How are you intelligent?

My nephew is a high school student who is a gifted pianist, composer and singer. He’s also autistic. While I have no idea how he might score on an IQ (intelligence quotient) test, he has earned a spot in the state chorus and performs publicly.  Luckily for him, his parents ensured that he was exposed to experiences…

The Purpose of School: Assumptions Differing

On Monday, I uploaded the last three requirements for this semester—29 pages of writing. That afternoon, I reassembled a candelabra floor lamp (removing cloth-covered wires that are now considered a safety hazard), cut and primed boards for an exterior door overhang (a very long time in the design phase) and started laying out a tile…

Learning to read; reading to learn

It’s countdown time–not to Christmas or New Year’s. The end of the semester is 5 days away. Luckily, I’m only taking two classes, and I’ve been staying on top of the reading and other requirements. One class only had two exam/papers, with the final due on Friday. But I just counted. The other class had…

Meet Me at Barnes and Noble on Friday!

And pick up a few good books! On Friday, December 16th I will be appearing at the Barnes & Noble on Central Avenue in Yonkers, NY. Accompanied by a little Fairy, I will be reading in the children’s room from 1pm until 3. In addition to reading excerpts from The Enjella Series, I will also…

Mind your Waste

Sometimes I start writing one thing and another shows up on the screen.  If that magic only translated into a self-writing research paper to complete the requirement that is currently breathing down my neck as the end of semester draws near. This story is more interesting than analyzing how well schools educate for democratic citizenship…