by Dawn | Aug 28, 2016 | Teaching
This post was first published in The Mission on Medium. (Update: this was originally written half a decade before Covid). First-year teachers are cheap, but they don’t stay cheap for long. Hiring a new teacher is the opposite of buying a car. Cars depreciate right...
by Dawn | May 11, 2015 | parenting, Teaching
I got a Mother’s Day e-card. It was Stewie from Family Guy. “Mommy, mommy, mom, Lois mom, mom…I hope you get some peace, though it’s probably impossible.” Peace and Mother’s Day are diametrically opposed. I let Declan stay up good...
by Dawn | Oct 2, 2014 | family, parenting
I wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. I come back. There’s a giant dog where I should be. I haven’t left for long–I don’t need more than thirty seconds to pee. The dog was lying in wait. “That’ll teach her to...
by Dawn | Aug 2, 2014 | education reform, family
I’m not Back to School shopping this year. I’ll buy a couple outfits for Declan and a pen or two. That’s it. I stand firm. I’ve spent years going broke buying thousands of things for students. Until they have “Back to School” coffee...
by Dawn | Jun 13, 2014 | education reform, Teaching
“What happened at school today?” I ask. He throws his backpack and races the bus to the tree at the end of the yard. It’s as far as he’s allowed to go. “Nothing.” “Again?” I say. “Nothing ever happens. No gym?...