Bernard Walter

Tag: Teaching

  • January 7, 2025

    It was 9:30 pm before I finally put work away today. That’s too late.

    One goal I have for myself this year is to establish and maintain a better work-life balance, which includes building SANA Stationery & Gifts, my side hustle. I was supposed to do that work last year but I never got around to it.

    The problem with working too much is that I don’t then get enough room to gain enough perspective on the work I’m doing. Without that distant vantage point, I become entangled in the centre of a spiral. My worldview becomes less of a kaleidoscope and more of a paper towel tube.

  • January 6, 2025

    After falling asleep early last night, I found myself tossing and turning throughout most of the night. For two weeks, I slept well, waking up rested. In one night, it was undone.

    My students didn’t seem to sleep any better than I had. Eyes were bloodshot, half-closed, and fully-closed. Feet were dragging across floors and heads were resting on desks.

    The most common response to any question I ask is, “I don’t know.” Today, it was said with an indifference that intimated a complete lack of awareness or concern. Nothing could have roused them from the latent slumber of a winter break spent playing videos games, staying up late, and eating junk food.

    Of course, my break included much the same. I didn’t fair too well, either. My only goal for today was to get to the other end of it and I did. Tomorrow, I’ll introduce a little bit more work, as I will on Wednesday and the day after that, ad infinitum.

    Even still, I must remain steadfast in my commitment to ensure that I have the time and energy to do the things for myself that I enjoy.

  • May 1, 2024

    I donated a pen to our school’s biggest fundraiser of the year, Falcon Fest. Earlier this year, I ran the book fair. Just last week, a popcorn sale took place to support one of the clubs. Since the fall, two fundraising lunches have taken place during the week – Subway sandwiches and PizzaPizza pizza. Then, too, there were candy grams, bake sales, and dance-a-thons. There is always someone asking for money.

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  • April 19, 2024

    I completed my final commitment to the Digital Lead Learner program today. All I had to do was stand at a booth for about an hour and talk about Minecraft. It took some doing to get there but it’s done now.

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  • April 10, 2024

    To help me reengage at work, I’ve decided to look for some small projects that I find interesting. I’m starting a new math unit this week so I thought it would be fun to make a proof for the Pythagorean theorem. It was fun.

    I started working on one with cardboard at work. It worked okay. Then, I thought I’d make one with my laser cutter. It works a little better. Next, I’m going to make some improvements to see what I can’t do to make it even better. I’m thinking an axle and stand would be a nice touch.

    That’s what I did tonight.

  • April 4, 2024

    I realised something this morning that put me on my back foot a little. At once, there was relief in the acknowledgement and an unsettling in the realisation.

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  • March 21, 2024

    Today is Navroz, the new year, timed to fall on, or right next to, the spring equinox. To celebrate, the world has given us negative double-digit weather and grey, moody skies. Our winter was mild. Spring has yet to be sprung.

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  • February 23, 2024

    “Look, he’s even smiling,” said one of my students today after I had told the whole class how well they have been doing, how they’ve really turned things around since the beginning of the school year. This is the third year that I’ve worked with most of these students, so we have some familiarity with each other. They’ve seen me smile before.

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  • October 10, 2023

    I learned something about myself today that I already knew. See, I was given the day to clean a room of the library. Just the one room. It was a mess, filled with loose cables and broken computers. Spending the day working on just the one task reminded me of how I work best when I’m given time to focus.

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  • October 3, 2023

    I gave my students “toilet tokens” today. Last night, I printed off some miniature toilets on my 3D printer and each of my students in one of my classes one. I’ve had enough of them leaving class every single day.

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  • September 22, 2023

    One of my students asked me how I’m doing this afternoon. I told him, and the rest of the class, that I’ve been in a terrible mood for the last couple of weeks and can’t figure out why. We joked about how it was probably because of school and them, the class. Truthfully, I don’t know why I’ve been so sour lately.

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  • September 15, 2023

    Do you see yourself as a leader?

    This is a writing prompt.

    A couple of years ago, I had a vice-principal who was encouraging me to take my principal qualifications. She told me that I have leadership qualities, that I like to move conversations and ideas forward. I appreciate what she said but I don’t know that that’s what makes for a good leader.

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