I probably should have been fired long ago. People who have known me professionally or have had me as a teacher might be surprised by that statement. Most people, not all mind you, probably think I am a pretty good teacher. After all, I’ve been doing this for decades, and…
Much has been written about “white privilege” in the past year. Some recognize and acknowledge it, while others become defensive and even aggressive at the mere mention of it. We hear phrases like “check your privilege” often. …
Most people would rather have a colonoscopy or a root canal than submit to a high-intensity job interview for a position they strongly desire. To assist people in their job search, a plethora of job-hunting experts have emerged who are more than willing to give guidance for a price. Like…
There is something a little unusual in the age spread between my dad, me, and my son. We are each 40 years apart. My dad was 40 when I was born, and I was 40 when my son was born. I have a picture of the 3 of us when…
I am always amazed at how gullible the American public is, and how easy it is to market a bad or silly idea to them. The American public has been convinced to buy everything from Ford Edsels to pet rocks. …
A number of years ago, my wife and I lived in two different cities. She was in the position of being a new grandmother and wanted nothing more than to be where the grandchildren were. To that end, we rented an apartment that was conveniently located near where the grandchildren…
Many years ago in an interview for a teaching position, I was asked how I can tell what the values of a school district are. I responded by telling the hiring committee the best way is to look at the budget. What an organization spends its money on tells you…
The picture above is of my son’s first-grade class in 2003 when they were learning about and celebrating Thanksgiving in school. My son is the one kneeling furthest to the right. He is the one frowning. Why is he frowning? Let me explain.
In the early elementary grades, teachers like…
Recently my wife and I attended the baptismal ceremony of our 6-year-old grandson. Neither of us attends any church regularly. Actually, that isn’t correct. Neither of us attends church at all. Both of us were raised with religion, but as adults, we both said goodbye to all that years ago…
There are few poems that pluck my heartstrings quite like Robert Frost’s “My November Guest.” Frost’s guest, his Sorrow, comes to visit in November and makes for him a time of reflection, a time to look around and see the beauty of the bare November days. His poem talks of…
