Jean Schwab
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jeanschwab.bsky.social
Jean Schwab
@jeanschwab.bsky.social
300 followers 570 following 440 posts
Avid reader, aspiring writer, excellent knitter, okay crocheter. Writing center person.

I'm the kind of person who reads about book design for fun.

Check my new site where I write as Cat Albert about books and other stuff I love!
https://catalbert.com
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jeanschwab.bsky.social
People at work seem a little worried about my Halloween costume. But there’s nothing to worry about when wearing a red shirt, right @scalzi.com ?
A middle-aged woman with shoulder length brown hair and glasses wearing a red shirtdress with a Star Trek insignia. She is smiling, unworried about what usually happens to people wearing red shirts in Star Trek episodes.
October 31, 2025 at 12:48 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
“Should I Use Generative AI in my Teaching?” A flow chart. (Spoiler: the answer is probably no, because teaching relies on human connection and there are almost always better strategies that will lead to a deeper learning experience for students than using AI in the classroom or to prep materials.)
A colorful decision tree asking “Should I use generative AI in my Teaching?” Almost all questions lead to “Don’t use AI” unless the learning objectives are specifically about generative AI. And in that case, teachers should consider the ethical and environmental problems with generative AI and whether there are alternative methods or resources. In most cases, existing resources and learning activities are better than using AI in the classroom or to create teaching materials.
October 28, 2025 at 9:27 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
My 6-year-old son found the post it notes.
A middle-aged woman with brown hair and glasses has a small yellow post it note stuck to her forehead. The notes reads “Mom.”
October 24, 2025 at 8:40 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
I love getting new books to read at work!
A stack of three books on a wooden desk. Write Like You Teach by James M. Lang, The AI Con by Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna, and Empire of AI by Karen Hao
October 7, 2025 at 12:31 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
And my little #crochet Medusa is completed! Very happy with how she turned out!
Front view of a crochet Medusa with bright red snakes, gray skin, golden cat eyes, and a wine red snake tail instead of legs. She’s about 6-7 inches tall. Back view of a crochet Medusa with bright red snakes, gray skin, and a wine red snake tail instead of legs. She’s about 6-7 inches tall. The cross-crossing of the snakes on her head is visible from the back.
October 4, 2025 at 4:42 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
I’ve finally finished all of the pieces for my little #crochet Medusa! I do not have it in me to assemble her tonight, though.
The unassembled pieces of a crochet Medusa are laid out on a brown wooden table. Her nine snakes are bright red with black and gray eyes, her body is light gray, and her snake tail is wine red. She has brown bracers on her forearms. Her eyes are golden cat eyes.
September 30, 2025 at 11:04 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
Have some seahorses for a #skylinecleanse, friends.
A yellowish brown seahorse floats in an aquarium and stares directly at the camera. A yellowish brown seahorse is floating in an aquarium, viewed in profile.
September 12, 2025 at 1:27 AM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
In case someone needs a #skylinecleanse and needs to see a kitty today. #cat #cats #Catsofbluesky
A grey and white cat named Simon stands on a colorful blanket with crocheted flowers. He is mid-step, one paw lifted, moving forward to sniff the camera (or give it a head butt). His green eyes are wide and curious, white whiskers extended, and he has a grey smudge on his otherwise pink nose.
September 11, 2025 at 1:28 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
Decided to take a look at an AI-powered reading app that’s being used in my kids’ school. Is asking kids to sound out words that aren’t real “but could be” an instructional strategy for reading that I’ve never heard of before? Why not just… have them sound out real words?
Screenshot of the Amira Learning app from a promo video o. The website. A cartoon woman stands next to an example nonsense word that children should sound out when reading. The “word” is “fum.” Screenshot of the Amira Learning app from a promo video o. The website. A cartoon woman stands next to an example nonsense word that children should sound out when reading. The “word” is “quaz.”
September 8, 2025 at 10:11 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
Just finished reading Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses. This book’s going to stay in my head for a while as I think about how its lessons will affect how I read and how I talk to students in my writing center about their writing.
A copy of Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping by Matthew Salesses sits on a brown wooden table. The cover is purple with an orange illustration of a hand holding a pencil. The lines of the illustration weave between some of the letters and parts of letters in the book’s title.
July 27, 2025 at 5:28 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
This a fiddly snake. I have to crochet 6 single crochet stitches around a pipe cleaner. Did not have small enough plastic safety eyes, so I improvised. She may be troublesome, but I love her already. That may change after I make 8 more of them.
A crochet snake for a Medusa plush that is in progress. The snakes’s head is red and the eyes consist of a black slit with gray yarn on either side of the black. In the background, a picture from the pattern is visible, showing green snakes with small black plastic safety eyes.
July 20, 2025 at 3:32 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
Started a new crochet project today.
A grey crochet doll head with gold cat eyes and a red crochet circle of yarn attached to a crochet hook. Both sit on top of a book of patterns open to a pattern for Medusa. A picture of a completed crochet Medusa is on the facing page.
July 19, 2025 at 10:48 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
Just a few days away from what would have been my dad’s 71st birthday. He passed in 2002, at 48. There’s nothing special about this year, just sometimes grief sneaks up on you, even after 23 years. Anyway, here is a picture of my dad, and a drawing I made about 2 years after he died, based on it.
A faded photo of a young white man in a mustard yellow t-shirt, standing outside in front of some trees. His hands are on his hips, and he is smiling in the sun. He has thick dark brown hair that is almost in his eyes, dark facial hair, and huge 1970s style glasses. A charcoal drawing of a young white man with dark hair, dark facial hair, and large glasses. It bears a passing resemblance to the other photo in this post, if the artist does say so herself.
July 14, 2025 at 2:24 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
We adopted a cat years ago whose name at the shelter was Slugger. But as anyone can see, he was clearly a Simon. He was a sweet kitty.
A mostly white cat with gray patches on his chin, under his nose, and on the left side of his face sits on a bed. His name should clearly be Simon, not Slugger.
June 25, 2025 at 11:40 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
Butterflies are kinda magical.
A yellow swallowtail butterfly on a bush with purple flowers. Its wings are spread, showing yellow and black stripes. A yellow swallowtail butterfly on a bush with purple flowers. It hangs upside down from a group of flowers, its body and the underside of its yellow and black striped wings visible.
June 21, 2025 at 2:36 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
Made a #crochet phoenix for my 6 year old. He named it “Fiery.” I think it may be the best thing I’ve ever crocheted. My stitches are not usually this even & well done. Definitely leveled up while making it, and best of all, the child was thrilled with the result!
Crocheted phoenix body parts on a wooden table, in yellow and orange yarn, before the parts have been made into a whole. A head, wings, tail, feet, and a beak. The crochet phoenix in its entirety, facing slightly off camera, with felt feathers in read, orange, and yellow glued to its crest and wings. Back view of the crochet phoenix, with red, orange, and yellow felt feathers glued to its crest, wings, and tail.
June 20, 2025 at 11:22 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
This student made the leap from knitting to crochet and I don’t think he looked back. He liked knitting, but crochet was more fun for him.
A dark red garter stitch coaster, a light purple coaster with half knit and half purl stitches in the middle surrounded by a garter stitch border, a blue crochet penguin, and a crochet Minecraft llama.
June 4, 2025 at 5:56 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
This student was very quiet and focused during class. She made three square coasters and then decided to make a headband that uses cable stitches to create a design.
A row of three knit coasters, two garter stitch and one of stockinette with a garter stitch border. Two are in a pink variegated yarn that has splashes of red, orange and blue like conferring throughout. The other is dark red. Beneath is a dark red rectangle with a vertical design that uses cable stitches. It’s attached to some wooden needles because it’s still in progress.
June 4, 2025 at 5:56 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
This student got very into making squares and coasters. Toward the end of class, she started experimenting with patterns that alternate knit and purl stitches in the middle to make designs.
A series of eight knitted items, mostly square coasters in moss green or dark purple, some with stockinette in the middle of a garter stitch border and others in just garter stitch.
June 4, 2025 at 5:56 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
This student got ambitious with his second project by making a frog! He also had about a year’s worth of experience with crochet, but no prior knitting experience.
A dark red square knit coaster in garter stitch next to a knit frog in dark green with a cream stomach.
June 4, 2025 at 5:56 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
This student really focused on knitting, mostly garter stitch. She decided to make a scarf as her final item in the class.
Two dusty pink knit coasters and a garter stitch scarf still on the needles (also in dusty pink).
June 4, 2025 at 5:56 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
This student really wanted to master each stitch before moving on. She was also very willing to unravel and start over if something didn’t turn out the way she wanted. She got very into various repeats of knit & purl stitches, like ribbing & double moss.
A row of five knit squares or coasters, one in a dusty pink color and the others in cream. Three are garter stitch, one is a stockinette stitch with a garter stitch border, and the last one has a Christmas tree design in the center with purl stitches. Below are two scarves, one dusty pink in 2x2 ribbing and the other in a light purple with double moss stitch (looks like a repeating pattern of tiny hearts).
June 4, 2025 at 5:56 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
Hoping to see if any #knitters can help me out! A student in my history & practice of #knitting class was learning the purl stitch. She was going for stockinette on flat needles. She’s since figured out purls, but not sure what she was doing wrong? Was 1 row k, the next k in the back loop?
One side of an ivory or cream colored knitted square in garter stitch. The visible purl stitch rows look correctly made. The other side of an ivory or cream colored knitted square in garter stitch. The visible purl stitch rows do not quite look correct. They maybe have an additional twist in the stitch? Maybe every other row was knit in the back loop by mistake?
May 20, 2025 at 8:18 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
If you see this, I IMPLORE you to post a picture from whatever device you’re using without explanation.
A small brownish-green lizard sits on some grass next to a stone curb.
May 18, 2025 at 5:01 PM
jeanschwab.bsky.social
Today in my 3-week history & practice of knitting class: how yarn is spun via spinning wheel & with a drop spindle. Brought in a local fiber artist to demonstrate & help us. The students have mostly figured out casting on & are starting to get the hang of a basic knit stitch. Pretty good for day 3!
Close up of the bobbin that holds yarn on a wooden spinning wheel. A small wooden spinning wheel made of dark wood that is operated with two pedals at the bottom. A wooden drip spindle with white, undyed wool attached to a small metal hook on one end in preparation for spinning.
May 16, 2025 at 10:35 PM