M. Jacob

Bored? Wish you had an even greater sense of existential dread? Listen to audiobooks and audio short stories (coming soon) on my SoundCloud channel. soundcloud.com/mjacobwrites

Students in 2023 are… 1) Better at articulating their emotional state and learning needs 2) Less likely to tolerate a disrespectful teacher or assignment or class environment These are good things. Maybe not always easy things, but good things.

When two books you’re very much looking forward to come out on the same day, that’s a damn good Tuesday.

This is unacceptable. If your school is sending out messages like this, especially in light of the past 2.5 years, you have a responsibility to push back. Teach your children that their physical and mental health is more important than pretty much anything—especially school.

I've been in education, addressing student social emotional wellbeing for sixteen years. Mental health is absolutely something we need to focus on, but it isn't a panacea. #GunViolence link.medium.com/6f5eeoZTtrb

A baby went to a 4th of July parade & left an orphan. The way we’re living in this country makes zero sense..

If you spend more time thinking about how to police kids rather than how to inspire them, you’re in the wrong profession.

If Charles Manson were alive today. NPR would give him 6 minutes to explain why sneaking into people's houses and cutting them up is a fine idea. Then the NPR interviewer would state politely that not all people embrace that view and would thank Manson for his time.

If you’re still telling your students that they’re safe from gun violence in this country, you’re a liar, and your students know it.

Standardized testing about broke me today. It’s all just too damn much—for admin, support staff, teachers, parents, and, most importantly, too much for children who’ve patiently endured through a childhood that’s mostly been an unmitigated worldwide nightmare. Enough.

How did I end my last 8th grade class of the day today? “What’s the topic sentence of your life right now?”

My son (9) & I were talking about Ukraine. I asked how he would feel if we had to flee but his dad had to stay & fight. Y’all, I know it’s scary, but have hard conversations with your kids. Keeping them innocent to the world they’re inheriting wastes time that we do not have.

Wrote this piece for one of my best friends, who is giving birth to her twins tomorrow. Sending love to all the parents and almost parents trying to navigate this dumpster fire. link.medium.com/WFzJOLEeSnb

I feel like this about sums it up.

Everyone at work today: 50% of brain—on task, doing the working Other 50% of brain—La-da-da-da-dah. It’s the motherf***** D-O-double G.

There is a concerted, relentless, and coordinated attempt to dismantle education going on in this country. It is going on in evey state. It is going on in pretty much every community. If you are not actively opposing it, you’re going to wish that you had when it is too late.

My district went mask optional today. No prep for teachers or staff to work our way up to it. It was the worst day of teaching I’ve had in 16 years.

Am I the only person getting hardcore uncanny valley vibes from the new Facebook avatars? I feel like this is the start to a sci-fi short story. It doesn’t end well. #Facebook #fbavatars #Metaverse #sciencefiction

@Jess5th My boss keeps sending our team links to conferences and encouraging us to apply, but none of us have the mental capacity to make it happen.

Me: Has given life advice to over a thousand teenagers over the past 15 years. Also me: Found a bag of foul smelling goo in the kitchen. After 15 minutes of wondering what it was, I realized it was onions I’d minced on Xmas that were rotting their way through a phase change.