Yes, lately I’m feeling the alliteration. What can I say, it makes me happy. Almost as happy as making a lemon cake from Keto Bakes. No, let me be honest. Making and eating anything that is even close to lemon pound cake makes me much happier than picking a post title…lol
This mix was easy and tasted amazing. I also added some fresh lemon juice to the glaze because I love the combination of the sweet and tart. And I love lemony things. Perfection!
It did cook up a bit dense and a little lower in the pan than I was expecting, but that could be me. I think I need to get better at using the mixer to ‘whip’ cream cheese so it’s fluffier. Maybe I need to try a different attachement?
Which made me think about what I’m good at and what I need to get better at.
We’re coming up on the beginning of the school year again and, as a teacher, I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to plan for every possible contingency. But this year is different. This year, for the first time in almost 25 years, I have no idea what I’m walking into. I’ve never taught children who spent a year+ learning from home on a computer. I have no idea who the children are because I haven’t seen them in the hallway, gotten to talk to them on ‘move up day’ (when the students go up to the higher grade to meet the teachers and see the classrooms). I’ve done none of it. Neither have my future students.
I also don’t know what they are coming to school with. Are they thrilled to be back, happy to get out of the house and away from annoying siblings (because almost all siblings are annoying when you’re in 8th grade), and pleased to be back in their own sphere of influence? Or are they nervous about coming back, scared the kid who bullied them last year will go right back to it, concerned for the people they are leaving at home, worried about getting sick? Or are they all of those things in an all day long alternating sequence? My experience tells me it will be the last option and I’ll have kids falling asleep, hungry in the middle of the morning, not sure what is and is not allowable, and uniform issues on top of the regular 8th grade back to school adjustment period.
I’m not sure how, but I feel like I need to convey to my students the lessons I have learned as I baked this cake. Most specifically, figuring out what you’re good at and deciding if you want to get better and, if you do, what to do about it. For me, it’s making a cake. For them, I’d hazard a guess that it’s a lot more significant.
They will be dealing with existential questions about themselves, as only 8th graders can, while also trying to figure out how to deal with their voice changing, their body changing, their family treating them like children when they feel like an adult, and all their friends going through the same things. There is rarely a calm moment in an 8th graders’ life in which they can stop and assess what they are doing and figure out a plan of action without disruption or distraction. When I finished baking my cake, I had time to learn from my first attempt and figure out what I need to change to get my ‘work’ where I want it to be. Now I need to figure out how to create an environment where kids can do the same.
How do I do that? Again, for the first time in 25 years, I’m not sure. What I do know is that this year I need to be doubly sure to create a classroom culture where kindness is the norm, grace is given as a typical response, and we work together to solve problems that arise. If I need those things, I’m 110% sure my students do as well.
So I have delicious lemon cake (and with a hurricane coming, I can use a little comfort food), a lot to think about, and lots of planning to do. I go in to set up my classroom this week and then the students show up next week, so it’s on my mind and I have a deadline for having things figured out. I know that once I get started, my experience and ability to research and quickly learn new strategies and theories will kick in. Now all I need is to figure out where to start. Except, where do you start when your problem is a year and a half of learning from home/on an altered schedule due to a worldwide pandemic?
I think I need a slice of lemon cake…
Duct Tape and Dreams 