Erika S. outfits

Crowd Sourcing?

Today many of my kids discovered the wonders of a shared document with editing rights. Many of them have never used that feature in Google Docs before, and it seemed to be especially fun when it’s projected for the whole class to see.  My biology class is in the midst of writing a lab report for the first time.  When I took an informal poll, only a hand full of students in my honors sections knew what a lab report was.  So I created a template for each section and shared it with all of them.  As I was showing each period how they needed to create a copy of the template, the edits started rolling in.  Without fail, it happened every single period.  What else could I expect?

Someone replaced the heading of “introduction” with “hola my hombre”

Someone else typed in the name of his friend sitting in front of him and tried blaming it on the friend.

Some one else added in rows and rows of random letters.

Then some one threw in the word “bitches”.  I felt my eyes grow big and my blood pressure rise.  That kid promptly got a stern talking to with time to reflect on her behavior.

I pointed out that we could all see a cursor with their NAME as they type, and the edits still kept coming.  I showed them how I can see who wrote what, and revert back to a previous version, and the edits still rolled in paired with hysterical laughing.  Teenagers.

madewell boy shirt 3 This is a new shirt from Madewell.  It was on super sale in the store, and the only size they had was XS. So fingers crossed it doesn’t shrink in the wash!  It’s double layered, warm, and with interesting details.  I feel a little bit like a cowgirl farmer in it because of the buffalo checks.  madewell boy shirt 5

madewell boy shirt 4

madewell boy shirt 2

madewell boy shirt

glasses: warby parker -cardigan: uniqlo – shirt: madewell – belt: gap – jeans: f21 – boots: steve madden

Erika S. outfits, seriousness

Heavy and Light

A quick update from the last post:  I spent time discussing race with each one of my classes the next day.  Over the next few days, word had spread and individual students sought me out to talk about it.  We talked about so many things, and the students had a lot to contribute.

Each class’s discussion was different, and conversations morphed towards gender issues and consent.  I showed them this video showing a woman walking in NYC and dealing with catcalls and creepy men (I know that there is an issue with race in this video also, but I think the message overall is relevant).  As they watched it, I watched them.  It was interesting to see their reactions – none of them had seen the video before.  The girls faces either had horrified looks or nervous laughter (that weak laugh that we have been trained to do when they feel uncomfortable or scared).  The boys were either shocked or laughed.  It was a great learning opportunity and I’m happy I took the time out of traditional Biology curriculum for it.

Back to light hearted blogging!  This was what I wore that week.  Everything here is an oldie but goodie.  I’ve had these Pilcro loafers for ages, but never wear them.  I’m just too addicted to ankle boots!  I had listed them on my Poshmark closet, but decided to take down the listing in keep them after all.  I only just started listing things on Poshmark, and I’m feeling like it’s more trouble than it’s worth.

zara tshirtpilcro flatsforever 21 cardigan

cardigan and jeans: f21 – t shirt: zara – belt: gap – shoes: anthropologie – jewelry: madewell, family heirloom – watch: pebble

Erika S. outfits, teaching

Keep Calm and…

Today was the first day back from our week long Thanksgiving Break.  I was NOT ready to come back – a week of lounging around the house stuffing my face wasn’t nearly enough!  It was rough getting back into the groove today and by the time my last section rolled around, my patience had gone out the window.  Normally, I love my 6th period – they’re a rowdy, noisy, chatty bunch who as a whole are an awesome group of kids.  Sometimes, their shenanigans can get to me and push all my buttons all at the same time.  Today was one of those days and I got angry…but now I feel bad for getting angry.  They’re teenagers who just have a harder time focusing on Biology after they’ve already been in school for 6 hours (kids here have 8 hour school days — I think it’s ridiculous).  I should have kept calm and…let them be teenagers.

These booties are from Zara, a few years ago.  They’re pretty bad-ass, and I got many compliments on them today from students and adults alike.  I don’t wear them that often, for no good reason at all.  My top is from COS, a H&M spin off with a store in Manhattan and is also available online in the US.  I picked this one up over the summer while visiting New York.  I love the shape since it has so much room in the belly area but is still fitted around the shoulders (a trapeze top?).  The fabric is also a perfectly drapey material.    Lastly, I got a technology hand-me-down from B, his Pebble watch.  Winning.

forever 21 high waisted jeans

zara studded boots

pebble watch

cos shirt

zara boots

teacher outfits
cardigan: uniqlo – top: cos – jeans: f21 – boots: zara – watch: pebble – gold bracelet: madewell – jade bracelet: somewhere in china

Erika S. outfits

Buttoned Up

4 years ago, I had a student named Aaron in my Anatomy/Physiology class that had mad swag.  His wardrobe didn’t change all that often, but man, that kid had (probably still has) some serious style.  He always looked mature, fly, and chic all at the same time.  It took me all year, but I finally put my finger on why he had such swag: He always buttoned his shirts up to the top button.  It looked great, in a slightly nerdy, chic kind of way.  After that year, I started doing the same.  I button it all the way up.  I borrowed some of his swag, and I still like the look, 4 years later.

buttoned up buttoned up2

glasses: warby parker – top: h&m (super old) – jeans: f21 – belt – gap – shoes: swedish hasbeens

Erika S. outfits

Varsity

I went shopping over the weekend and treated myself to some much needed retail therapy.  It’s been a while (for me at least) since I’ve updated my wardrobe.  B shops maybe once a year, but I’m not that disciplined.  So I went and made the rounds at the local mall and picked up a few things.  First up, this t-shirt which I now call my varsity shirt.  I never played sports in high school, unless you count sailing in the Sea Scouts.  I did try girl’s soccer a couple times, but I was just pathetically bad at it.

Funny story, I ended up matching a little bit with a kid in my class today.  She had on the same shirt, but in maroon.  I pointed it out and she just half-smiled at me.  I guess she didn’t think it was as cool to match as I thought.  Lolz.  It happens.  varsity3

varsity2

varsity4

varsity

top: f21 – skirt: jcrew – shoes: worishofer – necklace: my mom’s

On the beauty side, I picked up a new lip tint from Sephora.  It’a a Korean brand called Chosungah 22 and it’s pretty awesome.  The stain lasts a while, even with my habit of constantly licking my lips.  I like it more than Benetint and the Face Shop brand tint.  The gloss half though is gloopy and sticky – I’m not a fan.

Erika S. outfits

the Seventh Annual First Day of School

Oh hai guys!  It’s been months since I’ve been around updating this blog.  The last spring and summer have been good to me.  Things went fairly smoothly in the spring and I ended the school year on a high note.  Change was on the way!  I decided to give it another year at my school with hopes (and determination) that this second year teaching in Denver would be 100 times better.

It’s fall again, and today was the first of two first days of school.  My school has 9th graders only for Monday, then the rest of the grades start on Tuesday.  This year, I’m teaching Honors Bio and regular Bio.  Also, I’m co-leading a team for the first time ever.  Exciting stuff for sure.  Also, we had a bit of an administration shake up and with that comes an opportunity to re-set the school/staff culture.  Everything is on the up and up this year, I can feel the positive vibes!

On a sentimental note, I’ve been thinking about the first batch of kids I ever had back in SF.  Some of them are now juniors in university and I sometimes like to stalk them on FB.  I read about where they are traveling/studying/interested in and I breath a huge sigh of relief that I didn’t mess them up too much my first year of teaching.  I was so clueless and disorganized.  I’m starting my 7th year of teaching this year, and I’ve learned something new and better each year!

On to the first of two first day of school outfits!  I picked up this cardigan/shirt/dress thing at F21 last spring.  It’s perfect to keep the chill off and add some interest.  I brought it with me to DC this past summer and my sister thought it was weird, but came around to it.  She ended up buying the same thing for herself near the end of my trip 😉7th 1st day3

7th 1st day2

7th 1st day

glasses: warby parker – cardigan: F21 similar – tank – uniqlo – skirt: jcrew – shoes: sweedish hasbeens

Erika S. outfits

Made By Mommy

My mom grew up in a time and a place where there weren’t a lot of fast-fashion type stores to shop at.  She was born and raised in Vietnam, though my family is ethnically Chinese.  Back then, their version of shopping was shopping for fabric, and they all learned how to sew for themselves.  Even now I think my mom gets a thrill out of finding great fabrics for a good price.  So when my sister and my mom travelled to Myanmar this past fall, she brought home a stack of really cool embroidered fabrics.  She let me pick out the ones I liked the most, and sewed me a couple of skirts.  My mom has always been resourceful and ingenious — I think in her past life she must have been an engineer.  She took my favorite J.Crew #2 Pencil skirt, turned it inside out to show the seams, and used it to trace out a pattern.  After a number to try ons, lots of taking in and letting out seams, I left Washington DC with 2 perfectly fitting skirts in gorgeous fabrics.  I wore one of them yesterday to school and it is now my most conformable skirt, ever.  My mom is amazing.

By the way, my Honors Bio kids have been killing it lately learning about cellular transport.  I’ve never had such an easy time teaching this subject.  They’re making connections left and right, applying osmosis to their own lives and asking fantastic questions.  Lessons that took 3 days to get through in the past took me ONE day with this bunch.  Amazeballs.  Revamped curriculum and honors level kids FTW!

MadeByMommy MadeByMommy2 MadeByMommy3

necklaces: etsy (gift from b) similar and f21 – tank: alternative apparel – cardigan: j.crew – skirt: sewed by my mom – boots: steve madden – fitness tracker: fitbit

Erika S. outfits

Backpackin’

The days have been long and hard lately.  I’ve taught 12th graders before, but the batch I have this year for Physics are just too cool for school.  I started the year off thinking I could give them a lot of freedom and personal responsibility, only to realize that they just can’t handle the truth – they need some hand holding.  Cell phones out left and right just to “check the time” and independent practice time spent chatting it up about homecoming (yup, it’s a thing here and I’m really weirded out by this new-to-me Americana type tradition).  I’m working on it – slowly but surely.  I gave a stern behavioral expectations lecture today about how “you’re young adults now, that means I shouldn’t have to mother you”.  sigh.  I’m not the motherly type.

I bought a backpack to lug my papers and laptop back and forth to school.  My back feels better (though I have a car now – my back never gets a chance to complain anymore!), I like the organization, and I like the color.  Also, I was really tired of the plastic tarp smell that never really goes away with the Freitag bags and a purse just wasn’t cutting it – too small.

I just realized how many times I typed “I” in such a short post.  Feeling very self centered and narcissistic now. On to the photos!

backpackin4 backpackin2 backpackin3

glasses: warby parker – cardigan: uniqlo – dress and belt: f21 – shoes: saltwater sandals – backpack: jansport – charm: ugly dolls

Erika S. outfits

Birds and Shit

I did it this year – I brought poop into my classroom today.  I did my “alive/dead/not-living” lesson today, as I do in the beginning of every school year.  The lesson includes an activity where students circulate through about 14 items, where they have to determine if the item is alive, dead, or not-living.  It helps to prime the kids on what it really means to be alive (biologically speaking).  It’s a brilliant lesson borrowed from my mentor/coach from my first few years of teaching, Eric.  It’s a hit every time, and really gets the kids thinking about common characteristics/processes that all living things share.  Today, the lesson was a smash – because now I’m the teacher who brings dog shit to class (in a sealed baggie).

birds birds2 birds3 birds4

glasses: warby parker beckett – shirt: anthropologie pintucked buttondown – jeans: f21 – shoes: birkenstock arizona – tracker: fitbit flex – watch: fossil

Erika S. outfits

Made Well, or Well Made

I must shop at Madewell a lot.  This morning I got dressed (in the dark) and as I rode the train to school, I realized I was just about Madewell-ed out.  I shook my head at myself since Madewell is typically out of reach for a teacher on a budget.  Alas…they can have some great sales.  I never buy anything full price (except for shoes apparently), and I always wait for promotions like an extra 30% or 40% off sale prices.  This also means that many of the things I drool over sell out before they can be marked down.  But hey – you win some, you lose some.  Also, I’ve decided that I’m swearing off Madewell dresses.  Like my sister mentioned in the comments of this post, they really are way too short for my 6’0″ frame as I approach my mid-thirties.  By the way, I bought this sweater over the weekend at the Madewell in SF.  It was on super sale in store (around $30 or something), but it’s not online.

made well

made well3

made well4

made well5

jacket: old h&m – necklace: f21 – sweater and jeans: madewell – shoes: corso como via nordstrom rack