Relationship is Central

I drove down my street one afternoon this week and sure enough, there they were.  My nephews, Caleb and Isaiah, zipped up and down driveways on their shiny, silver scooters.  I rolled down the window to greet them, “What’s going on, guys?” “Hey Luke!” Caleb said as he whipped past me and manually motored down [...]

Treading Water in the Baby Pool

Today I filled up our toddler pool in the backyard, this time with water.  Last week it needed air.  I went knocking on doors in search of an air compressor only to walk home empty handed.  I psyched myself up to inflate the entire pool (which could double as a white water raft) with only [...]

Straight From a Movie Critic

I begin every class with background music from a selected soundtrack.  Music captures the power of a story and allows us to relive it long after the credits roll.  On my morning drive, the Broadway recording of Wicked continues to arrest my soul to a captivity of wonderment.  I hope my students depart class with [...]

Saturday Citation: Nicole Krauss

Once upon a time there was a boy who loved a girl, and her laughter was a question he wanted to spend his whole life answering.

Saturday Citation: Jim Elliot

Eve’s daughters are as flowers and none can ever say they are through unfolding.

Romeo and Juliet

This week I had the honor (or sentence) of introducing 8th graders to Bill Shakespeare.  As a precursor to Romeo and Juliet, the literature teachers facilitated some class discussions on true love.  I laughed pretty hard while dialoging with the other teachers at the end of the day.  One particular teacher broke down the dynamics [...]