Letter to My Student Emilia The teacher from the middle school told me for six months you’d worked a second shift job after lying about your age, then you slept every day in class. She made you quit the job, and in ninth grade, you begged me to help you find work. We thought our …
Because I have dedicated my life to “the others” of America. The immigrants and refugees. The Muslims and the Coptic Christians. The students who arrive to school on Day 1 with no English and are terrified. As an ESL teacher, I have spent day after day and year after year with a group of people …
For a few years I’ve been choosing one word or mantra for the year instead of making New Years Resolutions. This past January the word I chose was enough. I wanted to begin to truly believe in my own worth. That I don’t have to please everyone or act a certain way or do certain …
I’ve been tagged by my friend, poet Brianna Pike, to post a poem of mine (published, early draft, loved or hated) each day for five days and each day, I’m to tag another poet to join the challenge. Today’s poem is unpublished, and I have no desire to attempt to publish it, so I think …
1. Some internet lists, like this one, are a random odd number. For Type A personalities, this is extremely frustrating. Give me a list of 10, not 7 or 9 or 13, please! 2. Lists smack of know-it-all-ness. “I am an expert in _______ and I have a list to prove it!” 3. Lists attract …
