S02.E03: Story Samurai

[mansonlamps]

19 hours ago, Annber03 said:

 I remember doing a thing on that when I was in school. 

I think they did a cursory lesson on telling time for sake of the few kids who hadn't already learned it at home. 

[chitowngirl]

I work in a Pennsylvania Middle School. When the kids are signing themselves in or out, they stare at the analog wall clock a LONG time before they write down the in/out time. With most clocks in their world digital, they just don’t know how to do it. It’s such a useful tool: counting by 5s, quarters and halves, etc.  I suspect it’s not even taught much. If it’s not on the standardized tests the kids have to take, it’s not taught. 

[DanaK]

6 hours ago, mansonlamps said:

I think they did a cursory lesson on telling time for sake of the few kids who hadn't already learned it at home. 

I ultimately learned to tell time from a babysitter

[JAYJAY1979]

Janine is the antagonist...imho

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 10/7/2022 at 3:06 PM, Black Knight said:

I thought she wanted it to wear inside her classroom. So she probably doesn't need a big thick shawl. Sometimes just a thin extra layer is enough, especially indoors. Now if she wanted to wear it outside in the midst of a Philly winter, that'd be a different story.

Sure, but she said it was her warmest one. Her others must be made of spider webs.

[shapeshifter]

On 10/7/2022 at 1:37 PM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

That shawl was in no way a particularly warm one. It was more like a scarf, which was why Mr. Johnson could wear it the way he did.  So, that took me out of the joke, plus, what he did was mean once Janine claimed it. He knows she doesn't have extra money

I did not understand why that was included in the episode.

On 10/7/2022 at 3:06 PM, Black Knight said:

I thought she wanted it to wear inside her classroom. So she probably doesn't need a big thick shawl. Sometimes just a thin extra layer is enough, especially indoors. Now if she wanted to wear it outside in the midst of a Philly winter, that'd be a different story.

Then scarf-shawl could also be a nice layer under a winter coat to keep the wind off of her neck. 
I hope the next episode shows the shawl returned to her in a dry-cleaning bag.

[rlc]

‘It’s like muscle memory, ya know, like when I ride a unicycle.’

[sweetandsour]

You corny ol' trust fallin', cereal-tiger-lookin' boy.

I liked Jacob's full circle this episode, and I think it's something a lot of adults go through.  You get to a point in your mid-to-late 20's (or later) where you are comfortable with who you are, and then someone or something gives you pause.  For a bit, you revert to the uncertainty of your younger years and being someone you aren't, only to work through it and come back to being comfortable with yourself as you are.

I do think it would have been nice punctuation if, at the end, a kid came up to Jacob and was sincerely excited about what he and the Story Samurai had done because it gave him confidence about marching to the beat of his own drummer.

Oh, and Ashley the aide!  Ha!  She played this kind of character on the latest season of Curb Your Enthusiasm and she always made me laugh.

Edited October 10, 2022 by sweetandsour
forgot about Abbott's J Lo

[peachmangosteen]

9 hours ago, sweetandsour said:

Oh, and Ashley the aide!  Ha!  She played this kind of character on the latest season of Curb Your Enthusiasm and she always made me laugh.

That reminded me that I thought she was familiar but I forgot to look her up. I must know her from Boo, Bitch.

[LydiaMoon1]

This episode was not my favorite, but I still found things in it to appreciate:

• So Jacob didn't know that he is corny? Wow. He's also a TryHard and a Culture Vulture. Can Janine break that news to him too?
• Ava must have used all the money from her side hustles to upgrade her wardrobe. Her outfits are on point this season.
• Also, say what you will about Ava, but I want to follow her on all of her social media. I'll bet it's entertainment gold.
• Anybody catch Ava's picture of her and Gritty on her desk in the principal's office? She really did crop Janine out of the picture. Oh, Ava.
• I was so happy when Barbara finally encouraged Melissa to accept help. Took them long enough. Ava finally tried to be helpful and they turned her down? Nooooo! Even experienced teachers need assistance now and then.
• Hey, Philly peeps! What's the deal with South Philly and Frankfurt (?). I thought I detected a little tension when Melissa found out where her new aide lives.
• Curious to see how things go between Melissa and JLo, Jr. Her introduction was interesting. I'm just waiting to see if things between them go right......or go waaay left. I'm here for it either way.

Edited October 10, 2022 by LydiaMoon1

[ZuluQueenOfDwarves]

Frankford is a Northeast Philly neighborhood, which the rest of the city practically considers a suburb. And South Philly considers itself the “real” Philly. South Philly is connected to the city by the subway, and Frankford by the El. 

[Crashcourse]

Is Rittenhouse Square located in South Philly?

[shipmate]

I’ve had “waiting for Ashleyyyyy! Woah…” stuck in my head all week

[ZuluQueenOfDwarves]

12 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

Is Rittenhouse Square located in South Philly?

Yes. It’s a mix of higher end shopping and restaurants with some VERY nice houses. 

[joanne3482]

On 10/6/2022 at 7:18 AM, Empress1 said:

My school had “vertical” classes with two grades in each: 2nd & 3rd and 4th & 5th. I was in both - came to the 2/3 from straight 2nd, and was in the 4/5 both years. It was not chaotic at all (one teacher, one aide), but I went to a Philly school with MANY more resources than Abbott. 

I think part of the problem was that Melissa was told at the teacher in service/back to school prep week that she would be getting a mixed level class. I'm assuming at the end of the previous academic year she found out she'd be teaching second grade again and planned the coming year based on that information. Given a week's notice to set up for third grade too was just not what she was ready for. I'm assuming she'll get there but if it has been awhile since she taught a dual class, if she ever taught a dual class, she's just having to recalibrate her plans on the fly. 

[Crashcourse]

5 hours ago, ZuluQueenOfDwarves said:

Yes. It’s a mix of higher end shopping and restaurants with some VERY nice houses. 

Ok, thanks.  Several years ago when visiting Philly, I stayed at one of the hotels around there.  I went to the park and it was really nice.  

[ZuluQueenOfDwarves]

32 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

Ok, thanks.  Several years ago when visiting Philly, I stayed at one of the hotels around there.  I went to the park and it was really nice.  

Sorry, I misread the initial question as just Philly. It’s not in the south, it’s in Center City, the downtown area. 

[Empress1]

8 minutes ago, ZuluQueenOfDwarves said:

Sorry, I misread the initial question as just Philly. It’s not in the south, it’s in Center City, the downtown area. 

Yep, Rittenhouse Square is smack in the middle of the city (no car needed at all) and it’s an expensive neighborhood - not gentrified, it’s always been expensive. The park is nice, although I wouldn’t be alone in it after dark if I could help it (but that’s true for basically everywhere as a single woman).

18 hours ago, ZuluQueenOfDwarves said:

Frankford is a Northeast Philly neighborhood, which the rest of the city practically considers a suburb.

I never went to northeast Philly growing up because I had no reason to. there isn’t anything there that I couldn’t get elsewhere, nobody I was close to lived there and it isn’t really close to anything. 

[ZuluQueenOfDwarves]

45 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

I never went to northeast Philly growing up because I had no reason to. there isn’t anything there that I couldn’t get elsewhere, nobody I was close to lived there and it isn’t really close to anything. 

I grew up there. It has the congestion, badly maintained roads, and high taxes of the city, but also the homogeneous big box stores, chain restaurants, and necessity of having a car as the suburbs. I don’t recommend it. In fact, I remember driving past a hotel on the boulevard with my dad and seeing a hotel, and I asked why we needed a hotel, because why would anyone want to stay here?

[EtheltoTillie]

On 10/11/2022 at 2:24 PM, ZuluQueenOfDwarves said:

I grew up there. It has the congestion, badly maintained roads, and high taxes of the city, but also the homogeneous big box stores, chain restaurants, and necessity of having a car as the suburbs. I don’t recommend it. In fact, I remember driving past a hotel on the boulevard with my dad and seeing a hotel, and I asked why we needed a hotel, because why would anyone want to stay here?

My husband went to Penn for grad school, and I would visit from NYC.  Penn is in West Philly a bit south of the center city.  I never understood North Philly.  We never went there.  The Amtrak train would stop there before getting to downtown, but no one seemed to get on or off. 

[lucindabelle]

On 10/7/2022 at 6:05 PM, chitowngirl said:

I work in a Pennsylvania Middle School. When the kids are signing themselves in or out, they stare at the analog wall clock a LONG time before they write down the in/out time. With most clocks in their world digital, they just don’t know how to do it. It’s such a useful tool: counting by 5s, quarters and halves, etc.  I suspect it’s not even taught much. If it’s not on the standardized tests the kids have to take, it’s not taught. 

I work in a nj title one HIGH SCHOOL. My kids cannot tell time. They look at their phones for the time and if they can’t they don’t know what time it is.

i am constantly saying THERE IS A CLOCK ON THE WALL, and they say reading it takes too long.

it’s not in my curriculum or pacing guide but yes. We are doing a lesson on telling time. Maybe an extra credit assignment… because they need to be able to live in the world.

Edited October 13, 2022 by lucindabelle

[chitowngirl]

On 10/7/2022 at 6:05 PM, chitowngirl said:

I work in a Pennsylvania Middle School. When the kids are signing themselves in or out, they stare at the analog wall clock a LONG time before they write down the in/out time. With most clocks in their world digital, they just don’t know how to do it. It’s such a useful tool: counting by 5s, quarters and halves, etc.  I suspect it’s not even taught much. If it’s not on the standardized tests the kids have to take, it’s not taught. 

29 minutes ago, lucindabelle said:

I work in a nj title one HIGH SCHOOL. My kids cannot tell time. They look at their phones for the time and if they can’t they don’t know what time it is.

i am constantly saying THERE IS A CLOCK ON THE WALL, and they say reading it takes too long.

it’s not in my curriculum or pacing guide but yes. We are doing a lesson on telling time. Maybe an extra credit assignment… because they need to be able to live in the world.

Quoting myself and lucindabelle to add: I have a Bullwinkle clock that runs backwards! After a while, I got used to knowing what the time is when I glance at it. It confuses visitors, but that’s the point! 😆 I can’t imagine what would happen if I hung it in my office at school…maybe I should give it a try 🤔😉

[lucindabelle]

I LOVE that idea. Now I need a Bullwinkle clock to delight and amuse my kids…

[love2lovebadtv]

On 10/6/2022 at 8:47 PM, kathyk24 said:

I thought Janine was trying to spare Jacob's feelings. I hated Barbara trying to sabotage Melissa and I'm glad she apologized. I think they should have given Melissa the aide from the start. This episode wasn't as good as last week but I thought the worst episode was Open House because Janine was out of character.

Oh, I don't think Barbara was trying to sabotage Melissa. It's like when you admire someone and you call them strong but then you realize they need help. Barbara respects Melissa. She would not intentionally sabotage her. Melissa was against the aide in the first place. Barbara's "veteran" rhetoric only reinforced her attitude toward it before she became overwhelmed in the classroom. 

On 10/7/2022 at 3:06 PM, Black Knight said:

I thought she wanted it to wear inside her classroom. So she probably doesn't need a big thick shawl. Sometimes just a thin extra layer is enough, especially indoors. Now if she wanted to wear it outside in the midst of a Philly winter, that'd be a different story.

Yes, it can definitely keep you warm over your regular attire without restricting your movement. 

On 10/13/2022 at 4:36 PM, lucindabelle said:

I work in a nj title one HIGH SCHOOL. My kids cannot tell time. They look at their phones for the time and if they can’t they don’t know what time it is.

i am constantly saying THERE IS A CLOCK ON THE WALL, and they say reading it takes too long.

it’s not in my curriculum or pacing guide but yes. We are doing a lesson on telling time. Maybe an extra credit assignment… because they need to be able to live in the world.

So many kids don't know how to tell time. 

[lucindabelle]

5 hours ago, love2lovebadtv said:

Oh, I don't think Barbara was trying to sabotage Melissa. It's like when you admire someone and you call them strong but then you realize they need help. Barbara respects Melissa. She would not intentionally sabotage her. Melissa was against the aide in the first place. Barbara's "veteran" rhetoric only reinforced her attitude toward it before she became overwhelmed in the classroom. 

Yes, it can definitely keep you warm over your regular attire without restricting your movement. 

So many kids don't know how to tell time. 

So true. I am going to give an extra credit lesson on it. One girl whined she didn’t want to learn, I really had to say I am the teacher you don’t get to choose. 🙄

[Bookish Jen]

On 10/5/2022 at 8:35 PM, dcalley said:

Malcolm X Games, Rosa Parks and Rec - oh no! 😂

I was wondering why Jacob Hill was "Mr. C" to the students, and thankfully they explained it!

Gregory's face in the audience was amazing.

The look on Gregory's face made me howl with laughter. He has the best facial reactions to things.

I'm finally catching up with this show. 

Egad, I had so much second-hand embarrassment watching Story Samurai do their performance. It wasn't corny; it was cringeworthy.

[Crashcourse]

6 minutes ago, Bookish Jen said:

Egad, I had so much second-hand embarrassment watching Story Samurai do their performance. It wasn't corny; it was cringeworthy.

Like I posted earlier, it takes some talent to look that bad. 😅

[SmithW6079]

I don't like embarrassment humor, but I'd rather watch the Story Samurai than the teachers in this episode. They were assholes to Jacob, one of their colleagues. Maybe he tries too hard. But I think his heart is in the right place.