While searching for classroom decor (I’m guilty of being a minimalist when it comes to these things), I read a great suggestion by EdWeek’s Nancy Flanagan, who used photos of colleagues when they were in high school to build a clever hallway bulletin board. I’m not in charge of decorating the school’s display cases (Hallelujah!), but I loved her idea of using throwback photos to help kids connect to us.
In a dusty box of yearbooks, I unearthed this little nugget from 1987 that I’m going to (gulp) share with my students. Since I teach mostly freshmen, I plan to use this yearbook shot from my freshman year (go ahead and do the math, folks) as one of my first-day meme lecture slides. I’m hopeful the ‘80s hair will get a laugh or two, but also that the kids will think, “Hey, I might have been her friend back in the day.”
(Yes, it took A LOT of Aqua Net to get that look.)
On a barely related topic, I finally updated my thumbnail photo this week. The old one was from five years ago and rather prominently featured my husband’s nose and goatee. Anyway, here’s what I actually look like these days, in case you were wondering.
Teach on, everyone!
Wow! I don’t know if I have the guts to post one of my school pictures! Kudos to you!
This was definitely one of those gut-check moments that forced me to deliberate for a while. My daughter said, “You’re not really putting that on your blog, are you? You have Fabio hair, Mom.” Ultimately, we just gotta laugh and not take ourselves too seriously. In the words of Sara Bareilles, I wanna see you be brave, Michelle. 🙂
Laura, I love this idea! Down to the cellar I go to unearth my old photos!
Thank you sooooooooo much for all of your amazing resources and wonderful posts on this blog. I am teaching IB English in an international school in France after a few years break and your resources kept me going last year when I felt like I was on such a steep learning curve. My students love your resources too and you have even inspired one girl to become our class Prezi expert! Thank you so much for helping me to help kids enjoy their learning.
My pleasure, Allison. Thank you for this lovely note. You just made my day!
I absolutely love your blog and find almost all of your posts to be what precisely I’m looking for.
Would you offer guest writers to write content available for you? I wouldn’t mind publishing a post or elaborating on a lot of the subjects you write related to here. Again, awesome website!
Thanks so much for being a reader, Patrick. Glad you like the site. I’m not taking guest posts right now, but I’ll keep your contact info on file, just in case that’s a path I want to walk in the future. Thanks again!
Dear Laura,
You are brave…I’ve been teaching so long that I’d have to post a tintype! Seriously, my teaching partner was in my first 8th grade class at this school 21 years ago and I will have the daughter of a former 5th grade student in 7th grade this year….I am older than dirt!
Your materials are always spot-on. Thanks for the inspiration and creativity.
Kayte
Tintype, Kayte…that’s hilarious. Yes, it took a lot of patience and hairspray to secure that look. Yikes!
Thanks for the note. Glad you’re here. 🙂