Dear Caryn, When I think about the role you have played in my history as a teacher here at Lin-Wood, along with that of our many colleagues, I am truly humbled by your wealth of experience, fortitude, and compassion. You have been a highly educated and dedicated mother hen to more than just your students. … Continue reading For the Love of Learning: Thank You Caryn Shamey for Your Lin-Wood Years
Today, I was kindly and undramatically shot down by a literary agent while attending a writing conference in Boston. Surrounded by literally hundreds of teachers and writers from around the world in the swanky Park Plaza hotel ballroom, I momentarily felt a “what the hell am I doing here” kind of moment, the one where… Continue reading What We Learn From Rejection
Friends sometimes ask what is the best way to appreciate a teacher. But requiring or encouraging society to thank a teacher is a little like forcing your child to apologize when he or she isn’t ready to say “sorry.” Ideally, as teachers, we would love for our students to understand that our work at school… Continue reading #thankateacher From One Teacher to Another: May You Always Feel Appreciated
As a 23 year old teacher long ago, in a school district far from here, accused by a local minister of “raping” a young man of his innocence, we imagine the worst. We imagine a teacher who has sent inappropriate photos or messages to a student she is responsible for professionally. What we don’t imagine… Continue reading The Time a Parent Accused Me, a Teacher, of “Raping” with Reading
This might be my new favorite picture of Greta and Geoff, not because he is standing at my Uncle Gordon’s standing bar– or because she is wearing her turtle fur neck-up as a hat–or because her hair, after 5.5 years of life is finally long enough to wear not one but two French braids, but… Continue reading Kissing 2016 Goodbye
Dear Ellen and Portia, I hope this letter reaches you–somehow–some way– before Christmas. Last year this time, we debated about sending a copy of my book, True North, to you via Santa at the North Pole; however, my five year old said, “Mom, if you want this to go to Ellen, just send it to her… Continue reading My Christmas Letter to #EllenDeGeneres
November is National Novel Writing Month– who knew? So, I find it apropos that this month is the one year anniversary of True North having arrived on my doorstep in ACTUAL book form courtesy of our fabulous UPS man, Ted Russell, and AuthorHouse Publishing. Four times of year, I receive a report from their marketing… Continue reading My Gift for You Today: Non-Election- Related Light Reading
