Continue and Persist

[borski]

This is brilliant, and the world needs more uplifting positivity. https://continueandpersist.org/

Watch the video. It’s worth it

 

[Green G]

That’s brilliant. Have you sent one to Peter at our favorite car company?

 

[borski]

That’s brilliant. Have you sent one to Peter at our favorite car company?

I haven’t. You should!

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

borski you made me log in.

Be the change you want to see.

 

[borski]

borski you made me log in.

Be the change you want to see.

All I wanted was your presence again <3

 

[xponents]

This is brilliant, and the world needs more uplifting positivity. https://continueandpersist.org/

Watch the video. It’s worth it

I want to send this to my teachers so badly...

 

[borski]

I want to send this to my teachers so badly...

So do it! I’m sure they’d appreciate the kind words and positivity!

 

[joec]

So do it! I’m sure they’d appreciate the kind words and positivity!

Seriously. Teachers need all the help they can get. I can tell you, the occasional kind word from a student made all the difference when I was teaching many years ago.

 

[borski]

Seriously. Teachers need all the help they can get. I can tell you, the occasional kind word from a student made all the difference when I was teaching many years ago.

I didn't know you taught! I did too! I knew there was a reason I liked you

What'd you teach? I taught CS and business to Israeli and Palestinian teenagers in Jerusalem (the kids came from all over Israel and all over the west bank; in 2007, when I taught, Gaza was a non-starter, but the program used to take kids from Gaza before then too).

I taught with MEET. It was easily one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire life, and entirely due to the kids themselves. Seeing them grow (together, especially) was absolutely incredible.

 

[xponents]

Seriously. Teachers need all the help they can get. I can tell you, the occasional kind word from a student made all the difference when I was teaching many years ago.

Yup, completely agree! I actually do that pretty regularly, saying hello at the start of every class, thanking them for almost anything, and complimenting them often! It makes me happy to see other people happy, and it also means teachers are nicer with me (win-win).

But one problem… how do I find their address?

 

[hmp10]

My partner of many years was a schoolteacher in Chicago before he developed early-onset dementia. He sometimes had more trouble with the administrators than the students in the inner-city school where he taught. One afternoon he got home and said he needed to go to Kinko's to make copies of a test he was giving the next day. I asked him why he didn't make the copies at school. He said the copier in the teacher's lounge had been out of toner for several days, so he went to the administration office to use their copier. They told him it was "for administrators only". So he went to Kinko's, paid for the copying himself, and transferred to a charter school the next term.

 

[borski]

Yup, completely agree! I actually do that pretty regularly, saying hello at the start of every class, thanking them for almost anything, and complimenting them often! It makes me happy to see other people happy, and it also means teachers are nicer with me (win-win).

But one problem… how do I find their address?

Send it to the school. Just address it to “ATTN: Teacher Name”

 

[borski]

My partner of many years was a schoolteacher in Chicago before he developed early-onset dementia. He sometimes had more trouble with the administrators than the students in the inner-city school where he taught. One afternoon he got home and said he needed to go to Kinko's to make copies of a test he was giving the next day. I asked him why he didn't make the copies at school. He said the copier in the teacher's lounge had been out of toner for several days, so he went to the administration office to use their copier. They told him it was "for administrators only". So he went to Kinko's, paid for the copying himself, and transferred to a charter school the next term.

There are so many things about this post that make me sad.

 

[joec]

My partner of many years was a schoolteacher in Chicago before he developed early-onset dementia. He sometimes had more trouble with the administrators than the students in the inner-city school where he taught. One afternoon he got home and said he needed to go to Kinko's to make copies of a test he was giving the next day. I asked him why he didn't make the copies at school. He said the copier in the teacher's lounge had been out of toner for several days, so he went to the administration office to use their copier. They told him it was "for administrators only". So he went to Kinko's, paid for the copying himself, and transferred to a charter school the next term.

I always said I would still be a teacher if it were just me and the students. It was all the adults who drove me nuts. Administrators. Government officials with zero training trying to tell me how to do my job. (Don't get me started on "No child left behind".) And some of the parents, who either were never responsive, or who prioritized their own family vacations over their child's schoolwork.

 

[joec]

I didn't know you taught! I did too! I knew there was a reason I liked you

What'd you teach? I taught CS and business to Israeli and Palestinian teenagers in Jerusalem (the kids came from all over Israel and all over the west bank; in 2007, when I taught, Gaza was a non-starter, but the program used to take kids from Gaza before then too).

I taught with MEET. It was easily one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire life, and entirely due to the kids themselves. Seeing them grow (together, especially) was absolutely incredible.

I taught high school English for five years. Public and private schools. It was an incredible experience. But unfortunately, I became a statistic five years in and decided I needed to move on.

I don't do well with getting paid next to nothing AND getting no respect. I can do one or the other. Not both.

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

This thread ... I had to check I was on LucidOwners site. Would be so much fun to chit-chat with you folk. Yes I've been posting but typically delete entirely after extensive editing. This is why chatting over biers is preferable = nobody remembers what was said, but the feelings linger.

 

[borski]

This thread ... I had to check I was on LucidOwners site. Would be so much fun to chit-chat with you folk. Yes I've been posting but typically delete entirely after extensive editing. This is why chatting over biers is preferable = nobody remembers what was said, but the feelings linger.

View attachment 24887

For sure. I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt online, and assume best intent, because text is impossible to parse for intent, only perceived meaning. That’s why you’ll see me ask people to clarify. I hate text, unless someone (including me) has taken the real time to effectively write an *essay*, because then it is going to at least be thought through.

But very few people start from “seeking to understand,” and assume their first or second read is correct. When I can’t find a charitable interpretation, I try to ask for clarification, because I assume people are mostly good.

Most of the time we just post unfinished thoughts, because that’s how online discourse works. I’m fine with that; ain’t nobody got time to be writing essays all day.

But I do wish people tried to find charitable interpretations first; that happens in person because you have a human in front of you and can read body language, so if they’re not punching you in the face, they’re probably less angry than you think they are.

The internet seems to just always be punching each other in the face.

And I am far from perfect. I screw this up all the time.

 

[Amster]

I always said I would still be a teacher if it were just me and the students. It was all the adults who drove me nuts. Administrators. Government officials with zero training trying to tell me how to do my job. (Don't get me started on "No child left behind".) And some of the parents, who either were never responsive, or who prioritized their own family vacations over their child's schoolwork.

My brother was a teacher for many years, elementary school. He had similar sentiments and took and early retirement when he could.