Jennifer Orr
@jenorr.bsky.social
Long time elementary school teacher, author of Demystifying Discussion and co-author of We're Gonna Keep on Talking
I just can't with what education is to so many people currently. Students don't test as well when it is hot? So time tests when the temperatures are cooler and invest in HVAC systems. Seriously? Maybe we could, instead, consider placing less emphasis on tests that can be impacted by temperature.
October 24, 2025 at 5:12 PM
I just can't with what education is to so many people currently. Students don't test as well when it is hot? So time tests when the temperatures are cooler and invest in HVAC systems. Seriously? Maybe we could, instead, consider placing less emphasis on tests that can be impacted by temperature.
On my way to San Francisco to see my sister for a long weekend and that brings me so much joy. All my travel taking place during the No Kings rallies and missing them on both coasts makes me sad. Thank you all for sharing signs and stories and for being out there and standing up!
October 18, 2025 at 3:31 PM
On my way to San Francisco to see my sister for a long weekend and that brings me so much joy. All my travel taking place during the No Kings rallies and missing them on both coasts makes me sad. Thank you all for sharing signs and stories and for being out there and standing up!
We are in the 8th week of school and I finally have a system for all of my stuff that means my “desk” can be clear! (Desk is a bit of a misnomer because it serves that purpose and it’s also a place I use to meet with small groups.)
October 16, 2025 at 1:00 PM
We are in the 8th week of school and I finally have a system for all of my stuff that means my “desk” can be clear! (Desk is a bit of a misnomer because it serves that purpose and it’s also a place I use to meet with small groups.)
It is done and seems to be working fine.
September 28, 2025 at 5:30 PM
It is done and seems to be working fine.
At Open House today I got to meet many of my fourth graders. One brought me flowers and chocolate and another brought an About Me page they’d completed. I am so psyched about this year. (Students have never brought me anything at Open House so this is exciting.)
August 22, 2025 at 12:03 AM
At Open House today I got to meet many of my fourth graders. One brought me flowers and chocolate and another brought an About Me page they’d completed. I am so psyched about this year. (Students have never brought me anything at Open House so this is exciting.)
My classroom stuff is all in storage units & I am looking forward to next year. I will be teaching fourth graders math and science at Fleet Elementary in Arlington.
June 19, 2025 at 12:36 AM
My classroom stuff is all in storage units & I am looking forward to next year. I will be teaching fourth graders math and science at Fleet Elementary in Arlington.
If you see this, post your getaway car.
May 3, 2025 at 2:15 PM
If you see this, post your getaway car.
One of our class jobs is Date Writer. When I modeled it at the start of the year I just wrote the day of the week and the date. The kids always do more when they take over.
May 2, 2025 at 2:05 PM
One of our class jobs is Date Writer. When I modeled it at the start of the year I just wrote the day of the week and the date. The kids always do more when they take over.
One of my fifth graders is our date writer. Every afternoon they prep this board with the next day’s date. Some date writers have added pictures but recently they’ve been adding jokes. I was glad to see no spelling errors in this one.
April 28, 2025 at 1:40 PM
One of my fifth graders is our date writer. Every afternoon they prep this board with the next day’s date. Some date writers have added pictures but recently they’ve been adding jokes. I was glad to see no spelling errors in this one.
Today is Purple Up for Military Children Day so we lay out the purple carpet (outside) and cheer the kids. Almost all of our students are in military families. For some, it’s a challenge to have things change in their lives so often. Today we show them how much we care and how awesome they are.
April 9, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Today is Purple Up for Military Children Day so we lay out the purple carpet (outside) and cheer the kids. Almost all of our students are in military families. For some, it’s a challenge to have things change in their lives so often. Today we show them how much we care and how awesome they are.
Our high school senior put out the recycling tonight and came in saying, “I found a note in our mailbox that would be seem threatening if it weren’t for the misspellings.”
April 7, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Our high school senior put out the recycling tonight and came in saying, “I found a note in our mailbox that would be seem threatening if it weren’t for the misspellings.”
When I got home from today’s protest in DC, I found this waiting for me. So excited! My 18 year old and I went through the book on the right, totally mocking each other for the ways the other counted things. Probably not @triangleman.bsky.social’s plan for it…
April 5, 2025 at 11:27 PM
When I got home from today’s protest in DC, I found this waiting for me. So excited! My 18 year old and I went through the book on the right, totally mocking each other for the ways the other counted things. Probably not @triangleman.bsky.social’s plan for it…
I spent some time today in DC for the protests. It was wonderful to among so many people who are angry and frustrated and feeling like they don’t know what to do. It was wonderful to hear Jamie Raskin and Maxwell Frost.
April 5, 2025 at 10:55 PM
I spent some time today in DC for the protests. It was wonderful to among so many people who are angry and frustrated and feeling like they don’t know what to do. It was wonderful to hear Jamie Raskin and Maxwell Frost.
It felt good to be in DC today.
April 5, 2025 at 9:36 PM
It felt good to be in DC today.
We get lots of birds at our feeder and I love them all but my favorites are the cardinals because I’d swear they’d mugging for the camera. (I know they don’t know it’s there, but still.)
March 26, 2025 at 12:36 PM
We get lots of birds at our feeder and I love them all but my favorites are the cardinals because I’d swear they’d mugging for the camera. (I know they don’t know it’s there, but still.)
I don’t think I had any great affection for cardinals before I got this bird feeder but now when they show up I can’t wait to scroll through their photos.
March 22, 2025 at 1:21 AM
I don’t think I had any great affection for cardinals before I got this bird feeder but now when they show up I can’t wait to scroll through their photos.
I’ll admit, this exit ticket I looked at this morning started me off on the right foot! I could even hear this kid’s voice when I looked at it.
March 12, 2025 at 4:42 PM
I’ll admit, this exit ticket I looked at this morning started me off on the right foot! I could even hear this kid’s voice when I looked at it.
As I was making glass beads last night I melted the end of a glass rod into my gather of glass and it looked like it was shooting someone the bird. This is the energy I am taking with me as I move forward.
February 27, 2025 at 2:23 PM
As I was making glass beads last night I melted the end of a glass rod into my gather of glass and it looked like it was shooting someone the bird. This is the energy I am taking with me as I move forward.
We took our fifth graders to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History today. As teachers we were stressed about keeping our kiddos safe and hoping they’d behave safely and respectfully. They were super excited at all they saw. It was fabulous
February 22, 2025 at 3:05 AM
We took our fifth graders to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History today. As teachers we were stressed about keeping our kiddos safe and hoping they’d behave safely and respectfully. They were super excited at all they saw. It was fabulous
Several years ago I bought this air soccer game at the dollar store for indoor recess. (I think I bought four of them and this is the only one that still works.) I brought it out today for the first time this year and it has been absurdly popular.
February 21, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Several years ago I bought this air soccer game at the dollar store for indoor recess. (I think I bought four of them and this is the only one that still works.) I brought it out today for the first time this year and it has been absurdly popular.
I was worried about this lesson. I should know by now that my students are wiser than I expect. (I did reword some but the ideas here are theirs.)
February 20, 2025 at 8:35 PM
I was worried about this lesson. I should know by now that my students are wiser than I expect. (I did reword some but the ideas here are theirs.)
There’s a lot going on and things feel like a constant dumpster fire. The birds who visit my bird feeder help lower my blood pressure and help me refocus. Right now I’m watching them in the snow in real time while I write.
February 12, 2025 at 4:23 PM
There’s a lot going on and things feel like a constant dumpster fire. The birds who visit my bird feeder help lower my blood pressure and help me refocus. Right now I’m watching them in the snow in real time while I write.
At the opening panel for #EduCon and listening and thinking a lot about community. Dr. Vivian Gadsden just said, “This is hard work.”
It absolutely is. Looking for the easy way to make community happen will ensure failure.
It absolutely is. Looking for the easy way to make community happen will ensure failure.
January 31, 2025 at 11:46 PM
At the opening panel for #EduCon and listening and thinking a lot about community. Dr. Vivian Gadsden just said, “This is hard work.”
It absolutely is. Looking for the easy way to make community happen will ensure failure.
It absolutely is. Looking for the easy way to make community happen will ensure failure.
More birdies! I woke up this morning and scrolled through social media. I appreciate the people keeping me informed because there is a lot to keep informed about right now. So then I needed to scroll my Bird Buddy photos. Look at the little cutie flying in!
January 25, 2025 at 12:41 PM
More birdies! I woke up this morning and scrolled through social media. I appreciate the people keeping me informed because there is a lot to keep informed about right now. So then I needed to scroll my Bird Buddy photos. Look at the little cutie flying in!