In my estimation, there's never been a time more than now that the world needs hope and peace and encouragement. I live down the hill from an elementary school, so the sounds of encouragement ring through my windows as the classes roll through recess each day. The giggles and … [Read more...] about Words of Wisdom from a Child
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$1 Can Help Stop Summer Hunger
The end of the school year is a frenzied, rushed race with summer monotony bleating at the finish line. Each year is a bittersweet end, and I have visions of family time adventures and cookie baking as we laugh and dance in the kitchen. Mind you, this is still a wistful daydream … [Read more...] about $1 Can Help Stop Summer Hunger
He Named Me Malala Film to Air Commercial-Free on NatGeo 2/29
Educating girls is not a woman's issue. My own son wanted to raise money for girls' education after we visited a village school outside Kolkata on our trip to India last year. He's just 10-years old yet sees the value in educating girls. In a recent letter he wrote to the United … [Read more...] about He Named Me Malala Film to Air Commercial-Free on NatGeo 2/29
Snow Angels
Whenever it snows I'm taken back to the third grade in Roanoke, Virginia. I don't remember my teacher's name, but I can vividly recall the classroom. It was tucked in a corner so there were extra windows. We enjoyed glorious streams of sun and daydreamed as we stared out the … [Read more...] about Snow Angels
NC Citizens — Help Remove Punitive Standard 6 From Teacher Evaluations
Nothing gets me testier than testing. As you might know, I served on the North Carolina Statewide Task Force for Summative Assessment. If you’ve ever proctored a high stakes EOG test, you’ll know what a dismal experience it is for students and teachers alike. My own … [Read more...] about NC Citizens — Help Remove Punitive Standard 6 From Teacher Evaluations
Snow Days Spark New Reverence for Teachers
We missed a couple days of school here in North Carolina. We had more ice than snow, and regardless how much Northern driving experience you have, there's no way you're getting around safely on a highway that's morphed into a skating rink. And so we hunker down. It's expected … [Read more...] about Snow Days Spark New Reverence for Teachers
Victim Blaming – When an Officer is Not a Gentleman
I imagine the same people who blame the 16-year-old student in South Carolina for her behavior before Officer Fields brutally yanked her from her desk also believe women are raped because of what they wear. Those folks love to blame the victim, even better when said victim is a … [Read more...] about Victim Blaming – When an Officer is Not a Gentleman