One piece of advice conveyed to me as a student in high school has never really helped. It went something like this: When in trouble When in doubt Run in circles Scream and shout. While my ability to confront and manage stressful situations has never found me resorting to this worrying piece of advice, my…
Author: Todd Savelle
Perfection Is Boring
In The LEGO Movie, they sing that “everything is awesome” because, in the little brick world in which the movie begins, everything about life operates in such a way that even mistakes seem wonderful in the rare instances when they occur. And by rare, of course, they mean almost never. The real world in which…
Butch, Sundance, the Internet, and You
Do you like ukulele music? No, you love it; that’s why you moved to Hawaii. I think my love for the ukulele is born out of the opening chords of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, sung by B. J. Thomas for the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance…
Functional Dysfunction: Teacher Teams
We humans are difficult creatures. As a lifelong human and curmudgeon, there should be little surprise in me saying that. Still, despite my cynicism, I enjoy people. People are my favorite humans, and I have come to face the brutal fact that life requires being around other people. As a teacher, you face the same…
Recharging Dead Batteries
The world is a strange place indeed. One person’s morning pick-me-up is made of hot water filtered through finely ground, roasted (i.e. burnt) beans. Another person prefers hot water filtered through dried leaves. Still others crack open a can of carbon dioxide–infused water and corn syrup for their morning pick-me-up. I always smile when I…
Time for Your Regular Checkup
“To the man who only has a hammer, everything he encounters begins to look like a nail.” ― Abraham Harold Maslow You may be familiar with Mr. Maslow. He has a Hierarchy of Needs named for him. However, this is not what I’m concerned with today. You have tests to administer and a curriculum to…
What You May Have Missed
I’m on vacation for a few days, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your fill of Todd’s blogs. Just Who Do You Think You Are? – Tell us about your teaching style. Are you student centered or teacher centered? There’s no wrong answer. Rate Your Tech Savvy – Every teacher has to face new…
Poor Pluto
It’s not easy being a planet. For one thing, unless you’re Earth, it’s pretty lonely out there in the solar system. Sure, Mars is getting all the attention these days with some incredibly impressive visitors. But as red-hot as Mercury is, there’s not much going on. Saturn’s got rings, but no medals or awards. And…
Flatulent Footwear and the Parts of the Brain
Story time. A few of my coworkers know I’ve spent a better part of the last two years searching for just the right new pair of shoes for work. While I was about to say that I am usually not picky about footwear, the editorial fact checker sitting at the back of my brain slapped…
Just Who Do You Think You Are?
How full does your lesson plan book need to be? Lesson plan books vary as widely as the teachers using them. I remember some teachers who crafted plan books detailed with the precision and flourish of a Rembrandt crossed with a Seurat, complete with stickers, inserts, overlays, and of course, about eight different colors of ink,…