front of a big crowd. But after I sat her down and said “I have a feeling you may not know what science fair is.” She was like oh, okay, I can explain the project to people who walk around. It was a late night (6 to 8pm) but overall a good experience.
      Tony did the maglev train with R, but I did help him create a poster.

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  3. Tina Avatar
    Tina

    Great job on both projects. We went to watch the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade as a big family because my grandson was marching in it. He pretended he didn’t see us when they stopped right in front of us, but he had a little smirk so I know he knew we were there and was pleased as punch that his aunts and uncle and grandma came to watch the parade with his mom. Even the toddlers and the baby were there to wave hi.

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    1. Daria Avatar
      Daria

      How great he was in a parade!! And yes, the smirk lol gotta have the smirk!

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  4. jennystancampiano Avatar
    jennystancampiano

    Love this. We have to keep reminding ourselves that there are things beyond our control, and focus on the things we CAN control. Sorry your teaching year is so hard. My husband is also struggling more than usual.

    Congrats to both kids on their science fair projects! Question about your daughter’s- did she do that cursive writing? How did she learn it? They don’t teach that in our schools, and as a result most kids can’t read it. Anyway- it looks like they both did a tremendous amount of work- those projects are a lot.

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  5. Sophie Avatar
    Sophie

    Oof, intense weeks like that are hard! Good reminder of what you can and can’t control, I need to remind myself this week because this week is really intense for me too – I have an off-site event today and tomorrow, both which involve long drives and socialising with less familiar people. Work deadlines, plus all the usual parenting of course, and Al’s out tonight.

    I can go outside/for a walk, I can journal, I can do a 5 minute mindfulness, I can message a friend. I can’t control how these work events go, or reduce the rate my email inbox fills, or change my kids attitudes/energy/focus.

    By the way, amazing school sceince fair projects – go R! My kids haven’t done something like this yet, and I’m kind of happy so its not extra work for the parents, but I think it would be fun at some stage. I think both kids would enjoy it (particularly when Owen gets that little bit older).

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  6. Road Trip Postmortem + Goodbye, March; hello, April – Mom of Children Avatar
    Road Trip Postmortem + Goodbye, March; hello, April – Mom of Children

    […] also did some decluttering of closets in our […]

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