My daughter hasn’t touched the piano in a few weeks. Today, she asked to have our keyboard plugged in, and she plugged away at “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” for the next fifteen minutes. She made a lot of mistakes. She got really frustrated. But she kept at it. Eventually, I went in and asked herContinue reading “Practice”
Category Archives: Education
Secret Patterns
My daughter has enjoyed the free breakfast and lunch options available at her school. The first week, she ate breakfast every day, especially the chocolate milk. And this was after having something to eat home. Since then, she’s fallen into a pattern. What is that pattern? On the days I take her to school (MWF),Continue reading “Secret Patterns”
Passing It On
Today is the birthday of a dear friend of mine. I was reminded of him this past weekend because of something my daughter said. She showed me one of her pictures, and I said, “LOVE IT!” Without missing a beat, she responded, “WANT MORE OF IT!” My friend and I exchanged this call and responseContinue reading “Passing It On”
Telling Stories
During the 2020 lockdowns, I got into the habit of walking with my daughter down our country roads and telling her stories. I was writing curriculum for first, second, and third grade, and as a result, I had tons of kids’ stories rattling around in my brain. When I couldn’t think of any Thornton BurgessContinue reading “Telling Stories”
Kid’s Country
For two years, we’ve had a Saturday television appointment that didn’t involve college football. We’ve made a noontime ritual of watching Cook’s Country, the homecooking-friendly PBS spin-off of America’s Test Kitchen. So devoted are we that when fund-raising pre-empts its regularly programmed showtime, we dial it up on youtube. My daughter really loves the show,Continue reading “Kid’s Country”
“You’re good!”
Today, my daughter read her new favorite book to her friend at school. The book is called Sumokitty. She’s had my wife read it to her every night since she got it. Where did she get it? the school library. So she read the book to her friend at school today during one of theirContinue reading ““You’re good!””
Collecting Friends
My daughter has come home with three different items this week that are not hers. A hairband A pair of mittens A belt The first two, she claims, were gifts from friends. “They just wanted me to have them.” My wife and were suspicious–not that she had friends, but that the gifts came from thoseContinue reading “Collecting Friends”
“To Do” List Part II
Today in class, I was walking my students through the process of scheduling. “Here’s today’s date: the 22nd. Here’s the date of your rough draft: October 8th. When are you going to settle on a thesis? When you are going to finish an outline? When are you going to sit down and write the draft?”Continue reading ““To Do” List Part II”
The “To Do” List Blues
It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. You love to see it. You hate to see it. My daughter had a weekly to do list. You’ll see it below. Today, as she prepared for her bath, she had a tear-inducing realization: she hadn’t done what she had planned to do.Continue reading “The “To Do” List Blues”
Poetry
My daughter came home today and checked her “To Do” list. That’s right. She has a “to Do” list. On tap for this afternoon? Art. First, she made a drawing. Then wrote a poem about God on some notecards. Here are the results. She is a blessing from God.
Learning Together 