I have never been more thankful than I am this Thanksgiving. I arrived home yesterday afternoon after a week-long NCTE and ALAN conference in Atlanta. The conference was exactly what I needed following the election–time with like-minded teachers sharing ideas and support. I felt the strength in numbers. The only downside was the cold I … Continue reading Thanksgivings
Starving the Beast
This morning at the University of Central OK I had the opportunity to watch “Starving the Beast,” a new documentary on higher ed. The discussions therein will be nothing new for those of us who live in higher ed, but they are vitally important and timely, as our institutions are discredited, set up for failure, … Continue reading Starving the Beast
Most Likely to Succeed film review
I had the opportunity to attend a screening of this film at the University of Oklahoma recently, and I took away some excellent points that I will share. The film focuses on one school: High Tech High in San Diego. An aspect I appreciated was that it showed some new ways to “do school” that … Continue reading Most Likely to Succeed film review
RP1 is for YAs and plain As!
This book is just so good. Since I read it, I have recommended it to several people. Like my husband (that one was more of an imperative than a recommendation), my hairdresser, my students, other faculty, my exes, strangers on the street . . . really, it’s that good. Okay, some review and an argument … Continue reading RP1 is for YAs and plain As!
Winger
Just finished listening to his YAL novel by Andrew A. Smith this morning. When I got to work, I had three minutes left and I had to sit in the car to finish it. Okay, I don’t want to give much away on this one, but I will say you will probably laugh out loud on … Continue reading Winger
Challenger Deep
“The only thing you have for measuring what’s real is your mind . . . so what happens when your mind becomes a pathological liar?” (163). Caden Bosch does well in school, has friends, and generally makes good choices–until he finds himself in the midst of a journey to the lowest point on earth aboard … Continue reading Challenger Deep
Freaks Like Us
I love so many things about this book. I read it in one sitting while sick one Sunday, with blurry eyes stinging with fever. And it was still great. I picked it up because I was writing a paper about the incredible Neal Shusterman’s work bringing mental illness to the forefront of YAL via Challenger … Continue reading Freaks Like Us
new challenges, same old mistakes
Life lesson are recursive for me. JQ has a magnet that says “Always make new mistakes.” Early on in our relationship, he asked me what I thought of that message. As his Q & A is never without analysis, I thought hard. Then I said I liked the message, which I do. However, I inadvertently … Continue reading new challenges, same old mistakes
jr. daughters showing love
Yesterday I had the privilege of seeing a group of girls spend their afternoon at three nursing homes, singing for the residents and offering them hugs and smiles. The joy they brought warmed my heart. The love the residents showed the girls also warmed my heart. Most of them openly loved indiscriminately, appreciative of any … Continue reading jr. daughters showing love
remembering the grandmothers
Today is Grandparents’ Day, a day that brings back fond memories for me. When I was a kid, our elementary school made a big deal out of the day and had a special celebration. Our grandparents were invited, and I thought the whole thing was terribly exciting. I remember feeling vaguely sorry for the kids … Continue reading remembering the grandmothers
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