Category Archives: Teachers

Windows shopping: Eureka! Retired-teacher memorabilia

Posted on September 15, 2015 by bakrawiec

Spent some time yesterday browsing online–Windows shopping, if you will. Enjoyed so much the variety of retirement memorabilia–not that I intended to buy myself anything. That’s the nice thing about browsing. You can enjoy nice things without adding to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Retiremint, Teachers, Teaching | Leave a comment

surprised by grief

Posted on August 29, 2015 by bakrawiec

When my father died, a close friend, whose mother and father had died–just two weeks apart, and about eight months before my father’s death—gently counseled me. “Be prepared for a roller coaster of emotions,” she said. “One minute you think … Continue reading →

Posted in Death, Dying, Grief, Retirement, Teachers, Teaching, Transitions | 4 Comments

BIG plans for the BIG day–only: which day?

Posted on August 26, 2015 by bakrawiec

One of my new “Outer Circle” Twitter PLN friends counseled me to be sure to fully, properly celebrate the first day of my retirement. Be sure to plan something very special, she counseled. Don’t let the day pass without doing … Continue reading →

Posted in Affiliation, Retirement, Students, Teachers, Teaching | Leave a comment

a tale of two supervisors (real-ly!)

Posted on August 21, 2015 by bakrawiec

Once upon a time, a long time ago, at two different times and places, two department chairs came in, unannounced, one to an eighth grade social studies class, and the other, to an eighth grade language arts classes, both with … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Evaluations, Observations, Supervisors, Teachers, Teaching | Leave a comment

50 unused sick days: why I left them

Posted on August 14, 2015 by bakrawiec

Piggybacking on the last post: Yes! Despite my financial advisor’s advice to the contrary, I left fifty unused sick days on the table, in part, for all the reasons explained previously. However, if I’m honest with myself, there was yet … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Employment, Lesson plans, Retirement, Students, Substitutes, Teachers, Teaching | Leave a comment

morning after: lame duck librarian

Posted on August 11, 2015 by bakrawiec

Assuming that the Board appointed my replacement last night, I’m even more officially a lame duck librarian this morning. Meanwhile, until my work account ends on August 31st, I continue receiving email notifications concerning boxes upon boxes of new books … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Children, Education, Employment, Librarian, LIbrarians, Library, Library Media Specialist, Retirement, School, Seniors, Teachers, Teaching, Transitions | Leave a comment

Part 2: Family Library–Gratifying Work in Progress

Posted on August 8, 2015 by bakrawiec

In general, here’s how our Family Library worked. Usually after school (rather than before), when there was more browsing time, parents or grandparents would come to the library with (though sometimes without) their children. I would create a family account … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Children, Education, Families, Family, Kidlit, LIbrarians, Library, Library Media Specialist, Parents, Reading, School, Students, Teachers, Teaching | 2 Comments

Part 3: Family Library–Payoff

Posted on August 8, 2015 by bakrawiec

There are many things I am proud to have done professionally; there are many things I will miss about being an educator. High on the list of those things is the Family Library experience I was privileged to facilitate, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Children, Education, Families, Kidlit, LIbrarians, Library, Parents, Reading, Teachers, Teaching | Leave a comment

to drink or not to drink in public…

Posted on August 7, 2015 by bakrawiec

In a recent post, I alluded to occupational constraints regarding the personal use of social media, put in place in what has turned out to be my last teaching job. Reminds me that at the other end of my teaching … Continue reading →

Posted in Employment, Retirement, Seniors, Teachers, Teaching, Transitions, Work | Leave a comment

time out

Posted on August 4, 2015 by bakrawiec

When I started teaching, I felt sad that forty-eight minute classes were totally insufficient for students to experience my ambitious plans for exciting learning. With so much “great stuff” I wanted to facilitate on a daily basis, P.A. announcements, fire … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Employment, School, Students, Teachers, Teaching, Transitions, Work | Leave a comment