Grey Christmas 2022
The “M” on the Margaritaville sign Just blew away, Like my plans For a perfect Tropical Christmas: A day at the beach In some coastal town… ...
“Why Does This Not Grow Natively Here?”
With thanks to Kelli and George Washington Last night, I read, and I learned. I made an effort to lessen my ignorance, but it only grows as I learn… a constantly moving line, accelerating away from me faster than I...
Vision Before Revision
A Letter to My Students About Thinking and Writing Let’s be honest. Many of you don’t like to write…at least not the kind of assigned academic writing we do in school. But, you also know that you kinda have...
Thoughts on Reopening Schools in the Fall of 2020
You know how hard it is when a school community loses a kid or a teacher? I know you do. It’s devastating. I’ve lived it too many times. We bring in counselors, we have community support events, we hurt and...
Why We Go Hiking
A Poem Written on Father’s Day They humor me, I suppose. My family I mean. When I drag them out into the woods for a hikeEveryone goes, but They humor me.It’s not something they like.Covered in mudHopping from stump to...
Writer’s Workshop: Giving a Voice to Trauma
I will never again complain about the college app essay in which our young hero overcomes a sporting injury to relearn the joy of “just playing the game.” A baby sister’s disruptive arrival won’t elicit a yawn and an eye...
Finish It
Yesterday, I made a list of the projects that I have lined up for the summer. The list has 10 items. Build a shed. Clean the garage. Start a podcast. Things like that. Then I noticed something. Five of my...
Wasted Years
Over the past month of writing, one theme I’ve uncharacteristically returned to again and again is the honest examination of my difficult relationships. I wrote about my father; I wrote about my hometown; I wrote about my son. It is...
Unit Planning Flowchart
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Things to Try in 2018-2019
‘Remember, strategies are not rules; they’re paths. There are probably multiple paths to the same destination. Things I’d like to try this year: Diction Dead Word List (Sarah Dove – Word Conscious Classroom) Student Generated Use as a revision station...