People are seriously considering switching careers after finding out how much can be made as a UPS delivery driver. Back in October, Skyler Stutzman, an Oregon-based UPS delivery driver went viral after sharing his weekly pay stub on TikTok.In the clip, Stutzman showed that for 42 hours of work, and at a pay rate of $44.26 per hour, he earned $2,004 before taxes, and ultimately took home $1,300 after deductions. This both shocked the nearly 12 million viewers who saw the video…not to mention it stirred their jealousy a bit. Several couldn’t help but compare Stutzman’s salary to their own—especially those in professions requiring degrees and certifications. “Not me realizing that a UPS driver makes more than I do. 20 years in my field with a degree!” one person lamented. Another added, “$44? I’m a dang nurse only making $32 ?♀️” @skylerleestutzman UPS Driver Paystub Breakdown… #upspay #upswages #teamsters #ups ♬ original sound - Skyler Stutzman Many even joked (or perhaps half-joked) about applying to become drivers themselves. But as Stutzman pointed out in multiple follow-up videos, earning his rate takes patience.According to one of those clips, it took almost six years before he was offered a full time position, followed by a four year progression of wage increases until he started earning what he earns today. That’s around a decade, which one person pointed out was around the same time it takes to become a doctor.Stutzman added that, depending on the location, you would be required to work in a UPS warehouse before working as a driver. So while his paycheck might have you considering taking on the job yourself, just know that it’s not exactly taking the easy route. And we haven’t even touched on the amount of manual labor that goes into the job…rain or shine. Stutzman also said that he shared his current paycheck in the spirit of transparency, which is a value that the teamsters upheld as they fought for increased wages and better working conditions earlier this year. @skylerleestutzman Here are my THEORETICAL thoughts… “Why would you show your paystub like that?” #upsdriver #ups #upswages #teamster #upspay ♬ original sound - Skyler Stutzman After months of tense negotiations, as well as a threat to enact what would have been the largest single employer strike in U.S. history, disrupting deliveries across the country, the postal workers union reached an agreement with UPS.The deal included air conditioning and ventilation improvements to delivery vehicles as well as full-time UPS drivers earning an average of $170,000 in annual pay, plus benefits. By the end of the contract, part-time union drivers would also make at least $25.75 per hour while receiving full health care and pension benefits,” according to UPS CEO Carol Tomé.From Stutzman’s perspective, his earnings shouldn’t cause envy among those in other industries, but reflect a shared need for increased wages across the board to keep up with inflation. Big takeaways here: earning good money doesn’t always require a degree, unions are powerful, don’t underestimate the value of skilled labor…and UPS drivers deserve respect.This article originally appeared on 12.12.23

The music of Queen has a profound visceral effect on everyone. Few pieces of art can cause complete strangers to put aside their differences and come together in song, but by golly, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is one of them. It would be cheesy if it weren’t so absolutely beautiful.This pertains even to non-English-speaking countries, it appears. Recently, thousands of Harry Styles concertgoers in Warsaw, Poland, began cheering as those iconic beginning piano notes penetrated the air.It wasn’t long before the entire stadium was singing along to that beloved tune and acing every single lyric. As one person commented on YouTube, even though most people in Warsaw don’t speak English, “they sing Queen.”The passionate impromptu performance serves as a reminder of how special both Queen and the late Freddie Mercury remain today. “No other band will ever come close to Queen. They were lightning in a bottle and Freddie was a whale in a teardrop. Once people keep singing his words, FM will live on forever,” another YouTube viewer wrote.Indeed, seeing an entire stadium come alive with “Bohemian Rhapsody,” you can’t help but feel Mercury’s soul return to the mortal plane, as if we’ve all been transported back to that historic Live Aid concert in 1985 when he had the entirety of Wembley Stadium wrapped around his finger for 21 glorious minutes.Watch below, and try not to sing along. Scratch that—sing your heart out.This article originally appeared on 7.14.23

Sure, candlelit dinners and hot air balloon rides are a lovely way to stir up some romance. But there can be just as much love found in everyday gestures. Love languages, be it acts of service or physical touch, are just as potent when whispered than when shouted over the rooftops. And in some ways, they could even be more impactful, since they can consistently strengthen a relationship day in and day out. Just ask these happy couples on Reddit, who shared the “small, everyday gestures” that make all the difference in their own relationships. Goodness, these comments were really sweet. And if you are currently in a relationship, you just might find yourself thinking “hey, my partner and I do these things all the time! I guess we’re doing okay” after reading. Keep scrolling to enjoy some of our faves:1. “Tidying up your shared space without seeking recognition for it.” -TheDadThatGrills2. “Don’t save the ‘thank you’s for only the big stuff, you and your partner should be thanking another for the little things too. It makes such a huge difference!” -Kotoriichi3. “Honestly, just putting your phone down when they’re talking. It’s the little things.” -sweetyBooby21To that, Tournamentdecides replied:"Or if you’re on your phones, and they go to show you a video or a meme…don’t shut them down by saying you’ve seen it. They’re excited!” "Wow, honey. I certainly haven't seen this meme a million times before!" Photo credit: Canva4. “I sent my husband surprise flowers when he was in the office for his one day a week. Lol he spent the whole day fielding questions like 'Ooooh what has she bought?' ' What has she done now...' The photo he sent of him grinning with his flowers was fabulous lol.” -SuspiciousParagraph5. “Remembering things that they say they like, want to try, and surprising them with it later.”-Gerrylovesgym6. “Random hugs from behind. Doesn’t matter what you’re doing, it’s always a vibe.” A hug from behind is an instant mood booster. Photo credit: Canva-Slim_babyLove217. “I work in a dive bar. My boyfriend will come down, rain, shine, or snow, whether it's 1am or 3am, and help me close. He will come down if I have customers or if it's empty. He doesn't like the idea of me being here alone that late, especially with some of the strangers that pass through town. It's not a form of control either. It's sweet, and it makes me feel safe.” -JellyBeanBonanza298. “Forehead kiss.” -vxcfgfhfghrftrt9. “One time my fiancé cried because I made her a quesadilla without her asking.” -turokzelda10. “My husband fills my tumbler with ice and water every day when I get home.” -SKULLDIVERGURL11. “Checking in.’How's your day? Any problems? Anything you want to get off your chest?’ Being sincere and listening goes a long way.” -AudibleNod12. “Doing your part…if the trash is full…take it out…who cares whose turn it is…if you’re both hungry…cook, pick something up, suggest a delivery…just feed yourselves…basically just do your part of whatever needs to be done that day for you, for your partner…just show up! Be someone your partner can rely on. I guarantee if you did this…in most relationships…this would eliminate maybe 70% of relationship issues.” -iiam_Human13. "When they notice you’re stressed and just start doing things to help out. No words needed.” -HOty_Cuty12314. “Remembering something I mentioned to them in passing a long time ago. Nothing says I love you like those small things you'd think they'd forget.” -DakotahBlueX15. “Sharing snacks while binge-watching is a big deal!! It’s like saying you care without actually saying it, ya know?” Snacks + Netflix = LOVEPhoto credit: Canva-oheartlixi16. “I don't do it every day. But every few weeks I'll slip in a cute note with my wife's lunch when she has to go into the office.” -domlemmons17. “Hubby holding the door for me. He has been doing that since the day we met, 39 years ago.“-brsb518. "My husband makes coffee and brings me a cup while I’m still in bed. I start the day knowing I’m loved.” -Stripmallbars19. “Telling me things you wouldn't tell anyone else. Even little things. Honesty is the foundation of trust, and trust is the basis of every relationship.” -Generico30020. “My wife would make my lunches, and she would draw smiley faces or other fun stuff in my bananas every single day....it made me so happy, especially when I was struggling with my new promotion at work. So I would take a picture of it every time. Over the course of a year, I made a gif with her banana smilies and sent it to her as a little thank you. It's the little things that make it worth it.?” -Weedenski21. “Every night my partner sets out a mug, plate, and knife for me so I can easily make matcha and toast in the morning without having to fumble in the cabinets. Every morning it makes me smile and feel loved and cared for.” -helicopteraresexy22. “The best simple advice I ever got was to kiss your partner every single time you separate and every time you reunite...NO MATTER WHAT. It's a small reminder that you love each other. I've literally been in arguments with my partners where they had to leave and we will kiss no matter how mad we are.” It's amazing how much of a postive impact kissing makes on a relationship…even during hard times. Photo credit: Canva-esoteric_enigmaAnd last but certainly not least…23. “Love taps on the buttocks. Right cheek. Stay consistent.” -urcrazyifurnormalHere’s to all the ways, both big and small, to say “I love you.” And to the ones that make us feel profoundly loved even in the mundanity of regular life.

There are a lot of reasons to feel a twinge of nostalgia for the final days of the 20th century. Rampant inflation, the aftermath of a global pandemic and continued political unrest have created a sense of uneasiness about the future that has everyone feeling a bit down.There’s also a feeling that the current state of pop culture is lacking as well. Nobody listens to new music anymore and unless you’re into superheroes, it seems like creativity is seriously missing from the silver screen. But, you gotta admit, that TV is still pretty damn good.A lot of folks feel Americans have become a lot harsher to one another due to political divides, which seem to be widening by the day due to the power of the internet and partisan media.Given today's feeling of malaise, there are a lot of people who miss the 1990s or, as some call it, “the best decade ever.” Why? The 1990s was economically prosperous, crime was on its way down after the violent ’70s and ’80s, and pop culture was soaring with indie films, grunge rock and hip-hop all in their golden eras.The rest of the world was feeling hopeful as globalization brought prosperity and Communism fell in Europe and Asia.The mood in America would swiftly change at the turn of the century when the dot-com bubble burst in 2000 and the 2001 9/11 attacks would lead to the never-ending "war on terror."A Reddit user by the name purplekat20 was clearly feeling some ’90s nostalgia on May 16 when they asked the online forum to share “What ’90s trend would you bring back?” A lot of people noted that it was a lot cheaper to get by in the ’90s, especially considering gas and rent prices. Others missed living in the real world instead of having one foot in reality and the other online.Here are 17 things people would love to bring back from the 1990s.1. "Inflatable furniture and transparent electronics." — Dabbles-In-Irony2."Hope." — DeadOnBalllsaccurateTo which HowardMoo responded: "I hate this despair thing that's all the rage these days. I miss optimism."3. "The '90s web was the best web. People actually made their own home pages. Now it's all social media." — IBeTrippin4. "Affordable housing." — Amiramaha5. "Ninety nine cent per gallon gas." — Maxwyfe6. "The 'mean people suck' statement everywhere. People seemed generally a lot happier and kinder back then. It was a nice reminder to be kind." — simplyintentional7. "Being detached. Not being attached to an electronic gadget every minute of every day." — SuperArppis8. "Calling fake-ass people 'poser.' The state of social media and 'reality' tv demands that this word be taken out of retirement." — rumpusbutnotwild9. "Grunge music." — ofsquire10. "I want movies to be the same caliber as '90s." — waqasnaseem07Cremmitquada nailed it on the head with their response, "Everything has been redone. It's all recycled ideas now."11. "Pants that didn't have to be super-tight to be in style." — chad-beer-31612. "People really expressing themselves. Very few people take any risks with style anymore, or they do something 'different' that's just enough to still conform. In the '80s and '90s there were people doing crazy things with hair and piercing and just didn't give a fuck. I don't think I'll ever see that come back." — FewWill13. "Great animated TV. Spongebob started in the 90s (99 but it counts), Hey Arnold, X-Men, Batman, Justice League, Dexter's Lab, Powerpuff Girls, Boomerang cartoons... the list goes on." — Phreedom Phighter14. "Fast food restaurant interiors." — Glum-Leg-1886 Another fantastic photo of Taco Bell in the 1990s, before the disease of modernismpic.twitter.com/GIiAyNWxiu — Jules (@Jules) 1590273071 15. "Hypercolor shirts and neon puff paint designs on t-shirts. But here in a few months, that'll be changed to abortion and voting rights, probably." — TheDoctorisen16. "News that was news instead of rage bait." — nmj9512317. "We had a stable country with a vigorous economy. In fact, we drew a budget surplus some of those years." — jeremyxtThis article originally appeared on 05.17.22

When the attack on Pearl Harbor began, Doris "Dorie" Miller was working laundry duty on the USS West Virginia.He'd enlisted in the Navy at age 19 to explore life outside of Waco, Texas, and to make some extra money for his family. But the Navy was segregated at the time, so Miller, an African-American, and other sailors of color like him weren't allowed to serve in combat positions. Instead, they worked as cooks, stewards, cabin boys, and mess attendants. They received no weapons training and were prohibited from firing guns.As the first torpedoes fell, Dorie Miller had an impossible choice: follow the rules or help defend the ship?For Miller, the choice was obvious.First, he reportedly carried wounded sailors to safety, including his own captain. But there was more to be done.In the heat of the aerial attack, Miller saw an abandoned Browning .50 caliber anti-aircraft machine gun on deck and immediately decided to fly in the face of segregation and military rules to help defend his ship and country.Though he had no training, he manned the weapon and shot at the enemy aircraft until his gun ran out of ammunition, potentially downing as many as six Japanese planes. In the melee, even Miller himself didn't know his effort was successful."It wasn't hard," he said after the battle. "I just pulled the trigger and she worked fine. I had watched the others with these guns. I guess I fired her for about 15 minutes. I think I got one of those [Japanese] planes. They were diving pretty close to us."Original newspaper reports heralded a hero "Negro messman" at Pearl Harbor, but no one knew who Miller was.The Pittsburgh Courier, an African-American paper in wide circulation, sent a reporter to track down and identify the brave sailor, but it took months of digging to uncover the messman's identity.Eventually, Miller was identified. He was called a hero by Americans of all stripes and colors. He appeared on radio shows and became a celebrity in his own right.Miller's heroism and bravery didn't go unnoticed in Washington, D.C., either.In March 1942, Rep. John Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan, introduced a bill authorizing the president to present Miller with the Congressional Medal of Honor. Sen. James Mead introduced a similar measure in the Senate. While Miller did not receive the Congressional Medal of Honor, he became the first African-American sailor to receive the Navy Cross."This marks the first time in this conflict that such high tribute has been made in the Pacific Fleet to a member of his race, and I'm sure that the future will see others similarly honored for brave acts," said Pacific Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz following Miller's pinning ceremony.Following a brief tour of the country, giving speeches and pushing war bonds, Miller returned to Navy life.In May 1943, Miller reported for duty on the Liscome Bay, an escort carrier.On Nov. 24, during Operation Galvanic, a Japanese torpedo struck the Liscome Bay, sinking the ship. 644 men were presumed dead. 272 survived. Miller did not.On Dec. 7, 1943, two years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Millers' parents received word of their son's death.Doris "Dorie" Miller gave his life for a country that didn't always love him back.Miller posthumously received a Purple Heart, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp, and the World War II Victory Medal. There is also a frigate and a neighborhood on the U.S. Naval Base in Pearl Harbor named in his honor.Though his Navy Cross was never elevated to a Congressional Medal of Honor, as recently as 2014, the Congressional Black Caucus moved to waive the statute of limitations to make it possible.While there are medals, movies, and statues celebrating Miller, it's important to remember and honor the man himself — a 22-year-old black sailor who set aside the rules to do what's right.Poet Gwendolyn Brooks wrote a poem from Miller's perspective, the conclusion of which perfectly captures the young hero's courage in the face of bigotry and uncertainty:Naturally, the important thing is, I helped to save them,them and a part of their democracy,Even if I had to kick their law into their teeth in order to do that for them.And I am feeling well and settled in myself because I believe it was a good job,Despite this possible horror: that they might prefer thePreservation of their law in all its sick dignity and their knivesTo the continuation of their creedAnd their lives.This article originally appeared on 12.06.16

When I saw these incredible photos Angelo Merendino took of his wife, Jennifer, as she battled breast cancer, I felt that I shouldn't be seeing this snapshot of their intimate, private lives.The photos humanize the face of cancer and capture the difficulty, fear, and pain that they experienced during the difficult time.But as Angelo commented: "These photographs do not define us, but they are us."This article originally appeared on 11.5.13

Matt Diaz has worked extremely hard to lose 270 pounds over the past six years. But his proudest moment came in March 2015 when he decided to film himself with his shirt off to prove an important point about body positivity and self-love.Matt had lap-band surgery in 2009 at age 16.Through the course of his weight-loss journey, Matt became passionate about promoting body positivity for people of all shapes and sizes.To stay motivated, he started sharing his journey on social media, posting before-and-after photos, answering questions and giving support to followers, and even sharing his meals and favorite workouts. Six years later, Matt is down over 270 pounds and is a very active voice in the online body-positivity movement.But in all his years of sharing his story, the one thing he's never done is showed what his body looks like after 200+ pounds of weight loss. So he uploaded the video above to show his followers his true self.Shortly after he posted the video online, originally to Tumblr, it quickly went viral and garnered thousands of shares and comments from people around the web. I was one of the thousands touched by the video, so I reached out to Matt to find out more about what motivated him and what he hopes others can take away from his story. Here's what he had to say:Why was it so important for you to post this video?"I'm a really big advocate for self-love and body positivity. I think it's important that we learn to love the bodies we're in, even if we don't necessarily like every little thing about them. However, in the time I'd been writing and talking about it, I'd never actually shown my excess skin to anyone. It felt dishonest somehow, to others and to myself. I couldn't tell others that I wanted them to love themselves and keep myself hidden away and ashamed of my skin.""I know what it feels like to hate your body, and to be depressed about it, and I never want anyone to feel that way again. So, if making myself vulnerable can help one person, why not?"— Matt DiazWhat's the response been like? Anything particularly unexpected?"I think that putting any opinion on the Internet will garner a certain amount of negativity and cynicism, but I haven't seen anything like that at all. I've read every comment and message since the video has gone up, literally thousands, and they're all so thoughtful.A really surprising side-effect were the number of transgender people who've thanked me saying that they understood my struggle, even though their body-related insecurity grew from different roots. I'd never even begun to [think] of what that must be like, and the fact that my message could help even though my problems began somewhere else is really incredible.”What advice or words of encouragement do you have for someone who's struggling to love their body?"I know it's difficult, especially when you're starting out. I want you to remember that you are not the problem, certain aspects of society are the problem. You'll constantly be told that you're too heavy or too tall to be attractive, or you're not masculine or feminine enough, or that your skin isn't the right tone or your hair isn't the right color, and these people are always always always wrong.Luckily, we're slowly starting to see these ideas get phased out by modernity. Plus-sized, un-retouched models are getting more attention in major brands, more attention is being put on the alternative scene for high fashion, it's becoming clear that these negative ideas are not going to last, though it's going to take a while.""Understand that to love yourself is to contest the negative things that were put into your head. Every smile, tattoo, bathing suit, and crop top is a small revolution. Tell yourself you're beautiful every day, and I promise you will be."— Matt DiazWatch video below:Matt's story is a personal one, but it's one we can all learn from.I think the most important thing to take away here is that self-love takes time and is different for everyone no matter what they look like. It's also worth noting that for Matt, losing weight was an important part of his journey, but that might not be the case for everyone. Even so, our society has such incredibly high and unrealistic body standards that even many of those who do work to lose weight end up feeling uncomfortable or being shamed for not having "perfect bodies" once they've lost weight.There's no such thing as a "perfect body" because everyone is different, which is what makes us beautiful and great! I'm glad there are people like Matt in the world who are not only willing to share their stories but also to inspire others by showing that body confidence comes in all shapes and sizes, and that everyone deserves to feel good about who they are. Here's hoping Matt's inspiring words can help others begin to love and accept themselves, no matter where they're at in their journey.This story originally appeared on 03.18.15.

Are you the type of person who is always waiting on someone in the shower, or are you the one holding everyone up with your epic shower songs? Either way, Elisabeth Buecher has the perfect shower curtain for you. The London-based artist created an inflatable shower curtain that fills soft spikes with air if the shower is on too long. After four minutes of running water, a sensor on the tap triggers an inflator for the spikes, and the bather is immediately reminded that it's time to get out.Buecher created the installation to raise awareness about water conservation."They aim at provoking a debate around water issues and making people more aware of their consumption," the artist said on her website.Check out the steps from peaceful showering to an alarming wake-up call below.This article originally appeared on 09.23.17

When you’re living in 2024 but want to spend money like it’s still 2019, you’ve got to make some significant lifestyle changes. Studies show that the cost of eating out at a restaurant has increased 25% since the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020.In addition to your meal being more expensive, a growing number of restaurants are adding “service fees” to your meals at check out, and the customary 15% tip has now gone up to what feels like 20%.That’s why a TikTok video by vegan fitness influencer Jasmine Pineda has many people grinning from ear to ear. In the video, she proudly brings her own avocado and a knife to a restaurant. She cuts the fruit and adds it to her meal to avoid paying the $3 to $6 avocado upcharge.The short and sweet video sums up what many people have to do to get by these days. @jasminepanama22 The video was a hit on TikTok, receiving over 200,000 views. “This is the smartest thing ever!!! Why didn’t I think of this? Thank you, girl, lol,” ColorMeMonique wrote in the comments. “Super smart, honestly. These places charge too much for avocado!” Ashley added.Some people admitted that they bring their own food to restaurants all the time. “I’ve brought my own salad dressing… and even my own toasted bread at breakfast,” Jen wrote. "I have brought my own lettuce to Mexican restaurants," Jo-Lei added.Why does it cost extra to get avocados or guacamole at most restaurants?There are a lot of reasons why there’s a hefty upcharge for avocados when you are eating out. According to Mashed, a big problem is that the cost of avocados is constantly in flux. “Avocados are a very demanding crop when it comes to water and requires around 50 gallons of H2O per pound of fruit,” the site wrote. “If California or Mexico are experiencing bad weather, it can dramatically affect the crop and raise prices. A restaurant might pay $40 for a case of avocados one week and the next week, that same case might be $90.” @jasminepanama22 Another big reason for the price hike is that avocados have a short shelf life, so restaurant owners always have to throw them out. Further, they turn brown when left out too long, which isn’t very appetizing for most diners. "For restaurants and others that produce guac at a mass scale, you may be throwing out literal tons of guacamole," Michael Alexis of The Great Guac Off Competition told Reader's Digest. We all have to do what we have to do to get by during hard times, and Pineda’s TikTok is a fun way of showing people a creative way to stretch their dollar while also enjoying the good life by going out to eat. It feels like a bit of a taboo to bring food and cutlery from home to a restaurant, but what’s the restaurant going to do? Kick her out after they already brought her some bread and a salad?

Anyone who has tried to wrangle a classroom of kids knows that it's a formidable feat at any age. Having a group of learners who are engaged, attentive and reasonably courteous is the goal, but managing diverse personalities from various backgrounds and home environments and who have different standards and expectations of behavior can be tricky. Some teachers take the old-school "law and order" approach, laying out a list of classroom rules everyone is supposed to follow. Those who don't fall in line face consequences of some sort. But high school Language Arts teacher Monte Syrie takes a different tack—one that sees students as valued citizens of a community instead of young people to be controlled. Syrie, who has been teaching for more than two decades, says he's always striving to make the school year better than the last one. That means regularly reflecting and reevaluating how he communicates with his students, which is how he went from standard classroom rules to reframing them as "Policies and Procedures" to tossing out the concept of "rules" altogether. Now he offers 4 R's—Roles, Routines, Rights and Responsibilities—as a framework for classroom management. — (@) "I think teachers are framers. We frame the room. We frame the work. We frame the day. We frame the year. We frame the entire experience–whether we want to or not," Syrie shares. "The kids look to us for the frame. What we do–or don’t do–decides the day. And, man oh man, is there pressure in that. But, there’s also possibility–powerful possibility."Syrie explains in his book about teaching that kids respond differently when teachers frame things differently, and being greeted with classroom rules on day one evokes a specific response in kids. "We seem to believe if we don’t get rules in front of the kids immediately, we will never get the kids where we want them," he writes. "I don’t believe in this anymore. I did, I suppose, at one point, but at this point, I believed there was a better way to 'get kids.'"Syrie decided to reframe his classroom policies as as Roles that let kids see themselves through various lenses, Routines that tell them what to expect, Rights that give them individual autonomy and Responsibilities that help them contribute to a shared community.So what does that look like?Roles in Syrie's classroom include the roles of Yourself (the most important role, he says), Valued Community Member, Reader, Writer, Mistake Maker, and Reflector. He explains to the students what each of these roles entails and why it's important for kids to take them on. Routines include daily and weekly activities such as starting class with a community check-in called Smiles and Frowns and ending class with Journey Journaling. Each day of the week also has a specific focus, such as writing, reading or grammar. Rights include things like, "I have the right to feel safe," "I have the right to learn," and "I have the right to ask as many questions as l want." Syrie also gives students the right to eat and drink in class and the right to make mistakes without fear of penalty. Monte Syrie talks to a student in one of his classes. Photo credit: Monte SyrieAs for Responsibilities, students have a responsibility to get to class on time, know and honor the class routines, self-regulate use of electronic devices in the classroom, be a great listener, self-regulate leaving the room, take ownership of their learning, and be sensitive and respectful of others' viewpoints, among other things. Students are expected to do their best to fulfill these responsibilities and to handle any breaches (such as being late to class) with courtesy and minimal disruption to the rest of the class. If they are struggling with any of these responsibilities, interventions include reminder(s), conversation(s), parent contact, and as a last and unlikely resort, office referral. The beauty of Syrie's four R's is that they demonstrate a sense of trust in students right off the bat, helping them see themselves both as responsible individuals and as valued parts of a communal whole. When people feel trusted and valued and are empowered by a clear balance of rights and responsibilities, most tend to rise to the occasion—even when they're in high school. That's not to say that this framing eliminates all classroom management issues, but it's a framework that encourages character development from within the students rather than exerting control from the top down. They'll be able to take this framing through their whole educational career and beyond. A fellow educator wrote on X, "Love this in so many ways! In these times, this answers 'how can we help learners understand the principles of a democracy?'" Imagine if we all reflected more on our roles, routines, rights and responsibilities as citizens rather than just memorizing the laws we are obliged to follow. Perhaps Mr. Syrie's rethinking and reframing of the educational experience can help us all consider a new framing for our own lives as individuals and community members as well. You can follow Monte Syrie on X and find his book, "better: A Teacher's Journey: Project 180 Book One," here.