Erika S. outfits, teaching

Penny for Thoughts

As a teacher with friends who are also teachers on Facebook, I come across heaps of articles about teaching or about teachers.  Here are some of my favorites:

The Atlantic – I Lie About My Teaching  Oh lord yes.  Some days I’m in the middle of class and I actually think to myself “I really hope no one comes in and witnesses this hot mess” as more than half of the kids are totally disengaged and I’m floundering from table to table trying to get them back on track.  Then other days I wish I had video evidence of how “lit” my classroom is with learning.

nprED – Making Science Teaching More Than A ‘Backup Plan’  Teaching Science was definitely not my backup plan, it was my first plan.  I think (and I do not have the stats to back this up at all, it’s pure conjecture) a lot of people who go into teaching as a back up plan end up leaving teaching within a few years because, teaching. is. really. hard. work.

The New Yorker – Stop Humiliating Teachers  I hear a lot of “I would never be able to be a teacher, I don’t know how you do it” from the same people who say “schools these days don’t properly prepare students for the real world”.

Huffpost Education – Listen To the Teachers Who Stay (written by a respected colleague!)  The flip side and an inspiring call to keep fighting the good fight.  I need to read this every spring, when I start to flip flop on possibly leaving teaching and figuring out a ‘backup plan’.

 

Lots of compliments on my outfit today.  “Miss, you look really nice today” and “those are some bad ass designer shoes Miss!”  They’re not designer, they are fast-fashion, and everything here is old.  The skirt was 50¢ from a thrift store and the sweater is from about 4 years ago.  Yay for ‘shopping’ the closet!

urban outfitters back zip sweater2

urban outfitters back zip sweater

Zara Studded Cowboy Ankle Booties2

Zara Studded Cowboy Ankle Booties

glasses: warby parker – sweater: urban outfitters – belt: gap – skirt: thrifted (no tag and I suspect it was a server’s uniform skirt at one time) – boots: zara

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

forever 21 dress 3

forever 21 dress2

forever 21 dress 4

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

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

Treat Yo Self!

After months of debate with feelings of yearning mixed with guilt, I bought myself a new computer.  Our school got a hard-to-staff bonus this past December, so that finally pushed me over the edge into “treat yo self” territory.  My last iMac lasted me 7 great years, but is now so old nothing works well.  It won’t even restart without freezing up!  Oh hai, new iMac!

IMG_0482

While at the mall to pick up this new beast, B and I stopped into Banana Republic in search of new button down shirts for him.  He found nothing and I walked out with three new sweaters for about $20-$30 each.  Treat Yo Self.  Of course, I had to wear one of them the very next day.

banaba republic high low sweater

banaba republic

banaba republic2

sweater: banana republic – belt: gap – jeans: uniqlo – boots: madewell – necklace: from my mom – watch: pebble

 

Erika S. outfits

Zen

I’m determined to “zen it out” this semester.  How?  By doing fun stuff (and not stressing over the details)!  This past weekend was a three day weekend.  I went snowboarding.  I cleaned the house (boring!).  I had brunch with an amazing group of friends.  I went climbing at a new gym.  I cooked a kick-ass sunday night dinner type meal, on a Monday. It was a good day weekend.

I even broke myself out of the jeans + sweater rut I’ve been in at school all this month and broke out an *actual* skirt to wear.  Amazing.  This skirt has been collecting dust in my closet for close to 5 years now. I think it’s been reborn as a winter staple and I’m going to wear it all the time, starting now.  I’ve seen at least 2 other colleagues with the same J.Crew “city mini” in different colors this past month, and that inspired me to go rooting around for mine.  I’m happy to shop my own closet.

jcrew wool skirtjcrew city mini skirtjcrew city mini skirt2

glasses: warby parker – cardigan: uniqlo – t-shirt and tights: h&m – belt: gap – skirt: j.crew – boots: franco sarto

Erika S. basics, outfits

Snow Day

We’ve already had a snow day here in Denver!  Our last week of school before the winter break was finals week – and we had a snow day right in the middle of it.  Timing wasn’t great, but having a surprise day off is totally amazing.  It snowed about a foot that day.  Now it may not seem like it, but I do in fact have a life outside of my classroom (see my instagram for proof) and I do wear clothes everyday.  I have every intention of blogging more outside of the classroom in 2016, so I’m starting now.  I set up the tripod in the backyard, and stood outside in the snow.  B looks at me funny when I do this, but OH WELL.

I got out of my pajamas on this snow day just to go to the mall for some Christmas shopping.  Basic t-shirt and jeans thing.  It was snowing like crazy, but Denver hardly ever feels all that cold.  It is cold, and it does snow here (lots), but its so much more pleasant and “winter wonderland-ish” compared to the biting, icy, miserable sleet that would happen in New York City.

snow in denver3snow in denver2snow in denver

beanie and cardigan: uniqlo – hoodie: threadless – t shirt: threads for thought – jeans: h&m – belt: gap – boots: dr. martins

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, teaching

Science!

Thanksgiving break officially has started for me.  YAY.  I get tomorrow “off” with the rest of the science department, because my principal is generously sending us to the Colorado Science Conference for Professional Development.  I’m so freaking excited.  I haven’t attended a science conference since my first year, when the NTSA held their national conference in SF.  As a first year teacher, it was all wasted on me while in survival mode.  This time around, I’m ready with my science teacher hat.  I need a fresh step in my science curriculum.

I love science.  I teach science.  Every. single. PD I attend is about reading/writing/speaking (common core).  Where is the science at?  No where.  Until now.  Have I mentioned how excited I am about tomorrow?

the feels

the feels2

the feels3

cardigan and jeans: madewell – belt: gap – shirt: uniqlo – boots: doc martins

Erika S. outfits

The Greys

Winter’s color palette is here.  The leaves have fallen, a blizzard is brewing and everything looks grey.   I’m matching the vibe today – muted and grey.  A storm is brewing here in Denver.  This means ski/board season has begun!

Short post today – not much else to say except eat well and rest well over the Thanksgiving break!

greys

greys2
glasses: bon look – sweater: madewell – jeans: h&m – belt: gap – boots: cole haan via nordstrom rack