Alan Lawrence Sitomer

“How can I better support you?” (and other phrases rarely uttered by administrators.)

Alan Sitomer — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:00:28 +0000

“How can I better support you?” When is the last time an admin walked into your room and actually uttered those words with nothing more than their “listening ears” on?

I mean really, how dysfunctional are our teacher/admin relationships these…

The teacher as “professional diagnostician”.

Alan Sitomer — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:00:05 +0000

Why do I choose the books I choose for my class? Me, I always spent a lot of time thinking about the choices of text for my students because, well, for one… I could.

Unfortunately, teachers today are seeing more…

I am leaving Lynwood High School.

Alan Sitomer — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:00:21 +0000

As you know, being a high school English teacher at Lynwood has been my life for years and years and years now. And truly, I love it.

Which is why I am taking a leave of absence from my classroom.…

The epoxy of our profession.

Alan Sitomer — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:00:48 +0000

When I think about one of the most important ingredients a professional must bring to the table, I inevitably come back to passion.

To caring.

To giving a damn.

For me it is the epoxy that holds work which is…

School would be just great if only…

Alan Sitomer — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:30:02 +0000

Have you ever noticed that some teachers think the work of being an educator would be absolutely awesome if it wasn’t for the damn kids?

Or those stinkin’ parents?

Or those silly administrators?

Or those reprehensible peers?

Or those annoying…

Teen Girls and Text Messaging: da #s R hUge!!!

Alan Sitomer — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:00:21 +0000

I clearly remember a few years ago when my wife said (proudly), “I don’t text.”

That was when she had a phone without a keypad. Now, she loves texting. We communicate/coordinate/touch base with one another through texting. The fact is,…

A Brouhaha between Ellen Hopkins and Texas

Alan Sitomer — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 12:00:11 +0000

Ellen Hopkins has written some ferocious books. Brave, gritty, hard-hitting and read by lots and lots and LOTS of teens. I am a big fan of her work.

Interestingly, a brouhaha has recently surfaced about Ellen’s “dis-invitation” to speak at…

If you are looking for a pro quo every time you quid, it’s going to be a long, long school year.

Alan Sitomer — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:30:26 +0000

There’s a thing called the Adams Equity Theory. It was named for John Stacey Adams, a workplace and behavioral psychologist, who cooked up a job motivation theory almost 50 years ago.

Essentially it states (as taken from the Mindtools website):…

Do I hate bad professional meetings more than I love good professional meetings, or vice versa?

Alan Sitomer — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:30:09 +0000

I wonder, do I hate bad professional meetings more than I love good professional meetings, or vice versa?

If you can count yourself as a person has never suffered through the torment of a terrible professional meeting, raise your hand.…

In this day and age, it boggles the mind.

Alan Sitomer — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:00:38 +0000

So many educators at all ends of the spectrum are trippin’ out these days because of technology. Literally, people are buggin’ out everywhere.

I just heard about a district that purchased Smart Boards for every classroom in the school and…