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The Pandalorian (they/she)

@thepandalorian.bsky.social

740 followers 590 following 3.6K posts

English Language Development Specialist • Union Strong • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Are Essential • Chinga La Migra • ACAB • Free Palestine 🇵🇸 AuDHD • hEDS POTS MCAS ♿ • Cat Mom • Book Dragon • queer 🏳️‍🌈

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The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · Apr 22

Saw this in an article while researching MCAS.

"Their symptoms will rarely prove fatal, but their lives will be long and miserable, and they may end by nearly exhausting their families and friends."

Fuck you. I'm going to have a happy, beautiful, mutually-supportive, love-filled life out of spite.

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The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 19h

this is the way lmao

The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 19h

My groups skip around grade levels ( e.g. 1st > 3rd > Kinder > 4th) so I have to switch modes quickly or risk, say, telling a 4th grader a Kinder joke.

It will humble you. My students haven't learned the courtesy laugh so if my joke falls flat, it's *crickets*. Very humbling.

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The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 19h

everytime, there is one person who goes "was that your NECK??" (or back or whatever) in complete shock and horror.

like I swear I didn't touch anything or try to pop it I just stretched! I am still alive, it did not hurt, sorry for the percussion solo!

The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 19h

my signature hEDS move is doing this accidentally during a quiet moment in a meeting, cringing, and apologizing for it being so damn loud that it scared the people around me.

High School English Hashira @sleepyteach82.bsky.social · 20h

You ever hear your own neck or back crack so loud when you stretch thay you're surprised to still be alive?

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The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 19h

better yet, that plus organizing for a union action before and after teaching small children during a full moon in Aries... and one of my Kinder classes had a substitute.

it is only Tuesday y'all. 😭

The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 19h

teaching small children during a full moon in aries.

I need a medal and a sensory deprivation tank.

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The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

the number of kindergarteners that think short hair = man is hilarious to me.

One called me "señor" and the class paraeducator looked at her sideways.

I was like "4th one today!"

They don't get "nonbinary" or "neither" if they can't figure out haircuts yet, so I just say "I'm not a man"

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Reposted by The Pandalorian (they/she)

The Autistic Coach | Matthew (he/they) @theautisticcoach.bsky.social · 4d

When autistic humans aren’t in burnout, we begin to feel.

Colours return.

Sound softens.

There’s space to choose instead of react.

This isn’t recovery, but reconnection.

It’s life at a pace that meets our needs.

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The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

me giving an analogies language assessment: "branch is to tree as arm is to ____"

5yo: "EAT!!"

me: **struggling HARD to keep a neutral expression so they don't know if they are right or wrong**

these babies say the WILDEST things sometimes

The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

Anybody got more? That's just off the top of my head right now.

The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

- download and print the emails too, especially on a work account. Start when the issue becomes noticeable as a major or ongoing problem because even if it can't be tampered with, digging through old emails for those when you need to provide it for a union action, grievance, or lawsuit is a BITCH.

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The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

- Date stamp, paper trail: post meeting/call send a summary email "for clarification", "correct me if I'm wrong." So they know opting for in-person doesn't erase that documentation.

Also, in a meeting, I will restate and ask clarifying questions so they have to choose to backpedal or double down.

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The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

- don't complain on company comms (chat, teams, etc.)
- take notes in all meetings, even just so it's less sus when you really need it.
- bring a rep or make sure there are witnesses; literally never meet with your boss alone if it can be avoided. Follow-up with an email if it can't be avoided.

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The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

let's all share our union/organizer pro-tips on documenting workplace issues.

I'll start:
- download/screenshot shared docs and messages that can change
- store them on personal devices/cloud accounts your employer can't see/control
- ideally print them and keep them in a secure location

🧵

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Reposted by The Pandalorian (they/she)

Makkon @makkon.bsky.social · 6d

a flow-chart with 2 islands. "Do I need AI?" that flows into a final island saying "No"

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Reposted by The Pandalorian (they/she)

Evan Bernick, a finite mode with a smol hooman and a lorg floof @evanbernick.bsky.social · 4d

my god this is so unconstitutional that it contradicts his own unconstitutional EO

David S. Bernstein @dbernstein.bsky.social · 4d

Oh he can just unilaterally pass unconstitutional laws now huh ok

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Reposted by The Pandalorian (they/she)

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 4d

important for us in the US to note: even a solidly right wing government can't ignore this.

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 4d

Over 2 million people across Italy have rallied in more than 100 cities for a one-day general strike.

2 million rally in Italy for Gaza as general strike halts key services

Over 2 million people across Italy have rallied in more than 100 cities for a one-day general strike.

bit.ly

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The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

Note here: I know now that my strong-willed, tenacious nature are what kept me from losing my sense of self and giving in under systems of abuse and oppression as a child. I kept on fighting back. And that protected me psychologically even if it wasn't always the best choice for my physical safety.

The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

Long story short, I never would have learned about his love for birds, built our relationship, given him that feeling of safety, or succeeded in getting him back in the classroom and ready to learn without treating his behavior as valid communication and making sure both our concerns got addressed.

The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

So I said we could go put the bird back in the SpEd room and let him sleep and he took my hand and we went, but when we got there, he was afraid to leave them and have someone else take them like that. So the birds ended up on his teacher's desk in sight, and he sat down on the carpet and tuned in.

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The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

Then yesterday, a substitute paraeducator came to my office and said he had "lost the privilege" of having the bird and "had to earn it back", so he laid in the floor and wouldn't move.

But my birds aren't a tool to give as reward or take away as punishment. They are a sign of connection and care.

The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

I can't wait to introduce that to him, and I got some birdfeeders that suction to the windows (which have been on my list for a while because I also love birds) and introduced the SpEd facilitator to the Merlin and eBird apps from Cornell for if/when they introduce a tablet or computer.

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The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

We had an issue with him taking the birds home because he felt they needed to sleep and there was nowhere for them to sleep at school. Reprimanding, explaining, and prompting were useless.

So I bought an owl box for them to sleep in the SpEd room or mine and we are going to build it together.

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The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

At the thrift store last weekend, I saw a big book of North American birds. Way above his reading level and in English, but it had photos and was a dollar, so I bought it for him.

He could tell me most of the names in Spanish which was so impressive, and it kept him calm and at his desk

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The Pandalorian (they/she) @thepandalorian.bsky.social · 4d

Later that day, I found him locked in my office. He said he was upset and was hiding. I can't encourage that for many reasons, but I was honored that he felt that was a safe place to go.

I decided with him to keep the birds in the SpEd room's calming corner for him to go to when he was upset.

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