Abraham Lincoln once penned a note to the world regarding his young son beginning school: “Teach him, gently, World, but don’t coddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel.” I am grateful to have had the Merrimack Youth Association, travel soccer leagues, and truly incredible coaches from recreation straight through college. But… Continue reading In Honor of Great Coaches…
The kids were playing in the afternoon sunshine and rushed inside, “Mommy, look what the leprechaun left us in the snowbank!” Thank you to whatever neighbor dropped this mini REAL glass message in a bottle with shamrocks in the yard, reinforcing our children’s belief in leprechauns, fairies, dragons, etc. They were so excited, and Greta… Continue reading Irish Blessings…
Her technique is text book. Knees bent as to take pressure off her back. Hand placement on the back rest is perfect- direct pressure not too high, not too low to cause a flip backward. She has known this from birth, an inherent skill as a daughter of a wheelchair user. The rest of the… Continue reading A Sure Sign of Spring…
“One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world.” Malala Yousafzai, freedom fighter for education rights for all children and the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. “Better to live like a lion for one day than to live like a slave for 100 years.” Malali, the young woman… Continue reading In Recognition of International Women’s Day
This handsome young man beside me is Brendan, and he is a senior in high school. You have no idea how hard this is for me to believe, unless you know Brendan too, and where he’s been. He lives with his dad Pat, sister Kai, brother Dylan and is very close with his Grandma… Continue reading Skiing with Brendan is a ‘Goode’ Thing
Every year, I overhear a student casually talking about a wife-beater. And every time, I cringe with the image that contrasts with the ones my students are talking about. Most recently, the conversation sounded a little like this, “I can’t believe he was skiing with only a wife-beater beneath his jacket. What a jackass.” The… Continue reading Eradicating the World of Wife Beaters, One at a Time
Only in New Hampshire (or perhaps this does occur in other wintery states- and if it does please comment) do we put children and toddlers in cardboard boxes, decorated and duck taped, and shoot them down an ice luge in front of cheering parents and spectators. There is a groomed luge “for safety” to keep… Continue reading Only in New Hampshire…
This is Miss Seidel, my first grade teacher. We meet for lunch once or twice a year about halfway between where we both live. Yesterday was one of those moments we live for as teachers, when a student returns to say thank you, only I was on the student end. I was able to give… Continue reading Once a Teacher, Always a Teacher…
Getting the call at 5:35 AM for a delayed opening is nothing short of a miracle in the White Mountains of NH. Then to head outside and find my walkway and driveway already shoveled and both our cars already scraped off by a thoughtful neighbor- this is truly a gift. Thank you, Seth Chandler! He… Continue reading It’s the Little Things Some Mornings…
It’s Friday morning at school and minus 1 degree as I stand here at my post for waving duty. I stand at the stop sign at the front entrance of my school to make sure parents stop at the stop sign and don’t run over any students in the crosswalk. Thank you for stopping at… Continue reading Thinking about Choice while Standing in -1 Degrees
