#library day

[museumelina]

March 29, 2024. I know it's not the healthiest, but I've gotten so used to working from home that I will find any excuse possible to avoid having to go and work anywhere else. Today though, I went to the municipal library because I needed to consult some references that I couldn't find anywhere else and I have to say, I do see the appeal. I could be tempted to come and work here more regularly.

[invincible-selfxmade-punk]

TEACHER RANT

75% of our kids failed the last test we had.

So we have to contact the parents of every kid that failed, tell them the test score and tell them that we are sending the test home for them to retake and that they won't get credit for it unless the parents sign it.

And that's only half of it because for every single kid we do that for we have to fill out a data sheet on it which takes about a minute and a half each.

I teach 108 kids a day!

From 4:20 to 6:00 I'd done about 10 kids so far!!

I gave up and went home knowing I still have so much to do. We had about 15 kids out sick with either strep, flu, or covid today. For every kid that is out I have to cut out their notes and glue them into their notebooks for them --already filled out so they will have them.

I worked through lunch and finally managed to get the first three classes worth of kids done.

I've got kids that literally only show up once every 3 weeks. And yet we are expected to keep them completely updated on every single thing and have their work ready for them and get them ready to take test when they're never here long enough to absorb anything.

And those 75% of the kids that failed they had all of the answers in their notes. They were allowed to use their notes. We gave them the answers over and over probably three or four times each during note-taking. So either they were too busy talking to each other to take the notes to begin with. Or if they are some kind of special needs where we have to take the notes for them and glue them into their book they were too lazy to open up the book and look for the answer. Literally the answer to 98% of the questions were straightforward from the notes literally written word for word and yet most of the scores were in 30% range.

I have one class that only has nine kids in it. Nine kids that's all. But they are all so low level except for one girl. The one girl that is high level is just crazy. All she wants to do is run around pick on people get physical with people grab them pull their hair throw their things around. She's probably one of the few people that could actually do and understand the work but she just acts out all the time. One girl is one of the kids that only shows up once every 3 months and even then she has so many special needs she's pretty much not going to be able to do much of anything in class. And the others while they're medium to low level they are perfectly capable of taking notes and going back and finding the answers.

Aside from one kid who made a 68 the rest of them made in the 30s because they were too lazy to go back to their nose and look anything up and who gets in trouble for that? ME.

I am basically told I'm a shitty teacher, I have no classroom management skills, and I don't know what I'm doing if I cannot make six kids past their test.

Speaking of futility I don't know what it is about this year's set of kids that they have no memory for the smallest things.

When we got our library schedule I told every class Thursday is our library day. The next morning the first thing I heard;

"Are we going to the library today?"

"No, today is Tuesday we go on Thursday."

Next child in line coming in to class:

"Are we going to the library today?"

"No , today is Tuesday we go on Thursday."

Repeat from every single kid to walk into my classroom every single class all day. 108 kids!!!!And then the next day:

"MISS!!! Are we going to the library today?"

"No, today is Wednesday. We go on Thursday."

EVERY OTHER KID, EVERY CLASS, ALL DAY LONG FOR THE FIRST 4 MONTGS OF SCHOOL!!!

If something doesn't change I do not understand how these kids are going to be able to hold jobs or do or learn anything.

I just don't understand it. 85% of them are like this and it is really only the gifted and talented ones which are dwindling every single year that have even the most basic memory and recall ability much less critical thinking.

[terribly-happy]

Library Day!

On July 1st, 1731 The Library Company of Philadelphia was founded by Benjamin Franklin and Junto Club members thus creating the first lending library. Franklin's goal was to bring books and knowledge to those who would otherwise not have access.

[bibliolectors]

Día de la Biblioreca 2019 (cartel de Miguel Calatayud)

[mathandtea]

September 25th, 2019 //

I spent the whole day in the library because I didn't have class today, and I had to work on a group presentation I'll give next week. We worked very hard all afternoon (I forgot to take a picture but at one point, the table was fully covered in books and draft paper, it was a m e s s), but it's almost done now!

I can't wait for fall to actually get there! I know it's supposed to have started by now but it doesn't feel like it (global warming and all that, the weather is fucked). It's still getting colder though. Which is nice. Can't wait to take my sweaters out of my wardrobe!

[lenakalasova]

[lena-in-a-red-dress]

Vancouver Adventures, Vienna: Day 5

My mother volunteered herself for baby sitting duty, for which I was most definitely not needed, so I used the day to tackle a couple of hills. But before that started, I got a breakfast first: muesli!

It was housemade by the hotel, but was basically just overnight oats. The toppings are vital for texture.

And then I went on the hunt for the library. More backstory: last time I was in Vienna, I tried to find two different libraries. One ended up being a museum wing of the national library, which was hosting a cool freemason exhibit. The second ended up being THE national library, which requires membership or something to get into, like the library of congress.

This time, I started with the Bibliothek im Rathaus. Which is supposedly inside the city hall building, but is utterly un-navigable. I gave up. BUT the adventure led me to some fun discoveries.

These fountain and benches were found just a little ways through a park beside city hall. Were it any sunnier, I would have sat and enjoyed it a while.

As it was, it was cold and windy, so I took refuge at Cafe Landtmann's. And boy was that ever a good choice! I got an eisschokolade, and a lemon-elderflower cake.

The eisschoko was the perfect thing after my long walk, and while the cake was a little crusty like it had been sitting out too long, it was light and refreshing. I took my time to sit and read, which was really nice.

After that, I tackled library option #2. And guess what?

I fucking found it.

So it ended up being a modern library and not the towering stacks amid gothic architecture that I wanted. But it was like coming home. I'd take this over that stuffy old books store any day.

I planted my butt at a table and wrote for more than five hours. I reworked my writing group submission to the point of completion (for now), which currently sits at about 11k. Definitely an accomplishment.

And then I trammed home. It was a different route than I've ever taken so far, but it led me to one of the prettiest streets in Vienna.

We got McD's for dinner, because most other quick restaurants and stands were starting to shut down. Some notes for my Americans: some locations almost feel like actual fine dining. They put a kind of slaw on their burgers. They sell fried cheese with red currant dipping sauce. They have fancier burgers and sauces.

The fries are the same.

I also got a slice of cake from their cafe bc wtf I was not going to miss out. (It's currently sitting in my hotel fridge bc I got too full.)

It was a day of relaxation and solo drifting around the city, and as much as I love my mom and seeing her excitement at everything here-- there's something to be said being able to stretch your legs and walk at your own pace.

[baapi-makwa]

out and about