Uncategorized
-
-
Separation
Going back to work after a long vacation is always hard. There is so much excitement and anticipation leading up to the December holidays that when they’re over, and everyone goes back to their daily routines, we’re ripe to fall into a depressive state. January is the darkest of months. For my family and, I Read more
-
Winter Break
I’m officially on winter break. I will be away from school for almost three weeks. Almost three weeks with my husband, my children and their respective families. Almost three weeks to read and write. Almost three weeks to work on my goals and set meaningful and doable intentions. Almost three weeks to get organized because Read more
-
Writing Every Day…For Real!
I’ve been doing a lot of writing lately – journal entries, short memoir-like pieces, poetry – but no blog posts, even though my goal is to post something at least once a week. This sounds like a lament and, in some ways, it is. But it’s also a recognition that I am writing every day. Read more
-
Why I Write
I write because I feel an overwhelming need to produce words, phrases, sentences that say something. To make that something make sense and sound as beautiful as I can make it. Sometimes I fail miserably and at other times, I am pleasantly surprised at what I’ve created. At least those times when I don’t feel Read more
-
A Trip Down Memory Lane
I’m sitting at the Berkeley Public Library reading a new YA novel. My son and his father are studying at a table nearby. In a few days, my son will turn 20. We’re here to celebrate with him. We’ve been having breakfast together, taking short walks and spending time with friends. I’ve been marveling at Read more
-
Adjusting to a New Teaching Assignment
In a previous blog post, I talked about taking on a different role this year. I was happy to be offered a 0.5 interventionist/support teacher position at my school. I provide literacy and numeracy support to small groups of children. I started with a few groups based on the results of provincial exams last spring, Read more
-
This Year
This year, unlike previous years, I had many more students with multiple complexities, including anxiety and defiant and/or resistant behavior. And, I am full of regrets: I wish I had been a better teacher for them. I tried hard, but sadly I sometimes acted against my own instincts as a teacher. So much so that Read more
-
New Beginnings
At the end of this school year, I will be leaving the classroom after almost four decades teaching grades 1 – 8. Other than a few years in between when I took on other roles in education, I’ve dedicated my professional life to teaching in mostly self-contained classrooms. During the 2024-2025 school year, I will Read more
Elisa Waingort 