In the time of wide lapels, enormous cars, and disco music that we fondly call the 1970s, going to school on Halloween without wearing your costume was about the biggest faux pas a kid could commit. And the only night more exciting than Halloween was the night before Halloween, which we called Mischief Night—an evening…
History
For the Love of Dictionaries
As I write this blog post, it is Dictionary Day (October 16). Now, as a writer, I love both words and dictionaries, as well as the magical ways in which words can be sequenced to convey meaning, tone, and point of view. I could have just said syntax, but that word doesn’t pack the weight…
Mapping Out Your Fall—Freebies, Prizes, and a Fun Giveaway!
A map is a map, right? Not with this new book from Candlewick Press! Explore this week’s freebies and enter to win my copy of Maps.
Celebrating the Classics
On The Mailbox Facebook page, we often note significant anniversaries, birthdays, and historical dates that have a connection to education, specifically elementary and early-childhood classrooms. Recently, we noted the birthday of André Cassagnes, the Frenchman who created the Etch A Sketch; Robert McCloskey, the author of “Make Way for Ducklings”; and Virginia Lee Burton, author…
Reading, ’Riting, Running
We were not always the smartest kids on the bus. I’m thinking back to 1975 here. Still, I don’t think that changes the fact that we were foolish to think a pile of leaves stretched across the road was enough to prevent the school bus from getting to our stop. We tried, but the leaves…
A Tree Hugger Apologizes
I’d like to offer a long-overdue apology to my friends the trees. I love trees. In my younger days, I will admit to physically hugging them. When I was about seven years old, one of my favorite places to spend hours playing was in the twisted trunk of a fallen, but still-living tree in the…
Five Fast 40th Facts
We’re deep in the heart of our 40th Anniversary celebration here at The Mailbox. In case you haven’t checked out the special deals and sweepstakes going on right now, click here. In honor of 40 great years of putting teachers first, here are five fast facts about The Mailbox you might not have known: 1….
40 Years of Change
As you’re no doubt aware, The Mailbox is celebrating 40 years of helping teachers by delivering creative ideas and activities that engage students and help meet Common Core standards. In the early days, we were known for our creative teacher workshops. Today, it’s our books, magazines, mobile apps, and digital and online resources. We’ve come…
History Without Standards
I went looking for a different kind of standard. We have the Common Core State Standards, which cover mathematics and language arts. We also have the Next Generation Science Standards, already adopted by six states. But what about history standards? (And the arts? And civics? And common sense?) What I found was the National Center…
A School Year in Review
Let’s review, shall we? During the last school year, I touched on a wide range of subjects, both serious and not-so-much. On a few of them, I received many comments. On many of them, I received none. Good or bad, I think some of them are worth revisiting. And the passage of time may mean…