Erika S. outfits

This Week.

This past week has been craaaaaazy.  It started off with a holiday party on Monday, went on to a 13 hour work day Tuesday, into Finals week, and is ending today (Friday) with another holiday party.

The Fall semester is winding down to a close with the last 2 final exams taking place on Monday.  Grades are due the following day, and we are on winter vacation starting Thursday. It’s been a great semester – I’ve been growing as an educator without feeling overwhelmed, and my kids have been super awesome. Teaching AP Bio is super cool, as the kids are self motivated and more importantly excited for my class every day. Mind blowing, seriously. All my classes have been awesome – these kids man, they really warm my heart to the core every day, even when my face still looks stone cold.

I really hope it all continues to go well next semester – but I’m wary since I’m getting an additional class to teach come January. This means my average 45 hour/week job is turning into a 50+ hour/week job, which to me is not sustainable. Fingers crossed I find magical time in my day to make it all work!  Sadly, we (in science) all know there is no such thing as magic.  I crush my students’ dreams all the time when we get to the unit where we discuss the Conservation of Matter and the first Law of Thermodynamics.  It’s when I tell them that magic doesn’t exist, and while we’re at it, Santa Claus doesn’t either.  Nothing can be created or destroyed, only converted. So back in the day, the Santa Claus I thought I saw in my living room just converted his clothes from dad clothes to a red furry Santa outfit!  I’m so mean. Just to remind every one so I don’t start getting hate comments, these are 15 year olds.

On Monday, I got dressed with “day to night” in mind.  I knew I’d be at school late (hello finals week!), and that I would have to rush just about straight from school to a holiday party at the Breckenridge Brewery in Littleton, CO.  Brewery tours aren’t exactly the place for typical sparkly holiday outfits, but I still wanted to spice it up a bit. Good thing I had new boots to throw on!  I picked these up from the Madewell site recently with all the great holiday sales going on. They are calf hair, meaning they feel even more like a dead animal than just plain leather. I really am a terrible person. Lastly, I topped it all off with the goth-iest of lipsticks I own, Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick in Damned.  Because damn, I’m damned after that last comment about my shoes being made from baby cows. Terrible.

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top: free people – jeans: mother denim – boots: madewell

Erika S. outfits

No Voice

I’ve been sick with some cold/flu/who knows for the past 2 weeks. It started over the TG break with a super sore throat. I battled it out the full following week and by Friday, my students said I sounded like a frog. Over the weekend, my voice gave out. I knew I was in trouble on Sunday, when I tried to call Bambi (my dog) in from outside, and no sound came out. I sucked it up and went in to work anyways on Monday and regretted it it almost immediately.  I should know better by now. Working while sick sucks, but teaching while sick sucks the life out of you. I was dead woman walking come 3pm, and I left early with sub plans on my desk. Advice to myself – take sick days when you need to, even when Final Exams are fast approaching!

There has been a lot running through my mind lately since my last post – the election – self care – teenage hope – the constant ask/expectations of more and more of teachers.  All being saved for another day, if ever I get my voice back.

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cardigan: madewell – shirt: urban outfitters – jeans: uniqlo – shoes: mia – lipstick: bite beauty multistick in almond

Erika S. outfits

Rollin into Winter

Just a quick little post – WINTER BREAK.  Coming soon!

I picked up a few shirts from Urban Outfitters this past weekened in their sale, and wore one of them the very next day.  I liked the kind of graphic, cartoony vibe it created when paired with black jeans, so I tried to make my hair match the look by twisting it into highest bun ever. I gave myself a horn, narwhal style.  Success!

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shirt and belt: urban outfitters – jeans: uniqlo – boots: madewell

Erika S. outfits

Pyjama Day

I went shopping this past weekend at the mall here in Denver, and actually hid from a student.  By hide, I mean I turned around and faced a wall/ATM. I guess I wasn’t in the mood for an awkward, weird exchange, and it seemed like I hadn’t been spotted yet. So I hid. That’s normal, right? B didn’t really think so.

Anyways, at said mall where I hid from a kid, I picked up this sack dress from Anthropologie (on super sale).  It’s so soft (cotton/rayon) the dress feels like it should be worn to bed instead of worn to work.  So I wore pyjamas to school on Monday and it felt glorious.

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dress: anthropologie – boots: madewell

Erika S. outfits

Easy Days

Last week I finally lost my patience with a class, and had a rough day at school. The week ended with a weekend filled with a new project at home: a complete overhaul and redesign of our front yard.

I don’t have much to say this week, so I’ll leave you all with a silly, one minute haiku:

winter is coming

leaves fall continuously

time to start a new

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tank: madewell – cardigan: uniqlo – pants: urban outfitters – shoes: banana republic

Erika S. outfits

Comfort and Style

Teacher appreciation week came and went recently at my school. I got a few hand made cards, churros for breakfast, and a pasta lunch! It was a sweet week, especially once I threw in a BOGO beer for teachers at Factorum Brewery here in Denver along with a BOGO burrito at Chipotle right after.

Teacher perks are pretty awesome and always make me feel like a special unicorn. Normally though, teachers don’t look like special, sparkly unicorns. Usually, we stick to teacher outfit staples such as button downs, pencil skirts, and cardigans with large tote bags. At least, that’s how most people think teachers dress, or should dress. I have my fair share of cardigans and button downs, but the frumpy teacher look is not for me at all.

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glasses: warby parker – necklaces and blazer: madewell – top: kit and ace – belt: gap – jeans: mother denim – boots: cole hahn

Last week, NEA Member Benefits contacted me to help promote their NEA Member Appreciation Month. As part of this promotion, they gave dramatic style makeover to 3 teachers, and put out videos with fashion tips specific for teachers. Many of these tips are kind of no-brainers though, such as “blend comfort and style” with dark stretchy jeans and soft leather ankle boots. The last tip I checked out was to”look polished and professional” by making sure your blazer can button across the front. Check, check, and check. In my head, I have the perfect emoji for this moment, but I’m going to just let your imagination run with it.

I blended style and comfort with a stupid expensive but I super love it because it’s really warm and comfy Kit and Ace sweater B bought me for the holidays this past year, with the stretchiest pair of dark skinny jeans I have that were on super sale at Anthropologie. My ankle boots were a steal, as they literally cost me a penny. Seriously. There must have been a glitch in the tagging that day at Nordstrom Rack, because when I got home and looked at the receipt (I’m horrible and never pay attention at the actual register), they were listed for a penny. The blazer is an old faithful that I will wear the crap out of forever. All in all, this was a super comfortable outfit.

Sooooo, NEA Member Benefits is offering registered NEA members a chance to win up to a $1000 shopping spree with a Visa reward card (25 $100 gift cards are also being given away). Click here for for information on how to enter.

Disclosure: In case you haven’t figured this out by now, I’m getting paid a small sum (for the first time!) for this blog post. My learning community class will be getting treats next week because of this.

Erika S. outfits

Countdown

I’m on a countdown to summer. I have actually been on this countdown since spring break! After tomorrow, there will only be four Fridays till the last day of school. I have a couple posts still waiting to go up. Last week I took photos and couldn’t find time to post them. I’ve been busy gardening everyday after school. I totally get the whole “gardening is my zen time” thing. Its physical, it’s quiet, and I get to pull things out by the roots (oddly therapeutic). Bonus: pretty flowers like these!

I bought this cardigan a week ago in store and on sale (as always), and I’m still not sure how I feel about it. I had this picture from Pinterest in mind and I was hoping I could copy the look with this cardigan.  I think it falls aesthetically short though with its thick fabric and too slouchy shape (too big for me). No compliments from kids so far either. It does make a good classroom sweater though, since it has pockets. What do you guys think?

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sweater: madewell – t-shirt: zara – jeans: mother via anthropologie – shoes: swedish hasbeens – necklaces: f21

Erika S. outfits

Existential Crisis?

I just finished a 3 day Science as Thinking institute through PEBC. It was amazing and I learned oh so much about inquiry and how to foster real, valuable, scientific thinking in students. Actual learning through teaching for understanding. We were given this brilliant book and I’m in the process of devouring it. The institute was all Expeditionary Learning stuff without actually calling it Expeditionary Learning. That ‘rigor’ that was so elusive and confusing to me before? I totally get it now! That ‘discourse’ that was so forced before? I know how to make it more authentic and natural now!  If you’re in a school that values quality professional development and a budget exists for PD, I would recommend checking out PEBC – they run institutes for all the core subjects.

I’m in my 7th year of teaching science. I learned how to teach through an intern program. It was trial by fire (literally – some kids lit a fire in my room one day). I developed some very bad ‘survival’ habits to lesson planning those first 2 years. In my credentialing program, I learned that ‘inquiry’ meant doing labs (science teachers, you know what I’m talking about) and having students predict and explain through modeling real word phenomena. Lastly, I make my kids take notes, and my assessments this year are unit tests. Shock horror. All joking aside though, I am very seriously reconsidering what I am doing as a science teacher. What are my kids actually learning?

I’m feeling the need to scrap everything I do and start from scratch. This past week has been somewhat soul shaking (a little dramatic, maybe?) for me. I may be in the midst of a yet another teacher existential crisis.

New additions to my closet and a glass of wine are helping me weather this crisis tonight. I have a new coat! This Madewell City Grid Coat was on super sale and I justified the purchase by rationalizing away the fact that I have my favorite Arcteryx and another similar coat (but none of them are warm and black!) already hanging in my closet.

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glasses: warby parker – coat: madewell – cardigan and blouse: uniqlo – jeans: 3×1 – boots: franco sarto

Erika S. outfits

Ease

This was me this morning.  By the end of the day, even with a multiple-sticky-note overflowing to-do list, I embodied this.  I was nearing the 10th hour or working, so I called it a day.  That’s all I have to say for today folks.  I’m a bit burned out and really distracted by old Dresden Dolls videos on youtube right now.

Good thing I am already in lounge clothes that blends in with my couch!  This dress is basically a big t-shirt, which works well for both work and for lounging.  Winning.forever 21 dress

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dress: f21 – cardigan: jcrew – tights: uniqlo – boots: madewell