j brand – Teachers Have Lives Too!

10/09/201510/08/2015 Erika S. outfits

Mucking Around

The other day, a kid in my first period asked me what crawled up my ass and died. Yup. I had gotten tired of his and his friends mucking around (Aussie speak, thanks to B) during class and employed multiple non-verbal “100% engagement strategies” on them all at once. I stood right next their chairs. I tapped on the worksheets they were supposed to be paying attention to. I mimed putting a cell phone away and taking head phones out (teenagers are a cleaver bunch when it comes to illicit technology use in the classroom). I made eye contact and scanned their work area. Then finally, I crouched down to their level and asked if they needed help getting started. “Miss, what crawled up you ass and died today?” LOLZ. I chuckled and said something along the lines of “your lack of work”. Was that appropriate? Who cares? The kid who said it got started and got his work done eventually.

Today I wore a new linen button down from Madewell (super sale!). White shirts are basic, classic and creates an instant “professional” look. This one in particular is awesome because it’s long enough to cover my entire torso. Also, I can wear this shirt till I’m old and fabulous as it’s not too teenager-y like other things I have. Linen is pretty much permanently wrinkled, so it fits my non-ironing life style. When B’s mum was in town, she actually helped me iron a couple shirts (#winning). I’m saving those shirts for a special occasion now.

glasses: warby parker – shirt: madewell – belt: urban outfitters – jeans: j.brand via nordstrom rack – boots: steve madden

08/18/2014 Erika S. basics, outfits

Don’t be a jerk

*jazz hands* New classroom!! *jazz hands*

Today was day three of seven “school launch” days for staff at my new high school here in Denver. It’s been meeting after meeting, training, team building activities and orientation. I barely had time to snap some photos in my new classroom. I still have to find the optimal place with the best non-yellow lighting in the classroom, but as you can see, my new room is really stinkin nice. Talk about an awesome science classroom – there is a dedicated instruction section and separate lab benches in the back. It’s the nicest classroom I’ve ever seen AND, the students get ROCKING CHAIRS. That’s right, rocking chairs. Today’s training was on classroom management, aka 100% engagement (buzz word alert). It was actually a nice refresher on methods I’d forgotten about such as various non-verbal cues, anonymous whole class corrections and private corrections. It made me think about my classroom management style, which has evolved into a very stern, strict, I’m-not-playing-around-so-you-better-check-yourself type of management that some students find a bit rough around the edges and if I’m honest with myself, a bit jerky. I don’t usually loosen up until second semester when the kids know the routine and know not to test me anymore (for the most part). So my focus this year in terms of classroom management is, don’t be a jerk. I need to breathe more, control my frustrations, stay calm, and utilize private corrections more. One of the first things I taped up on my wall by my desk is my post card of a Barbara Kruger piece, “Don’t be a jerk”. I love that little postcard – I picked it up at the Hirshhorn in Washington DC in 2012 and it’s been a classroom staple of mine. This year, it has new meaning. I used to point to it occasionally when kids were mean to each other, but this year, it’s for me.

On the clothing end, it’s really nothing exciting. I’m still on a basics kick and I’m in love with my summer sandals: the oh so trendy right now Birkenstocks. B calls them “Jesus Sandals” or “big black boats” and I can’t really disagree with him. I just got so obsessed with how cute I found then all of a sudden (just last summer I called them the ugliest things ever) when they started popping up all over my Feedly feed of fashion bloggers. I’ve also retired my trusty Freitag bag for a while. The plastic smell never really dissipates, and I was getting pretty tired of it. So I dug out the old J.Crew purse from my SF teaching days. Still holding up ok for now. I do have my eye on the also uber trendy Fjallraven Kanken backpack though. I’m such a sucker for hipster trends. Sigh.

glasses: warby parker beckett – cardigan and bag: super old j.crew – t-shirt: madewell – jeans: j brand via nordstrom rack – shoes: birkenstock

10/14/201210/14/2012 Erika S. outfits

Bad Dog!

Took Bambi on a walk today, and she immediately stated acting like a butthole – ie. growling, snarling and trying to attack other dogs. She has serious small-dog-asshole syndrome, that I’ve never been able to break. My newest tactic has been to try the Gentle Leader. All it’s done so far is make her look even crazier when we pass other dogs, which in turn makes me look like the crappiest dog owner ever. I’m not a bad dog owner, I swear! She’s just a crazy mean old chihuahua. See below, Butthole Bambi in action on a normal everyday walk.

Her being a butthole on our entire walk soured my mood, which then soured the mood of the aussie, B. Not even my new scarf fixed things and I had a squeeze out a smile for this photo.

hat: f21 – glasses – warby parker – scarf: madewell – jacket: urban outfitters – t-shirt: hanes – belt: gap – jeans: hella old j. brand – bag: marc by arc – shoes: adidas

PS. I’ve had Bambi for about 6 years now, and she’s been this way the whole time. I’ve tried everything under the sun to train her, from dog whisperer style to pack walks to muzzles to hired expensive trainers. Nothing has worked, so I’ve resigned to just accept her for who she is – a mostly sweet cuddler who loves squeaky toys but hates all other dogs and children. And before you pass judgment on me for naming my dog Bambi, she came from the rescue with a gag-reflex name: Barbie.

04/12/2012 Erika S. outfits

stripes and height

A kid said that I looked too serious today. Must of been the new nude colored blazer I picked up from F21 yesterday. It could have also been the height. These Sweedish Hasbeens for H&M sandals put me at 6’3″. Even the science department head remarked on how tall I was today. Yeah, I’m tall. But I still love tall-ish shoes.

glasses: bonlook – blazer: F21 – sweater: madewell – tank (underneath): target – belt: banana republic (old) – jeans: j.brand – shoes: h&m – bag: jcrew