Please note, the next 31 days will be dedicated to the Two Writing Teacher’s Slice of Life Challenge. The challenge, write 31 days straight while commenting on posts each day. This is done WONDERS for my writing and created an amazing online community.

Good morning and welcome to Day 1 of the Slice of Life Challenge!

#woot

Yes, woot indeed! Today is an introduction as it always is so let’s get right to it!

My name in Darin and I live in rural Iowa. We have a little acreage I lovingly call “Johnstononia” because if I could remove myself from Iowa and it’s politics, I would in a heartbeat (more on that in future posts).

I teach in a highly unusual place where around 70% is not white. Yup. In the middle of lily white Iowa is a school that is SO not lily white, and I love it.

#thatcool

I know, right?! This is my second year and it’s been the hardest two years of teaching I can remember, but well worth it. I came from a neighboring district where I taught 24 years. That decision tore me up. I always thought I’d retire from that district, but changes in myself, changes in staff (old guard retiring), and the district as a whole had me looking. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVED my sixth grade team and miss them every day. We grew into a tight group who had a lot of fun together and just enjoyed life. But, I also love my current team (even though my current grade partner is leaving at the end of the year 🤬).

#changesucksman

No doubt! As you can see, my conscience is part of my blog, a welcome addition to my writing style. I love the fact I can poke fun at myself and yet, get points across. My writing style is fairly informal, but it fits me.

#Iamthefunnyonehere

*sigh(*

This blog is the result of a challenge that our superintendent threw down about finding our voice. She’s was into social media at the time and I took up her challenge both on Twitter (it will never be X) and here. Over 10 years and a 1,000 posts later, here we are.

I have two daughters who are successful playing the game of life. One is about to move to Colorado with her husband. They are both engineers (I wish I could say for train companies, but alas no). Our other daughter works with small animals, and has recently been accepted into a vet tech program. While they have taken wildly different paths, I am so proud of both of them. They could CALL MORE (I know one of them reads this nonsense from time to time), but all in all, they are both in good spots.

#awwwwwareyougoingtocry

Maybe, so hush!

My wife is a kindergarten teacher. She’s the free spirit of the whole mess. She’s been a high school teacher, worked in newspaper, a stay at home mom, a Headstart teacher, a Headstart administrator, a transitional kindergarten teacher, a preschool teacher, and now does what she does.

#damn

I know! She’s a woman of many talents, most of them I love dearly. The interesting thing, she also teaches in the same district as I do. People ask, “How does that work,” and our reply, “It’s just who we are.” We’ve always been doing things on our own, and this is just something else. We talk school way too much, but we have a lot of fun too.

I must finish this up now. We are getting new countertops installed on Monday, so, of course, the ceiling needs to be painted.

#what

I know, how do I get myself into these things?? I almost had her talked into a college basketball game, but then sensible Darin reared his ugly head. At least I get pizza out of it, so there’s a glimmer of reward there.

I can be found at @aniowateacher and @aniowacoach on Twitter, or @aniowateacher on Bluesky.

Cannot wait to read and meet the new writers we have coming, along with seeing how some “old” friends have been doing.

So, come on. It’s time to write.

Let’s go!! 🙂