February is an atypical time of year. It’s a shorter-than-average month that follows closely on the heels of a series of holidays and a decent-size school vacation. February packs one national holiday and three notable observances—Presidents’ Day, Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, and Chinese New Year. It’s also Black History Month, which lends February added weight…
writing prompts
That Not-So-Smart Feeling
I am not a math guy. Just saying “I am not a math guy” is something that registers high on the Richter Scale of Understatement. Yet there are times when I must put this fact of life aside and apply myself to a mathematical undertaking. Whether it is helping my kids with their geometry homework…
The Unexamined Colors of Summer
Goldenrod, salmon, lilac, buff, aqua. By any other name, they’re still just the colors of fast and frequent handouts coming at the end of the year. Whether it’s for summer camps, sports leagues, or other activities, your students’ backpacks are probably stuffed to bursting this time of year. On the opposite side of the coin,…
Wrapping Up Teacher Appreciation Week
To tie a bow on Teacher Appreciation Week, I got to thinking about a question we put to teachers on The Mailbox Facebook page. We asked whether there was a particular student-given gift a teacher remembered better than others. There were some great replies, everything from homemade spring rolls to a waffle iron to a…