what a teacher is all about

the apple and the teacher

By Henry H. Walker

what makes for a good middle school teacher?

we struggle with criteria(ˌkrīˈti(ə)rēə),
and gradations(grāˈdāSHən) of meeting those criteria,
and that helps us in the threshing(THreSH),
of getting the chaff(CHaf) to blow(blō) away
so that the kernel(ˈkərnl) of who applies reveals(rəˈvēl) itself,

for near two generations
I have worked as educator in the middle school,
and a truth emerges(əˈmərj) to me, shouts(SHout) at me,
that what is most important
as to who it is that works with our students
is a sureness within them
that the driving definition(ˌdefəˈniSHən) of them as teacher
is the centering of school
upon what is best for the students,
upon how to see each student for who they are,
to know them, to love them,
to help each find a workable path
to a future that calls to them,

all else falls away:
the academic(ˌakəˈdemik) accolades(-ˌläd,ˈakəˌlād) of the applicant(ˈapləkənt),
the expression(ikˈspreSHən) of an abstract(abˈstrakt, ˈabˌstrakt) vision(ˈviZHən) for teacher
as being to student, as modeler(ˈmäd(ə)lər) to the clay(klā), as shaper(SHāp),

I search for evidence that a teacher knows
literature(ˈlidərəCHər, ˈlidərəˌCHo͝or) and writing as a wholeness:
the apple an organic(ôrˈganik) whole
and not just a sum of its parts,
the wholeness of the experienced
matched by the wholeness of the student and teacher,
the teacher, at their best,
holds within themselves
who the student is,
and all the paths that can call to them,
who strives(strīv) to live the art
of holding in the heart and the action
both the reality of what the present reveals
and the reality of what the future allows.

https://henryspoetry.blogspot.com/2020/04/what-teacher-is-all-about.html

Why So Many Americans Don’t Talk About Money

The taboos(təˈbo͞o, taˈbo͞o) vary(ˈve(ə)rē) by class, job, and circumstance(-stəns,ˈsərkəmˌstans).

By Joe Pinsker

Americans love to talk about how Americans hate(hāt) to talk about money. Indeed, recent surveys(sərˈvā) from financial(fī-,fəˈnanCHəl) and market-research firms have found that in 34 percent of cohabiting(kōˈhabit) couples (married or not), one or both partners couldn’t correctly identify how much money the other makes; that only 17 percent of parents with an income above $100,000 a year had told (or planned to tell) their children how much they earn or their net worth; and that people are “more comfortable” talking with friends about marital(ˈmerədl) discord(ˈdiskôrd), mental(ˈmentl) health, addiction, race(rās), sex, and politics(ˈpäləˌtiks) than money.

These results seem to point to a society(səˈsīədē)-wide gag(gag) rule that discourages the discussion of financial details. But there are caveats(ˈkavēˌat, ˈkävēˌät). The companies that tend to publish findings like these stand to gain from persuading(pərˈswād) people to talk more about their money, if not with their loved ones, then with a professional financial adviser. They’re also, therefore, more likely to be interested in the psychological(ˌsīkəˈläjəkəl) drama(ˈdrämə) of people who make $100,000 a year than in that of people who make less.

Many Americans do have trouble talking about money—but not all of them, not in all situations, and not for the same reasons. In this sense(sens), the “money taboo” is not one taboo but several, each tailored(ˈtālərd) to a different social context. Money taboos are absent, or much weaker, in many countries and cultures outside the U.S., but when the conditions present in those societies exist in certain pockets of America, silence can give way to relative openness. Americans, in other words, are hesitant(ˈhezədənt) to talk about money—except for all the times when they aren’t.

…
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/03/americans-dont-talk-about-money-taboo/607273/

4 Mindfulness Practices That We Need Right Now

By Leo Babauta

In the middle of the chaos of the world right now, what can we do to take care of ourselves?

Let’s talk about a handful of simple mindfulness practices that can be helpful.

Breathe(brēT͟H) deeply into the belly(ˈbelē). This is one to start with, no matter where you are or what you’re doing. We get caught up in our heads, stuck in a cycle of thoughts that are rarely(ˈre(ə)rlē) very helpful. So to get out of our heads and into our bodies, we can do deep breathes, into the deepest part of our bellies. Do several breaths like this, maybe for 30-60 seconds if you have time. This not only calms you down, but helps you to be more present with your body and surroundings.-

Check on your feelings(ˈfēliNG), give yourself compassion. Turn your attention to the sensations(senˈsāSHən) in your body, and notice how uncertainty and fear/anxiety might feel for you right now, as a bodily(ˈbädl-ē) experience. This, again, helps get you out of your thoughts, but also it’s important to notice how you’re feeling. Practice giving these feelings some space, letting them be (it’s OK to feel anxiety!). Then see if you can give them some compassion, to take care of yourself when you’re feeling uncertainty or frustration(frəˈstrāSHən).

Find calm in the middle of a storm. When the world is full of chaos, can we find calm? Find your breath. Let the swirl(swərl) of thoughts calm down. Notice the light around you, notice sound. Notice the beauty of the moment. Widen your awareness beyond yourself, and feel the peace of a moment of stillness. You can still take action, but from a place of calmness.

Send compassion out to others. Once you’ve practiced compassion for your own uncertainty and fears … once you’ve found a moment of calm and centeredness(ˈsen(t)ərd) … you can open your heart to others right now. They’re afraid(əˈfrād), they’re feeling anxious. Open your awareness beyond your home, to the others in your neighborhood and city, to others around the world, to your loved ones and strangers. Feel the worry they’re feeling. Send them compassion, from the deepest place in your heart. Let it flow(flō) out as a healing(ˈhēliNG) salve(sav,säv) to everyone. Notice how this feels. Notice how it might change how you interact with others.

Let these practices help you through this troubled time, my friends.

https://zenhabits.net/4-practices/

Review of “Planes(plān), Trains and Automobiles(ˈôdəmōˌbēl)”

By Roger Ebert

“Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is founded on the essential natures of its actors. It is perfectly cast and soundly constructed, and all else flows naturally. Steve Martin and John Candy don’t play characters; they embody(əmˈbädē) themselves. That’s why the comedy(ˈkämədē), which begins securely(səˈkyo͝orlē) planted in the twin(twin) genres(ˈZHänrə) of the road movie and the buddy(ˈbədē) picture, is able to reveal(rəˈvēl) so much heart and truth.

Some movies are obviously(ˈäbvēəslē) great. Others gradually(ˈgrajo͞oəlē) thrust(THrəst) their greatness upon us. When “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” was released in 1987, I enjoyed it immensely(iˈmenslē), gave it a favorable review and moved on. But the movie continued to live in my memory. Like certain other popular entertainments (“It’s a Wonderful Life,” “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial(-ˈresCHəl,təˈrestrēəl),” “Casablanca(ˌkasəˈblaNGkə,ˌkäsəˈbläNGkə)”) it not only contained a universal theme(THēm), but also matched it with the right actors and story, so that it shrugged(SHrəg) off the other movies of its kind and stood above them in a kind of perfection. This is the only movie our family watches as a custom, most every Thanksgiving.

The story is familiar(fəˈmilyər). Steve Martin plays Neal(nēl), a Chicago(-ˈkägō,SHiˈkôgō) advertising man, sleek(slēk) in impeccable(imˈpekəbəl) blues and grays(grā), smooth-shaven(ˈSHāvən), recently barbered(ˈbärbər), reeking(rēk) of self-confidence, prosperity(präˈsperədē) and anal(ˈānl)-retentiveness(rəˈten(t)ivnəs). John Candy plays Del, a traveling salesman(ˈsālzmən) from Chicago who sells shower curtain(ˈkərtn) rings (“the best in the world”). He is very tall, very large, and covered in layers of mismatched shirts, sweaters(ˈswedər), vests, sport coats and parkas(ˈpärkə). His bristly(ˈbrislē) little mustache(məˈstaSH,ˈməsˌtaSH) looks like it was stuck on crooked(ˈkro͝okəd) just before his entrance(enˈtrans,ˈentrəns); his bow(bou,bō) tie(tī) is also askew(əˈskyo͞o).

Both of these men are in Manhattan(manˈhatn,mən-) two days before Thanksgiving, and both want to get home for the holidays. Fate(fāt) joins their destinies(ˈdestinē). Together they will endure(enˈd(y)o͝or) every indignity(inˈdiɡnədē) that modern travel can inflict(inˈflikt) on its victims(ˈviktəm). What will torture(ˈtôrCHər) them even more is being trapped in each other’s company. Del wants only to please. Neal wants only to be left alone.

…
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-planes-trains-and-automobiles-1987

My Ex(eks)-Boyfriend’s New Girlfriend Is Lady Gaga

How do you compare yourself with one of the most famous women in the world?

By Lindsay Crouse

I was eating bodega(bōˈdāgə) grapes(grāp) at my desk on a recent Monday morning, gearing(ˈgi(ə)riNG) up to wrangle(ˈraNGgəl) my inbox, when my phone started buzzing(bəz):

“Check Facebook.”

“Check Twitter.”

“Are you OK?”

It was an emergency: My ex-boyfriend, I learned, had a new girlfriend.

Lady Gaga.

“Lolol(läl, elōˈel)” if you want. (Everyone I know did.)

But it was true. While I’d been watching the Super Bowl(bōl) on television in New York, they were snuggling(ˈsnəgəl) in her private(ˈprīvit) box at the Hard Rock Stadium(ˈstādēəm) at Miami(mīˈamē) Gardens. There were the paparazzi(ˌpäpəˈrätsē) as he escorted(ˈesˌkôrt) her away, her pink hair flowing and sequins(ˈsēkwin) pasted around her eyes.

Page Six produced a deep dive(dīv) into Lady Gaga’s new “mystery(ˈmist(ə)rē) man.” Refinery29(rəˈfīn(ə)rē) announced that Gaga was “wearing 2020’s hottest new accessory(əkˈses(ə)rē): a normal boyfriend.” The story appeared in the Daily Mail, and Business Insider and People, where my mother read about the couple after checking the magazine out from our local library.

I dated this normal, mystery man for seven years. Our relationship lasted all of college, and then a few years more. (A popular song from back then described being “caught in a bad romance.”)

As you can guess from the fact that you’ve probably never heard of me, I’m not famous.

So suddenly it’s like I’m star-gawking(gôk) by proxy (yes I know there’s another word for that). But there’s almost no way to avoid it.

Social media in 2020 is so ingrained(inˈgrānd) that it’s no longer a supplement(ˈsəpləmənt) or even an addiction(əˈdikSHən). It’s just an accelerated(əkˈseləˌrāt) extension of the way humans have always behaved. We live in a culture of constant updates. You want to unsubscribe(ˌənsəbˈskrīb)? Well, you can’t.

…
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/27/opinion/sunday/lady-gaga-boyfriend.html

Anti(ˈan(t)ē, ˈanˌtī)-chameleon(-lēən,kəˈmēlyən)

By Derek Sivers

I don’t know why I have this rebellious(rəˈbelyəs) nature. I tend to want to be the opposite(ˈäpəzət) of my surroundings.

At serious(ˈsi(ə)rēəs) formal events, I can’t stop laughing inside. At crazy festivals, I want to hide(hīd) and read a book.

My ambitious(amˈbiSHəs) friends bring out the slacker(ˈslakər) in me. My lethargic(ləˈTHärjik) friends make me feel like superman.

When I moved to Boston(ˈbôstən), as a teen(tēn), and everyone was wearing black, I dressed in only white. I remind new-agey people of the scientific method.

Is it a desire(dəˈzī(ə)r) for balance? To represent(ˌreprəˈzent) what seems under-represented in this situation? Is it my love of seeing the other side?

I hear I’m not supposed to react like this. I’m supposed to be the same, no matter what’s around.

But I’m not the same from day to day, even when alone. I rebel(ˈrebəl) against myself, too. If I’ve been thinking or acting one way for too long, I try another way.

It’s worked pretty well for me so far. I’m super-motivated by the horror(ˈhär-,ˈhôrər) of seeing the opposite of what I want.

Seeing someone waste(wāst) their talent(ˈtalənt) motivates me to get back to practicing and creating.
Seeing a person in horrible health motivates me to be healthy.
Seeing someone freaking(ˈfrēkiNG) out motivates me to be calm(kä(l)m).
Seeing someone being selfish motivates me to be generous.

The list goes on. It’s been net positive. So, I’m not fighting it for now.

(P.S. I’ll never argue against preserving(prəˈzərv) nature.)

https://sivers.org/antic

Don’t fear a ‘robot apocalypse(əˈpäkəˌlips)’ – tomorrow’s digital jobs will be more satisfying(ˈsadəsˌfīiNG) and higher-paid

By Christos A. Makridis

If you’re concerned that automation and artificial intelligence are going to disrupt(disˈrəpt) the economy(iˈkänəmē) over the next decade, join the club. But while policymakers and academics agree there’ll be significant disruption, they differ about its impact.

On one hand, techno(ˈteknō)-pessimists(ˈpesəməst) like Martin Ford in “Rise(rīz) of the Robots” argue that new forms of automation will displace most jobs without creating new ones. In other words, most of us will lose our jobs.

On the flip side of the debate(dəˈbāt) are techno-optimists(ˈäptəməst) such as Erik Brynjolfsson and Andy McAfee. In “The Second Machine Age,” they contend that continued investments in education and research and development will offset the job losses and generate many new human tasks that complement AI.

While I can’t predict who will turn out to be right, I do have some good news based on my own research and the work of others: Tomorrow’s digital jobs will likely pay better and be more satisfying than today’s. And, as Brynjolfsson and McAfee noted, education holds the key to ensuring there are enough to go around.

…
https://theconversation.com/dont-fear-a-robot-apocalypse-tomorrows-digital-jobs-will-be-more-satisfying-and-higher-paid-132075

Replacing Mission Statements with Invitation(ˌinvəˈtāSH(ə)n) Statements

By Steve Pavlina

Google’s corporate(ˈkôrp(ə)rət) mission is: to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible(əkˈsesəb(ə)l) and useful.

Facebook’s mission is: to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.

Microsoft’s mission statement is: to empower every person and every organization(ˌôrɡənəˈzāSH(ə)n) on the planet(ˈplanət) to achieve more.

The mission statement of Amazon is: We strive(strīv) to offer our customers the lowest possible prices, the best available selection, and the utmost(ˈətˌmōst) convenience(kənˈvēnyəns).

What I find interesting about these (and many other mission statements) is that they’re about empowerment. They’re about giving people greater abilities, access(ˈakˌses), and resources.

They’re also infinite(ˈinfənət) in scope. There will always be more information to organize, more communities to build, more people and organizations to serve, and more selection and convenience to develop(dəˈveləp).

Moreover, these missions aren’t necessarily at odds(ädz) with each other. They can all co-exist. They could cooperate(kōˈäpəˌrāt) with each other.

Imagine if we combined all four of these companies into one and gave them a singular mission statement. What would that look like?

Let’s pull out the key elements first:

organize information
provide useful access
empower people
build community
grow closer
achieve more
save money
expand options
improve accessibility

I think we can compress(kəmˈpres) this a bit more since some items are related(rəˈlādəd):

organize information
empower people
connect people
achieve more
expand options
improve accessibility

Ultimately I think we could compress this all the way to just one item: empower people.

…
https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2020/02/replacing-mission-statements-with-invitation-statements/

Martha Julia(ˈjo͞olyə) Agnes(ˈaɡnəs) Adele

By Ann Gordon

Part 2

“Oh, what a grand Adventure(adˈvenCHər,əd-) Day!
We’re near the Marvelous(ˈmärv(ə)ləs) Mushroom(-ˌro͝om,ˈməSHˌro͞om) Cafe(kaˈfā,kə-)!
Step right up by this giant(ˈjīənt) stone(stōn) shoe(SHo͞o)!
You’ll especially love their acorn(ˈāˌkôrn) stew(st(y)o͞o)!”

Slab(slab) reaches(rēCH) behind him and pulls out a map.
From a hidden(ˈhidn) pocket in his shoulder strap(strap).
“Let’s sit at this table and make our plan…
While we eat our stew and custard(ˈkəstərd) flan(flan).”

From the stone table on top of the mound(mound),
They peer over treetops(ˈtrēˌtäp)…no shoe to be found.
They sip their stew and eat their flan,
While they work on their master plan.

Suddenly, Martha Julia Agnes Adele(ədel)
Sees the street where she first stumbled and fell(fel).
“What’s that?” she jumps, making a spill(spil).
“There?” points Slab, “That’s The Artist’s Hill.”

They flip and fly down the slippery(ˈslipərē) slope(slōp).
To look for her shoe, but, alas(əˈlas)…no hope.
Instead they find a slimy(ˈslīmē) fellow(ˈfelō).
Banana(bəˈnanə)-like, and all quite yellow.

It’s Mr. Slug(sləg) having a great big cry.
As evening twilight(ˈtwīˌlīt) shimmers(ˈSHimər) the sky.
“Oh, h-elllllo Slab, I’m cryyyy-ing some more…
Still can’t find what I’m looooook-ing for…”

“Oh, Slug, please! No more tears!
Makes too much slime(slīm) and adds more years!
Come help us find this missing shoe.
We might even find what you seek, too.”

“Okaaay…Follow me and my diamond(ˈdī(ə)mənd) traa-il(trāl)…
I’m beginnnnn-ing to think I might be a snaaa-il(snāl)…
“So Martha Julia Agnes Adelllle,”
I’ll loook for your shoe while I looook for my shelllll(SHel).

Through the Trail of Hearts they weave(wēv) their way.
The Slug, and Martha, and the man of clay(klā).
“Sometimes my shoe lands in trees up high…”
“Okay.” says Slug, “I’ll keep up an eye.”

“At the Castle(ˈkasəl) of the Heart we’ve always heard
A Fairy(ˈfe(ə)rē) keeps a secret from the One-Winged(wiNGd) Bird.
But to make it past the Dragon’s Lair(le(ə)r)…
Takes courage and bravery(ˈbrāv(ə)rē) exceptionally rare(re(ə)r)!”

“Oh, NO! There I go! I tripped(trip) and fell!”
Wails(wāl) Martha Julia Agnes Adele.
“Shh!” whispers(ˈ(h)wispər) Slab.
“We’re close! Just listen!”
But Slug plods(pläd) on making trails(trāl) of glisten(ˈglisən).

They tiptoe(ˈtipˌtō) through the castle doors.
Creaking(krēk) sounds cry from the wooden floors.
They hear fairy(ˈfe(ə)rē) whispers of a wing turned stone…
And see a one-winged bird in the distance …alone.

The bird’s lost its wing.
Martha’s lost her shoe.
The castle has naught(nôt)
So what else can they do?

“Let’s head up high to the top of the hill(hil).
“If we don’t give up,” stutters(ˈstədər) Slug,
“We’ll make it still.”

A moth(môTH) settles(ˈsedl) atop(əˈtäp) the chimney(ˈCHimnē) of stone,
And fireflies light the way to the throne(THrōn).
Slug climbs(klīm) steps to the Fairy(ˈfe(ə)rē) Queen’s Door…
With the door locked tight..he tries the tree’s back door.

http://mosswhispers.com/2020/02/12/martha-julia-agnes-adele-rough-text-and-paintings-29-pages/

How Hard Will The Robots Make Us Work?

In warehouses(ˈwerˌhous), call centers, and other sectors(ˈsektər), intelligent(inˈteləjənt) machines are managing humans, and they’re making work more stressful(stressful), grueling(ˈgro͞oəliNG), and dangerous

By Josh Dzieza

On conference(ˈkänf(ə)rəns) stages(stāj) and at campaign(kamˈpān) rallies(ˈralē), tech executives(iɡˈzekyədiv) and politicians(ˌpäləˈtiSHən) warn of a looming automation(ˌôdəˈmāSH(ə)n) crisis(ˈkrīsis) — one where workers are gradually(ˈgrajo͞oəlē), then all at once, replaced by intelligent machines. But their warnings mask the fact that an automation crisis has already arrived. The robots are here, they’re working in management, and they’re grinding(ˈgrīndiNG) workers into the ground.

The robots are watching over hotel housekeepers, telling them which room to clean and tracking how quickly they do it. They’re managing software developers, monitoring their clicks and scrolls(skrōl) and docking their pay if they work too slowly. They’re listening to call center workers, telling them what to say, how to say it, and keeping them constantly, maximally(ˈmaksəməl) busy. While we’ve been watching the horizon(həˈrīzən) for the self-driving trucks, perpetually(pərˈpeCHo͞oəlē) five years away, the robots arrived in the form of the supervisor(ˈso͞opərˌvīzər), the foreman(ˈfôrmən), the middle manager.

These automated systems can detect inefficiencies(ˈˌinəˈfiSHənsē, ˈˌinēˈfiSHənsē) that a human manager never would — a moment’s downtime between calls, a habit of lingering(ˈliNGg(ə)riNG) at the coffee machine after finishing a task, a new route(rout,ro͞ot) that, if all goes perfectly, could get a few more packages delivered(dəˈlivər) in a day. But for workers, what look like inefficiencies to an algorithm were their last reserves(rəˈzərv) of respite(riˈspīt,ˈrespət) and autonomy(ôˈtänəmē), and as these little breaks and minor(ˈmīnər) freedoms get optimized(ˈäptəˌmīz) out, their jobs are becoming more intense(inˈtens), stressful, and dangerous. Over the last several months, I’ve spoken with more than 20 workers in six countries. For many of them, their greatest fear isn’t that robots might come for their jobs: it’s that robots have already become their boss.

…
https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/27/21155254/automation-robots-unemployment-jobs-vs-human-google-amazon