Lizards and Donuts

Whose idea was Teacher Appreciation Week anyway?  In theory, it's a good idea, but in practice . . . not so much.   Teacher Appreciation Week is like celebrating your birthday after you turn 30.  You have high expectations, but end up being disappointed and feelling worse than you did before.

On Wednesday, we had a staff meeting in which a new hire quoted a student who described our school as a "prison" and labeled the classrooms as "joyless." I'm not sure that Angela Davis would agree that a school where students read literature in a flower filled garden is part of The Prison Industrial Complex.

These kids are clearly suffering from Stockholm Syndrome

In Things Fall Apart, Achebe writes, "The lizard that jumped from the high iroko tree said that he would praise himself if no one else did," so James and I decided to hit the streets to find our joy!   Our first stop was Maison Harlem where we toasted each other over wine, cheese, and charcuterie. James joyfully announced that it was Teacher Appreciation Week, and the bartender convinced the manager to give us 25 percent off our tab.

The next day we visited Carvin's Donuts on 129th and Lenox.  We had been waiting for this place to open for months and were overjoyed that they chose Teacher Appreciation Week to do so.  The mini-donuts are made to order and come in flavors with names like "Faith, "Joy" and "Motivation."  Needless to say, we ordered  "Joy."  I can't wait to bring Chloe to this place so that I can try "Passion" (caramel drizzle and sea salt) and "Happy" (cinnamon sugar, honey, and banana chips).  If you enjoy beignets or funnel cake this is the place for you!

Good teachers lead with the positive. We give precise praise. We build students up until they trust us enough to allow us to address their shortcomings. Why is it ok for teachers to be treated in the opposite manner?  We must model the behavior that we want to see in our students.  Summer vacation awaits!