Jim Mayers
@jimmayers.bsky.social
An aspiring Mr. Feeny. English teacher, New Englander, podcaster, husband, dog dad, reader. Passionate about maple syrup.
why aren’t groceries FSA eligible? isn’t diet like, the absolute most important thing when it comes to healthcare costs?
November 23, 2025 at 10:44 PM
why aren’t groceries FSA eligible? isn’t diet like, the absolute most important thing when it comes to healthcare costs?
is it just teachers who have to say “I noticed” before giving even the mildest critical feedback? I’ve stopped doing this & instead say things like “we need to get better at” (especially with students) because it’s more direct and communicates that I’m confident in my feedback AND their ability
November 14, 2025 at 10:22 PM
is it just teachers who have to say “I noticed” before giving even the mildest critical feedback? I’ve stopped doing this & instead say things like “we need to get better at” (especially with students) because it’s more direct and communicates that I’m confident in my feedback AND their ability
Reposted by Jim Mayers
ah, perhaps instead of pumping millions into endless factional infighting Dem donors could invest in making local Dem organizations genuine civic spaces that can reach people during and between elections
November 5, 2025 at 12:49 PM
ah, perhaps instead of pumping millions into endless factional infighting Dem donors could invest in making local Dem organizations genuine civic spaces that can reach people during and between elections
if he does his merch, we do AOC-Zohran ‘28 merch
October 31, 2025 at 12:46 AM
if he does his merch, we do AOC-Zohran ‘28 merch
this has made letter writing much easier, and nobody’s feelings are hurt if I can’t just drop everything and write their letter.
October 30, 2025 at 11:36 PM
this has made letter writing much easier, and nobody’s feelings are hurt if I can’t just drop everything and write their letter.
this won’t solve it now, but FWIW I’ve started explaining this dilemma to my juniors in the spring. I give them a template before spring break, and say that if they’d like a letter for me, they need to fill it out & send it back before final exams. if not, then I will say no.
October 30, 2025 at 11:35 PM
this won’t solve it now, but FWIW I’ve started explaining this dilemma to my juniors in the spring. I give them a template before spring break, and say that if they’d like a letter for me, they need to fill it out & send it back before final exams. if not, then I will say no.
my baby (almost 3 months): [wailing, as the end times are upon us]
me: check out this light. it’s not turned on, but is a circle.
baby: this is a happy time, for laughter and joy
me: check out this light. it’s not turned on, but is a circle.
baby: this is a happy time, for laughter and joy
October 23, 2025 at 11:35 PM
my baby (almost 3 months): [wailing, as the end times are upon us]
me: check out this light. it’s not turned on, but is a circle.
baby: this is a happy time, for laughter and joy
me: check out this light. it’s not turned on, but is a circle.
baby: this is a happy time, for laughter and joy
“see how all the letters are just hanging out minding their own business? and you can read the word just fine and everything is working great? and then this fancy new light walks in, murders one of them, and then tries to act all innocent and cute?”
October 22, 2025 at 11:51 PM
“see how all the letters are just hanging out minding their own business? and you can read the word just fine and everything is working great? and then this fancy new light walks in, murders one of them, and then tries to act all innocent and cute?”
just show them the Pixar intro and tell them that the lamp represents big tech
October 22, 2025 at 11:47 PM
just show them the Pixar intro and tell them that the lamp represents big tech
when we think about what makes for good learning, if you aren’t seriously thinking about how to make space for these things to happen (and not just hoping they happen eventually after you finish with the “more important” stuff), then you’ve lost the plot
October 18, 2025 at 1:17 AM
when we think about what makes for good learning, if you aren’t seriously thinking about how to make space for these things to happen (and not just hoping they happen eventually after you finish with the “more important” stuff), then you’ve lost the plot
her classmates sat in mostly stunned silence, and I just waited for them to respond. eventually one of them said “… thank you 🥺”
And this group wasn’t even in my class! My co-planner and I facilitated each others’ sections on our preps so kids could deliver in small groups on the same day.
And this group wasn’t even in my class! My co-planner and I facilitated each others’ sections on our preps so kids could deliver in small groups on the same day.
October 18, 2025 at 1:09 AM
her classmates sat in mostly stunned silence, and I just waited for them to respond. eventually one of them said “… thank you 🥺”
And this group wasn’t even in my class! My co-planner and I facilitated each others’ sections on our preps so kids could deliver in small groups on the same day.
And this group wasn’t even in my class! My co-planner and I facilitated each others’ sections on our preps so kids could deliver in small groups on the same day.
after one of my groups was done & we got into shout outs, one student collected her notes, and gave a sincere, kind, heartwarming shout out to EVERY SINGLE one of her classmates, accurately quoting from just about every speech, and explaining why their speeches were powerful and important.
October 18, 2025 at 1:06 AM
after one of my groups was done & we got into shout outs, one student collected her notes, and gave a sincere, kind, heartwarming shout out to EVERY SINGLE one of her classmates, accurately quoting from just about every speech, and explaining why their speeches were powerful and important.
as today was the last day of the quarter in AP Lang, we ended with original persuasive speeches on a topic of the student’s choice.
October 18, 2025 at 1:05 AM
as today was the last day of the quarter in AP Lang, we ended with original persuasive speeches on a topic of the student’s choice.
“hi! I’d like to have a conversation about how your essay was flagged by an AI checking tool”
(me)
(me)
October 15, 2025 at 5:12 PM
“hi! I’d like to have a conversation about how your essay was flagged by an AI checking tool”
(me)
(me)
my takeaway from watching 2 episodes of love is blind is that our culture has so effectively starved people of meaningful conversation that as soon as they are given dedicated space for it they experience it as a radically novel connection (and can be easily mistaken for love)
October 7, 2025 at 10:24 PM
my takeaway from watching 2 episodes of love is blind is that our culture has so effectively starved people of meaningful conversation that as soon as they are given dedicated space for it they experience it as a radically novel connection (and can be easily mistaken for love)
people on linkedin use a lot of words to say they’ve sold their souls
October 5, 2025 at 4:18 PM
people on linkedin use a lot of words to say they’ve sold their souls
Once a measurement becomes a target, it stops being a good measurement.
October 5, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Once a measurement becomes a target, it stops being a good measurement.
although I’ve seen (and gotten feedback from students) that being too strict on email aesthetics is a barrier to communication, and sometimes they just shut down rather than reach out. I tell them to be mindful of how they are being read, but it’s always more important to reach out if you need to.
September 29, 2025 at 11:35 AM
although I’ve seen (and gotten feedback from students) that being too strict on email aesthetics is a barrier to communication, and sometimes they just shut down rather than reach out. I tell them to be mindful of how they are being read, but it’s always more important to reach out if you need to.
I literally have a bank of how to email template handouts, and conference with kids before sending them
September 29, 2025 at 11:32 AM
I literally have a bank of how to email template handouts, and conference with kids before sending them
Closing Argument of Clarence Darrow in the Leopld & Loeb
Case
law2.umkc.edu
September 24, 2025 at 10:32 PM
hey so we could actually have secondary classes where the lesson plans are all just “read your favorite book and then talk about why it’s awesome and then do a cool project every few books” and kids would learn a lot and work really hard in that class
September 24, 2025 at 10:13 PM
hey so we could actually have secondary classes where the lesson plans are all just “read your favorite book and then talk about why it’s awesome and then do a cool project every few books” and kids would learn a lot and work really hard in that class
marcus you got me bullied and blocked for sticking up for you. I did not realize people got big mad about this lol
September 24, 2025 at 4:39 PM
marcus you got me bullied and blocked for sticking up for you. I did not realize people got big mad about this lol
I’m not gonna continue a silly argument about this, especially when it’s clear you just fire off angry one liners for any opinion you don’t like, but fwiw as somebody who bikes in Boston all the time AND wants want better bike infrastructure, Marcus is still right.
September 24, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I’m not gonna continue a silly argument about this, especially when it’s clear you just fire off angry one liners for any opinion you don’t like, but fwiw as somebody who bikes in Boston all the time AND wants want better bike infrastructure, Marcus is still right.
I do all the time, but there are also (generally) regulations and consequences like traffic tickets for when that happens. I’ve never seen anyone get a ticket for doing 20+ mph on a busy sidewalk with an e bike.
You seem eager to snipe about this, but maybe acknowledge the original point?
You seem eager to snipe about this, but maybe acknowledge the original point?
September 24, 2025 at 4:14 PM
I do all the time, but there are also (generally) regulations and consequences like traffic tickets for when that happens. I’ve never seen anyone get a ticket for doing 20+ mph on a busy sidewalk with an e bike.
You seem eager to snipe about this, but maybe acknowledge the original point?
You seem eager to snipe about this, but maybe acknowledge the original point?
if people were driving pickup trucks the wrong way down one way streets and bike lanes, zipping through busy sidewalks, weaving through red lights, and blowing through stop signs I’d be doing a lot more than sarcastic posting online.
September 24, 2025 at 12:21 PM
if people were driving pickup trucks the wrong way down one way streets and bike lanes, zipping through busy sidewalks, weaving through red lights, and blowing through stop signs I’d be doing a lot more than sarcastic posting online.