Surprise, celebration and happiness for teachers, parents and guardians as we step into FEBRUARY! IT’S TIME FOR FREE STUFF!
Hey Angry Teacher Fam,
As we come to the end of FEBRUARY the month of BLACK HEROES and LOVE, it is now the month of THE ANGRY TEACHER STORE FREEBIES! PICK UP A FREEBIE [OR MORE] TODAY!
I know times are rough for teachers and parents or guardians everywhere, so I wanted to remind each of you that you can still educate and reach your little student in our uncertain society; I’m looking out for you!
Here are some FREE Products and Teaching tools to use all this month. You are appreciated! (**Also don’t forget the value of my Youtube channel tips, tricks, entertainment, and ideas for you, your little student, and your classroom; I really want to see you thrive!)
CHECK EM OUT! COME ON….THEY’RE FREE! JUST FOR YOU!
I’m glad you were able to find something that you deserve! You need to be celebrated as you teach and reach young minds. This may not be a whole lot, but it’s something I felt I had to bring to your attention; we are all in this together!
Hispanic heritage month is here and in my classroom!
So I was reading a poem with my students about a poet’s crazy aunt – how she did her own thing, how she didn’t let others’ opinions of her stop her from being herself, how the speaker didn’t like her at first, but changed his perspective of his zany aunt, and that’s when our class discussions got really crazy!
Some of the things we hear as teachers are CRAZY!
As you know with kids, there is no or not much of a filter. Kids started telling me some crazy stuff about their families and, specifically, their aunties. Yikes!
“It’s true, Mr. Williams. My auntie Celia walks around in a bathing suit 24/7.” “My aunt believes she’s still in the 50s. I mean really.” “Mr. Williams, my aunt don’t talk to my family no more over a chicken bone. Nobody wants to tell me the story.” “Mr. Williams, my auntie in jail. She was doing fraud.” “Mister, my auntie makes the best sweet potato Pies ever.” “I have an aunt who still treats me like I’m 5. She still pinches my cheeks. I’m like lady…if you don’t…then my dad would gimme that look.” “Mr. Williams, remember my auntie who came to Open House? She want your number.”
These were actual words from my students once we read Luis Rodriguez’ “Tia Chucha.” My 11th Graders eat it up every year. I’m telling you; every year, I get nervous, but downlow excited about teaching this poem, as our discussion lead us down this crazy, loopy rabbit-hole of funny conversations.
This just makes me proud to be able to teach something with such great soul and richness. Rodriguez allows his readers (my students) to recount their times with their aunts and families, or to revisit their heritage, not matter where they’re from, or at least learn about others’ families and cultures. I make sure the conversations are safe, respectful, and healthy.
Group of diverse friends taking a selfie because that’s what our world needs.
Teaching these rich pieces excites me because students get to talk about what they’re experts in in – themselves and their families.
I wholeheartedly support any month that positively celebrates another culture or heritage without putting another one down or disparaging any because that’s what the world needs, understanding and acceptance, right now.
From September 15 – October 15, I try to include as many of these works with my students as possible, and you know what? I even sprinkle them in during the rest of the year as well, regardless of what the curriculum asks for.
As citizens of the world, I believe students need to know about each other, where they come from, where they’re going, and more importantly about themselves.
Here are some of the works that get me to accomplish the above goals per year.
So I was walking into a store and a young man held the door for me. “Thank you, sir” I said, as I walked in.
I was left a few minutes on the dryer at the laundromat the other day. “Thank you so much,” I told the lady who offered me her unused minutes in the dryer.
As I was allowed in the left lane infront of another driver, I put my hand outside the window and put a THUMBS UP for him to know I appreciated him.
Happy excited thankful guy. Joyful young man raising arms and looking up. Praying and success concept
I never realized how grateful I am.
I guess growing up and instructed to be kind, cordial, and grateful was just expected. After coming from little to nothing, I understand what it’s like to show respect to the universe when something is given to you, even if it is just a gesture or a few minutes in a dryer.
I am always grateful for life, love, and family that I whisper a prayer every morning
I am always grateful for life, love, and family that I whisper a prayer every morning when I go to the gym. I’m grateful for being able to go to the gym, my family, my job, my students, my pets, the weather, my truck, the stray animals that made it another day, my breakfast, the homeless man who found something to eat, my friends, my life, in general. Why?
Because others may not have it, may not get up, may not be able to drive, find food, feed their pets…there are so many without; I never want to forget that. So my “Thank You’s” are genuine. Coming from a real place of appreciation because you never had to do anything for me.
With that said, even sometimes when people try to intimidate or hurt you and you survive it. Be grateful for that too. I remember reading Langston Hughes’ “Thank You, Ma’am” when the teenaged boy named Roger got beatdown by Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones.
Yes, buddy got his butt whopped, a beatdown, on the sidewalk, in public! It was awesome! Lol…but I digress.
But, after that incident, when Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones took him in and fed him. When he left that night he said “Thank you, ma’am.” He could have been in his feelings and hated the woman and not realize that he’d learned a lot about life and himself that day, but Roger realized he was taught life lessons through his seeming adversary.
So I want to thank those who tried to hurt me and my feelings or tried to stand in my way of personal, social, financial, or professional success because you’ve made me stronger and you’ve taught me about myself and life.
So “Thank You, sir.” “Thank you, buddy.” “Thank YoU, Ma’am.”
Be grateful over a few things. Be grateful over the little things.
Be grateful always.
Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
So it’s been really difficult! Uncertainty is all around, but here’s the thing: we have no control over it, so why worry about it?
I’ve come to realize some things are just out of our hands! Some things we just have to release into the atmosphere and hope for the best.
We need to make the most of everything we’ve been given. The good, the bad, the uncertain all are to make us strong and resilient, so let’s try to learn from our new found knowledge, think about how to never revisit the negative past, and trudge on…trudge on…trudge on…
Let’s go out there and make the most of today! You got this!
The Angry Teacher 