Since my work a week ago when I conducted a mini-lesson on writing Haiku at Wetland Education Days, I have been thinking a lot about writing. One of the most common questions I received from the students was whether their haiku needed to rhyme. Of course not, was my response! Flow trumps rhyme in poetry…
Monday evening I was at parent-teacher conferences. My youngest son is a senior in high school and is currently involved in a large solo art project in a nearby community. He is painting a mural on an outdoor wall at a business. It is large – nearly 40 feet long. But, it is October in…
Yesterday was my last day of work at a job I’ve only had a little more than 8 months. It was a job I wanted, a job I was given the opportunity to have, and a job in what I was educated to do – be an environmental educator. But, alas, the job was not…
“No one ever talks about it,” said the mom. “It is frustrating and lonely.” She insinuated that she did not know what to do or how to parent her son, whose needs were beyond the scope of “normal.” “My girls,” she stated, “are so different, so easy.” “Once you find resources, and supportive people, it…
A Child’s Memory I don’t know about you, but I love all this stuff about space. There’s been many stories in the news lately due the the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. I was five. I remember being glued to the television set to watch something that seemed so incredible it was…
I’ve been thinking a lot about potential lately….. Future Potential, Unrealized Potential, Untapped Potential, or even, Staying because of Potential. It is an odd contemplation. Unrealized potential is a little easier to digest, yet the saddest, because it might not be self determined. This includes those who cannot find their groove, succumb to circumstance, or…
The English Language In the English language, state is an odd word. Just look at this list of phrases: In what state do you live? He was in a depressed state of mind. Do you know a Head of State? Can you state your case succinctly? In chemistry class, you will learn that water has…
School gardens are in my blood. I’ve been continually involved in planning, planting, and caring for school gardens since 2004! Fifteen years! Wow, that is a long time! And, more remarkably, that span of time only involves two gardens! My first school garden involvement was at the elementary school where my boys attended their first…
Earlier this week I got the chance to hear a spoken word poet by the name of Chris James. He was the speaker selected to address the winners of the 2019 Congressional Art Contest in Washington D.C.. Most of his speech was motivational and inspirational for the 433 young artists and their family members who…