Reflections on teaching, parenting, and living
In the kids’ section of the library, Liam pulls book off the shelf with wild abandon, especially if he sees pictures of trucks or construction vehicles. This has proven quite effective and we have read some great books because of this approach, but it is also nice to have recommended books to look for and check... Continue Reading →
Preface: For Jordan Today would have been Jordan’s 34th birthday. He died a day before his 26th birthday in an accident that seems like it was months, not years ago. As my first cousin who lived only a few hundred yards away from me and my sister, I spent our childhood trying to make them... Continue Reading →
Click here to receive The Learning Curve in your inbox once a month. You can opt-out at any time. I am a library girl. My love for libraries stems from great childhood memories, especially at the Chatham library in both the original and new locations. Now our library visits are less for me and more... Continue Reading →
It's graduation day. The bag piper fills his bag to prepare for the slow march to the dais as the administrators take their places. The faculty forms a sort of walkway/tunnel/barrier against late comers for the graduates to walk through. As the graduates processional through us in their red polyester gowns many of them are laden... Continue Reading →
In my 17th year of teaching, I was diagnosed with mononucleosis. Yes, an adult can actually get mono. Who knew? I was exhausted, moody, and thought something may be seriously wrong with me. The positive blood test for mono was a surprise, but in hindsight it should have been obvious. I worked every day through... Continue Reading →
I followed in my mom’s footsteps to college as an English major, we took graduate level courses together as we pursued our Master’s degrees, and finally ended up teaching in the same school. I had the unique opportunity to work with my mom, not only in the same building, but also in the same classroom.... Continue Reading →
This is Teacher Appreciation Week across the country and today is recognized as National Teacher’s Day. I was fortunate to have many great teachers during my time in school, but this year as my oldest son finishes second grade, my mind is drawn to my own second grade teacher, Miss Dottie Dodd. I was six-years-old... Continue Reading →
- It was hard not to pack my Norton Anthology. Following my mother's retirement from teaching as a Special Education English specialist for 20 years, we decided to make our pilgrimage to London, England, to experience many of the sights related to works we taught over the years. My cousin Wendy, who is the third... Continue Reading →
What one year with GroupMe taught me. At this time of the school year with five weeks left to go, invariably, my mind starts to turn to next year. My "What to do differently next year" document is growing longer and my students have grown accustomed to chiming in about things they would change for... Continue Reading →
My first day of teaching was sixteen years ago this past January. I was a full-time graduate student, assistant volleyball coach, and regular substitute. I was not planning on teaching full-time until I finished my Master's Degree. Well, I grew tired of dorm living quickly after the carefree undergraduate years were behind me and accepted a... Continue Reading →
Learning Curve 