Resolution

It was years ago that I once and for all gave up the notion of making New Year's Resolutions. Of all the resolutions I've made in my life, never have I accomplished a single one the whole year through. And I know that this is common - it's even a running joke. But when I…

Reverse Bucket List

People spend a lot of time talking about all the things they want to do with their lives, and I am one of those people. I could go on forever about each and every little experience I'd like to enjoy one day. But I think that today is a good day to take stock of…

Lessons Learned

I'm not sure if I teach more lessons as a teacher, or learn more. This week alone I've taught so much. In history we discussed coats of arms and designed our own, populating them with symbols of our values. We also learned local history of New Hampshire. I taught early algebra in math class -…

Year’s End

My first year of teaching is coming to a close. I am 98% relieved by this, 1% shocked, and 1% baffled. Out of the sixteen students I've taught this year, I can't say that any will be forgettable. With each child I've had moments and stories that I will be sharing intermittently for the rest…

Today I learned…

Today I learned that a group of foxes is called a skulk. I learned that children are not taught how to handle books gently and respectfully, but like disposable toys. Well, I learned that again. I learned that the word formication means "a tactile hallucination involving the belief that something is crawling on the body or…

Digging Deeper

So I'm sitting here taking up much more of the couch than I need to, bottle of white zinfandel in hand, and once again I've been thinking too much. This time it's about friendships, and the nature of nostalgia. Recently I've been accidentally thinking about old friends, even to the point where I've been dreaming…

23 lessons in 23 years

I feel like I am part of a generation many lessons are lost on. While I can't deny that on many occasions I've been an active participant in this sad situation, I feel that it is incumbent on me to find myself some solutions. So, here are 23 lessons I've learned, or tried to learn,…

Machiavelli for the Second Grade

I may have said this before, but the term "terrible two's" was never meant to indicate two year olds. What it was truly a warning of, my friends, is second graders. However, I have finally come to a realization which I am sure will continue to help me in my second grade classroom management. One…