Happy Blogaversary to Me!
One year ago, I embarked on the journey of writing Notes from the School Psychologist. I had stories galore about working in large urban school districts that I thought others might want to know, learn about, or just laugh with me as I try to remain sane in a world where I have heard, “This […]
Frau Psychologist!
Every school district has THAT psychologist. THAT psychologist who everyone is hoping will just retire already. Everyone is just waiting a few more years for that incompetent person to leave. The mere mention of THAT psychologist’s name strikes fear and disgust in people’s hearts. The other day, a colleague said the name of an incompetent […]
Tune in, Bay Area Night Owls, for a NFTSP Sound Bite!
For those of you in the San Francisco area, I was interviewed for NBC News, and the piece is allegedly airing tonight, Monday the 22nd at 11pm, on KNTV Bay Area Channel 11. I was interviewed about a new study on the potential positive sides of video games.* They wanted an Educational Psychologist’s take on […]
The One in Which My Lunch is Interrupted by a Faux Knife Fight
The teacher’s lounge can be a scary place to be. I have been assigned as the school psychologist in no less than 10 different schools in the past few years and have seen my fair share of teacher’s lounges. Each one has it’s own culture. Sometimes, I judge a school by the collegiality of the […]
I Have a Whole Bag of Worry with my Name on It
“Worry is like a rocking chair—it gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere” –Dorothy Galyean I had dinner with some graduate school classmates from UC Berkeley the other day, and after two minutes of social pleasantries, we of course launched into our favorite topic: The Public School System. We are all […]
Special Education: The Department of Redundancy Department
This is the post in which I realize that crazy has become normal. Since I’ve been immersed in crazy for 7 years, I didn’t even realize what I was saying today was crazy until I said it to a new staff member. I actually found myself in the following conversation: New Administrator: Can we make […]
Pay Attention!
I recently got in a fender bender in my car, which I could blame on my dog for being so cute in the back seat, but really, it was all my fault. I was distracted by said dog, and just rolled right into the lady in front of me. She was really nice, but she […]
The First Two Days Back In Public School: By The Numbers
Number of Icebreakers: 7,000Number of Schools Assigned to Me: 3Number of Days in Working Public School Per Week: 3Ratio of School Psychologist (Me!) to Students: 1:350 Number of Dead Rodents Discovered at School: 1Number of Janitors Available to Help Clean Up Dead Rodent: 0Number of Times I Gagged Trying to Dispose of Carcass: 47*Number of […]
The Snap Cup
If there’s one thing educators love even more than reflection, it’s ice breakers. The first week back is full of “getting to know you activities” and clever ways to personalize otherwise mundane policy reviews, cleverly disguised as “Professional Development.” I have participated in 6, maybe 7,000 ice breakers in my day. I can’t stand them, […]
Checklist for New Teachers
Class List? Check. Office Max trip? Check.New lunchbox? Check.Systematic Classroom Management Plan designed to set the stage for the whole year? Um….. I have been in the urban public school world long enough to see bright-eyed new teachers quit by Halloween. I have handed out Kleenex during consultations like nobody’s business. I have great respect […]
