Sunday, November 13, 2016

10 thoughts on school culture:

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Sunday, October 30, 2016

Our kids need different, not more...

We've all been there and we've all done it.

As the teacher, we teach something but the students don't understand it.

In our minds the material and skills are quite simple and straight forward, but for some reason the students just aren't grasping the information.

Our natural instincts take over and we do what makes sense to us...

Maybe if I talk louder and more slowly and repeat myself 4 times the students will understand it.

Maybe if I give more homework problems for practice the students will eventually work themselves into understanding the material.

Maybe if I explain it a few more times the information will begin to sink in.

And then... with all these maybes, we still don't see results.

So, then we do once again what makes sense to us...

Let's repeat all those maybes because something's bound to stick if we do it all again.

It's like a bad recurring dream and we've ALL been there and we've ALL done it.

As educators we tend to believe that kids need 'more' of whatever we are doing if it's ever going to make sense to them.

So we give them more... and more... and more... more right up until the kids are disgusted and we the educators have forgotten why we are even doing what we are doing.

The more we give the further our students get from actually understanding or mastering the skills.

Let's ditch the 'more' and start focusing on ways we can get the same information or skills across 'differently.'

Our kids don't need more of something they don't understand... they need what they don't understand presented differently.

Oh, and while we are at it, let's commit ourselves to allowing our students to have a voice in determining what different might look like.

You never know, their version of different just might make all the difference...

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Monday, October 24, 2016

10 thoughts to get you thinking about #education...

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Friday, August 12, 2016

10 ways technology transforms student learning:


1). Technology elevates the depth and scope of learning that can occur in the classroom.

2). Technology brings relevance and a certain level of ‘freshness’ to the content.

3). Technology shifts the role of the educator and empowers students to take control of their learning.

4). Technology provides opportunities to amplify student voices and expand overall reach.

5). Technology connects experts and those ‘in the know’ to students and their learning. 

6). Technology increases the speed and accuracy of students getting feedback to further guide their learning.

7). Technology provides opportunities for students to get a more personalized learning experience.

8). Technology builds independence and capacity to be a self-learner.

9). Technology creates a platform for students to raise awareness about a cause and/or initiate change toward a cause.

10). Technology becomes a bridge between what kids hope for and what is currently possible.


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Friday, July 8, 2016

10 things students want all teachers to know

1). Students want you to actually spend the time to get to know them...

Get to know your students by name as soon as possible. Learn something unique about them and find out what makes them tick. Students know when teachers don't know anything about them, so make getting to know your students a top priority.

2). Students want to have a voice in the learning process and want to share 'their' way of doing things...

Students want learning to be done 'with' them... not 'to' them. Schools are idea factories with a seemingly limitless amount of new and fresh ideas, so it's time we start tapping into that potential. Also, students bring unique perspectives and ways of thinking about life, so let them move up from passenger and let them drive the bus from time to time.

3). Students want to be treated with respect and dignity...

Students don't magically become motivated when they are embarrassed. They also don't appreciate it when you call them out to make a point and use them as an example. If you wouldn't like somebody doing it to you, then don't do it to your students.

4). Students want to be 'appropriately' challenged with meaningful and relevant learning experiences...

Students learn pretty quickly the differences between meaningful and productive work and mindless busy work. Students want you to push and challenge them with learning that provides them the skills to succeed. Additionally, students want and need the necessary supports as they struggle and navigate these more challenging learning experiences.

5). Students want educators to know that they too have bad and off days...

We all have bad days, and students are no different. Also, some students have quite a lot occurring in their lives outside of the education world. With that, education is at times understandably just not a top priority for them. Empathy and understanding go a long way in the classroom.

6). Students want their interests and passions to be infused into the learning that occurs in the classroom...

All students have interests and passions that go beyond the traditional school setting. It's these interests that students want you to integrate and combine with the learning that occurs in your classroom. When students are able to explore and further develop their interests while simultaneously meeting classroom learning objectives, great things are possible.

7). Students want educators to be truthful and honest...

When students feel you are being truthful and being honest, they can start to trust you. When students trust and respect you there are few things they won't do for you. This two-way street takes time to develop, but will yield significant dividends in the long-run.

8). Students want to be partners with you when it comes to the learning process...

Students don't want a 'teachers' vs. 'students' mentality in school. Students are looking to you for partnership and camaraderie in regard to learning and growth. It's this shift in traditional mindsets that really strengthens trust and collaboration between teachers and students.

9). Students want to know the work they are doing and the time they are committing to school will actually make a difference in the world...

Students spend a significant amount of time in school as they grow up, so it's only fair and appropriate that the time they spend and the work they do actually goes toward making the world a better place. The disconnect between doing something that makes a difference in the world and simply just doing something, makes all the difference.

10). At the end of the day, all students want to know their existence matters and that they are important...

Don't we all...?

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Thursday, June 23, 2016

5 ways to gauge student engagement: #edchat

Student engagement... a topic that is commonplace in schools and school districts around the world. The goal being that we want to have highly engaging classrooms where our students are intimately and passionately engaged in whatever task they are working on.

Engaged classrooms are where learning occurs and one of the defining characteristics of a great teacher is the ability to have his/her students engaged in learning.

But...I find student engagement to be a tricky and slippery slope at times because how we define student engagement can vary from educator to educator.

For example, when looking at a student who is working and doing what they are supposed to be doing, can we automatically assume they are engaged? Are they cognitively engaged or are they merely compliant and obedient? What about the kid who is passionately doodling and completely ignoring whatever the rest of the students and class are doing? Do we assume the student is not cognitively engaged because the student isn't compliant and obedient?

My point is simple... student engagement and the gauging of student engagement really aren't as easy or straightforward as some would think.

Also worth noting... I believe most of our kids are truly engaged at most times during the day. The question is... are they engaged in what we are wanting them to be engaged in...

Having said all that, here are 5 ways I feel pretty confident about in terms of knowing if your students are truly cognitively engaged in the learning occurring in your class.


 1). Your students are asking in-depth questions that are specific and relevant to the learning occurring in your class and the questions go beyond simple yes and no answers.

 2). Your students are curious about the topic and are expressing an interest in exploring the topic further beyond even your original intent.

 3). Your students are taking the initial and baseline information and are creating and designing something completely different and completely new.

 4). Your students are able to explain the purpose and reasoning behind learning what they are currently learning and see how it relates to their lives and the bigger picture.

 5). Your students can clearly explain and articulate where they are in terms of their learning progression... they know where they are doing well and they know where they are still struggling.


What other signs and indicators would you say constitute true student engagement?


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10 questions every teacher should ask themselves: #edchat #ntchat

1). What percent of your students are going beyond just compliance and are actually cognitively engaged in deep self-driven and relevant learning?

2). How often are students in your class offered the opportunity to move around and get 'the blood' flowing with some type of physical activity?

3). How often are kids in your class able to work in teams and work collaboratively on some type of group learning activity?

4). When was the last time you read a professional book or article and you tried something new as a result of what you read in the book/article?

5). If you had to describe the perfect and ideal classroom, what would be your top three most important characteristics?

6). How confident are you that your students could tell someone who doesn't teach what you teach specifically where they are struggling and where they are succeeding in regard to their learning?

7). Let's assume audio was recorded for an entire week in your classroom. Of all the voices that are heard during that time, whose voice do you believe would be heard the most?

8). If you eliminated all the grades in your classroom, do you think students would still actively participate and continue learning?

9). If a group of teachers from another school district who taught a similar content/grade came and observed your classroom, what do you think they would say in their post-conversation?

10). If you were the principal for the week and you got to observe every classroom in your building, what would you want to see in all the classrooms?

BONUS: What's the ratio of consumption to creation in your classroom when it comes to the work students are doing?

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Thursday, June 16, 2016

Subjectivity in grading ... #sblchat


Take a moment to read this excerpt below from a Tom Guskey article:

If you're a student, are these results realistic to what you experience in your classes with your teachers?

If you're a teacher, would you agree with these two studies based on conversations you've had with your colleagues?

If you're an administrator, how could you ever truly support and defend your teachers in an environment like this?

If you're a parent, how confusing could these levels of subjectivity be in understanding what your son/daughter actually knows?

This level of grading subjectivity is plaguing classrooms all over the world...

Maybe this 100 year old study should be 'refreshed' and reintroduced.

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Tuesday, May 24, 2016

10 reasons why it's a great time to be in #education

As many of us are ending a hopefully successful school year, it's a great time to reflect on where we are as educators. Additionally, it's never too early to start looking toward next school year. Having said that, we have much to look forward to and much to be excited about. Here are 10 reasons why I believe it's a great time to be in education:

1) - Global competition is increasing and the pool for career opportunities is becoming more fierce. As the world seems to get smaller, students are being forced to compete with an even larger pool of applicants for colleges, for jobs, and for life in general. It's my belief that through this increase in competition, both schools and students will rise to the occasion to ensure all kids are prepared to be successful regardless of what path they choose in life.

2) - Everyone thinks they know what is best for education. Now, some would argue this is a bad thing, but the reality is, everyone and their mom (I love you mom) seem to think they are an expert in education. On the positive side, this has brought education to the forefront as one of the most important and pressing issues facing society. The fact that everyone has a past education experience means education will always remain a top priority.

3) - Technology is changing the way the world does business. Technology is enabling things to happen that were never before possible. This has huge implications for education as a whole. Education systems are no longer limited to what they can or can't do; they are limited to their creativity and their ability to think innovatively.


4) - Students are bringing more and more knowledge and experience into the educational setting than ever before. When in history have students been able to teach the teachers and be an instrumental part to the educational process as much as they are now? This shift has continued to push the mindset that educators are no longer simply dispensers of knowledge; but rather are facilitators and instigators of self-directed learning by students. In this environment, educators can learn just as much from their students as the students can learn from them.

5) - College education programs are getting better and better. Now, I'm not saying we can't continue to improve here, but I believe college education programs are doing a better job of preparing young teachers to be successful in an education career. This includes moving education programs away from just theory and approach to actual hands-on learning alongside mentor teachers. More college education programs are getting future teachers into classrooms earlier on and pairing them with more experienced mentors. Not perfect yet, but definitely getting better.

6) - More and more districts are collaborating with local businesses. This is a very exciting aspect of education now. Local businesses and the overall business industry have a vested interest in seeing kids who are prepared and are ready for the work force. The more partnerships that are formed between school districts and the business industry, the better prepared our kids will be upon entering the job market.

7) - We are learning that money is not the single determining factor for student success. It's easy to believe and often misleading when people say that money is the most important factor when determining overall student success. First off, we need to discuss what 'student success' means, but secondly, there are countless examples of schools and districts that are finding success who would not be characterized as 'wealthy' schools or districts. Of course, money does help, but don't assume if you don't have money you can't find success. Success may not be easy to find, but I assure you it comes in more forms than just the green type.

8) - Schools are once again becoming the center and hub of the community. Too often there is a disconnect between the schools and the communities in which they serve. This is slowly but surely changing. Our schools in our districts are becoming centralized hubs of not only student learning, but also learning for parents and people within the community. If schools aren't there to serve the community, then how could we ever say we are truly serving our students?

9) - Innovation and creativity are all around us. Keep your eyes and ears open because there are a lot of great things happening in education. As schools and districts continue to do a better job of telling their stories, the positives of education are becoming more and more prevalent. What once was a story dominated by all the negatives, is slowly shifting toward a story that emphasizes the positives and the opportunities around us.

10) - Every single day educators get to impact, influence, encourage, support, guide and help students become the best they can be. If this doesn't make you feel that it's a great time to be in education, then perhaps it's best you make room for someone who does...

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Sunday, April 10, 2016

Financial savvy with Earn Your Future Digital Lab

Personal finance continues to grow in importance. Though the importance and relevance continue to mount, unfortunately, there are still far too many young folks who struggle with the concept and frankly lack awareness. Furthermore, it's these younger years that often prove to be the most critical, so it's in the best interest of schools to continue our focus on teaching personal finance.

The PWC Charitable Foundation has put together a financial literacy program called Earn Your Future Digital Lab. This program is level/module-based and provides students in grades 3-12 the opportunity to gain valuable skills related to personal finance. 

As an educator, you can sign up and explore the different levels and modules, as well as get your entire class set up.

There are three different levels that are each designed for a different age group. Level 1 is designed for beginners in grades 3-5. This level is currently not available, but should be soon. Level 2 is intermediate for grades 6-8, and lastly, level 3 is advanced for grades 9-12.


When you start exploring the different modules within the levels, you start to see the true value in this program. Whether it is related to mortgages, saving money for that cool new phone, dabbling in the stock market, or applying for that first credit card, there's something for everyone within these levels and modules.




Another really neat feature of this program is the 'badge' system where students acquire new and different badges based on their learning and progress. When students go through the levels and modules, they will experience relevant and applicable scenarios that all students can relate to. Additionally, the modules provide students 'drag and drop' scenarios along with some basic and simple math computation scenarios.



Lastly, at the end of each module, students get a 'key learning points' summation to bring it all together. It's a great way to recap all the highlights from the module to ensure the information is retained by students.


In closing, this program does an excellent job of ensuring students can work at their own pace. There's nothing limiting the students to one level or module at the same time, which is critical to creating a personalized learning experience for students. 

PWC has created a viable program here which undoubtedly can help us as we work to provide key exposure and learning for our students when it comes to personal finance.

This is a sponsored recommendation and I have received compensation for writing this blog post.

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Saturday, March 12, 2016

5 ways to make your classroom student-centered

A student-centered classroom allows students to be an integral part of the assessment development process. This doesn't necessarily mean every assessment is created and designed by students, but it does mean there is a collaborative and joint venture of teachers and students in the planning and implementation stages of assessments. Students who help to design and create their assessments will find the assessments to be more meaningful, and typically students end up creating assessments that are more challenging than what teachers would have created anyway...


A student-centered classroom focuses on finding solutions to real-world problems. Too often our classroom focus is on solving problems that lack relevance and purpose in the eyes of students. The student-centered classroom addresses real-world problems that affect or will affect students. This in turn will provide meaning and context to student-driven learning, which then will increase levels of engagement and overall student involvement.

A student-centered classroom is not about what the teacher is doing or what the teacher has done; it's about what the students are doing and what the students can do in the future. We all have experienced the teacher observation model that focuses just on what the teacher is doing, but more and more models are now focusing on what the students are doing. Obviously, what the teacher does affects and impacts what the students are doing, but the most important piece is what the students are doing or are able to do as a result of what the teacher is doing.

A student-centered classroom embraces the notion that there are multiple ways to accomplish an individual task. When we limit and confine students to following a certain and specific path, we ultimately end up limiting their levels of ownership, innovation, and creativity. A student-centered classroom allows, encourages, and embraces the multitude of paths one can take to solve a given problem. This also allows for students to follow their strengths and their interests when completing a task.

A student-centered classroom firmly believes that there is a partnership and a strong level of trust between educators and students. The teacher no longer is and hasn't been for a while the 'smartest' person in the room. Because of this, we need to continue forging a partnership between the teachers and the students and accept an equal playing field when it comes to learning, exploration, and discovery. This partnership is built on trust, and trust happens when we are vulnerable and open to learning with and from others...

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Sunday, February 28, 2016

10 reasons it's time to move beyond textbooks

1). Paper is getting more and more expensive and textbooks frankly aren't very environmentally friendly.

2). Because the typical history book has just a few pages on the Civil War and when I google the 'Civil War' I get 870,000,000 results in .047 seconds.

3). I have never seen a textbook that wasn't written with bias or written free of errors. So all the folks who believe that textbooks are 'reliable' and 'unbiased' resources, are sadly mistaken.

4). Textbooks can't be adapted and can't be updated once they are printed.

5). There are so many relevant and up-to-date resources that are available for free or for very low cost. When it comes to personalizing and differentiating instruction, textbooks aren't the best choice because they offer a one-size fits all approach.

6). Let's be honest, kids aren't going home and 'reading' textbooks. Also, if kids are doing worksheets and answering questions from a textbook, it's time to reevaluate your instructional practices.

7). Textbooks are quite expensive when compared to similar resources and instructional materials, and when school budgets are being stretched, the money should be spent elsewhere.

8). Textbooks are heavy, bulky, taste good to dogs, and lead to student back problems... I'm not seeing much positive here!

9). Real life doesn't come with a textbook, so why are we so focused on believing that kids need a textbook to learn...?

10). 1,000 different textbooks on 1,000 different topics can be replaced by one single device with access to the internet... enough said.

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Sunday, January 24, 2016

Kids don't need to be ready for school... schools need to be ready for kids

Dan French shared this wonderful tweet that really got me thinking:


This really got me thinking because we spend so much time telling kids they need to do this or they need to do that so they can be successful in school. We project this mentality that if kids aren't prepared to experience this and aren't able to handle that, they're doomed to fail.

We inadvertently transfer the pressure and accountability onto our kids and all the while, we tend to forget that they are just that... kids living in a rapidly changing world.

We also, somewhat arrogantly, assume we know exactly what is best for kids and know exactly what they need to do to be successful in life.

But, what if it were reversed and schools spent their time ensuring schools were ready for what kids were bringing to the table...?

What if kids started talking to schools about what schools needed to do to be prepared for them...?

What if schools were feeling the pressure from students rather than the other way around?

We know life and the world around us are changing more quickly than ever before. And, it's these kids who come to our schools wanting, needing and DESERVING a system that's ready for them and is able to meet their needs.

And as a new parent and educator, I have no idea what my son Emory will need in 5 years when he starts his formal schooling... but I hope at least someone will ask him and consider what it means to be ready for him.

So, the next time you get together with your colleagues, focus on ensuring your school and/or classroom are ready for kids and not the other way around.

Maybe the conversation will be the same... maybe it will be completely different. :)


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Wednesday, January 6, 2016

10 dreams I have for my son's #education

My wife and I celebrated our son, @emorytarte's, 1st birthday just a few weeks ago. Having a young man moving around the house has been quite the experience to say the least. :) 

I now can call myself an educator AND a parent, and the statement, 'you're not a parent, so you don't understand,' no longer applies.

Having said that, I've worked in education for almost 11 years and I've seen the system from the classroom to building administration to district administration, which gives me a rather unique perspective on how education is done.

Now, in a little less than 5 years, my son will be entering the education system, so here are 10 dreams I have that will hopefully be realized by the time he is ready to begin his formal education.

1). I dream of an education system that will never sacrifice play for more instructional time. Play is said to be the best form of research, and I want my son to do plenty of research.

2). I dream of an education system that really stands behind their statements of differentiation and personalized learning. My son is unique just like every other child out there, so I want him treated as such. Too often we treat these strategies as 'events' rather than the way we conduct business.

3). I dream of an education system that boldly recruits and goes after the most innovative and creative thinking folks in society. I want my son to learn with educators who think big and dream of what could be. I want my son's teachers to build their lessons around the question, 'what if?'

4). I dream of an education system that physically looks completely different from the current education system. The architectural layout of most schools just isn't conducive to the types of learning experiences kids need, so it's time schools revisit and retool as needed to account for new approaches.

5). I dream of an education system that commits to creating and designing authentic learning experiences that go far beyond the walls of the actual school and community. The world is getting smaller and global connectedness is the future. My son deserves the opportunity to see beyond his own community.

6). I dream of an education system that solves problems that will make our world a better place. There's no shortage of serious problems facing society, so why not tap into all the knowledge and brain power we have entering our schools every single day. I want my son working on these problems that will ultimately affect him as he gets older.

7). I dream of an education system that views my son's learning as holistic in nature and not compartmentalized into tiny different learning units. Education is a fluid process and isn't and can't be contained and most certainly shouldn't be siloed.

8). I dream of an education system that doesn't get in the way of itself. Far too often we know what we need to do and we know what is right, but yet we fail to do anything because the system we've built prevents us. My son can't wait for the red tape to be cleared.

9). I dream of an education system that focuses more on creation than consumption. Sure, my son will need some basic knowledge, but in the end he will need and will be expected to create something with that basic knowledge. I don't want my son limited to just eating... I want him to be able to cook too.

10). I dream of an education system that is flexible and adaptable enough to meet the ever-changing needs of my son. What he needs to know now vs. what he will need to know later aren't the same, and I expect his education system to recognize that.

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Saturday, January 2, 2016

10 images to share at your next faculty meeting

Should we be averaging grades...? via @tguskey

via @davidgeurin

via @jurgenappelo

via @toddwhitaker & @stevegruenert


via @starwarsintheclass

Change your grading mindset vocabulary... via @mssackstein

Feedback is the key to student learning... via @grantwiggins & @edutopia

The real world... via @alicekeeler & @sylviaduckworth

via @teachergoals


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Friday, January 1, 2016

10 most read blog posts of 2015

2015 was a good year and marks the 6th year for my blog, Life of an Educator. I finished the year with a total of 86 blog posts and have amassed a collection of 550 total blog posts over the last 6 years. I continue to find enjoyment and value in being open with my thoughts while being transparent about the work I'm passionate about in education.

Check out below my most read blog posts of 2015:

69,673 pageviews: 10 images to share at your next faculty meeting

 19,186 pageviews: Should all classrooms be like kindergarten classrooms?

 17,490 pageviews: Still not sure about redos/retakes... then read this

 16,455 pageviews: Dear principal: A few things I'd like you to know

 16,339 pageviews: The engaged student vs. the compliant student

14,934 pageviews: 10 signs there's a grading problem in your classroom

14,199 pageviews: The grading system our kids deserve

 13,630 pageviews: 10 questions every educator should always be thinking about

 13,364 pageviews: 10 images to share at your next faculty meeting: part 2

12,812 pageviews: 10 questions to ask yourself before giving an assessment
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There's no such thing as 'just' a teacher...

You all know that child who doesn't have someone advocating for them. As a teacher, you are in a position to advocate for and fight for what is best for that child. Wow... what an awesome responsibility.

Where else in the world do you get to work with so many different personalities, egos, and varied life experiences all in the course of one day. If as a teacher you can't find something to learn from your students, then you aren't looking hard enough.

In what other profession can you literally witness the growth and development of a child on a daily basis? You are in a position to see first-hand the progress and growth that takes place every single day in classrooms around the world. You are able to take a student who possibly knows very little about his/her interests, and then help them discover and explore those interests while simultaneously watching them change before your eyes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ksten/
How many other professions can say they are a punching bag for the media and the sole reason for all the problems in society (joking here)? Educators seem to be getting all the attention... how cool is that to always be in the limelight! On a serious note, if what you were doing wasn't important, then people wouldn't notice and people wouldn't care.

Some of your students will get to know you better than anyone else in their lives. You will spend more time with some of your students than even their own family members. You will get to experience all the highs and the lows right alongside your students. Being this much a part of the lives of your students definitely makes this an awesome job.

In what other profession can you continue to learn and grow in the areas you are passionate about and say that it's a part of your job. Then on top of that, you get to share your passion and interests with others while getting paid to do it. Sounds like a win-win to me!

Research is quite clear in that a great teacher has a tremendous impact on the life of a child. This is not just related to academic achievement, but to all facets of their life. When you think something you might do or might not do doesn't matter, remember this research and keep it fresh in your mind.

You get to be an entertainer, actor/actress, and a Gumby-like person almost every day! I know the 'edutainment' mindset is not the most popular at times, but aren't you first trying to sell yourself? If the kids aren't buying into 'you,' then they will never buy into what you are trying to accomplish in the classroom. Take full advantage of this wonderful opportunity!

So, please remember, there's no such thing as 'just' a teacher...


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