Thoughts on spirituality, culture, family, teaching & more
There's been a lot of controversy brewing again, and again it involves race. Is America as free as we've always been taught? Is Colin Kaepernick a nuisance or a hero for refusing to stand during the national anthem? Is the hidden stanza of The Star Spangled Banner directly racist after all? No matter where you stand... Continue Reading →
. . . . . . . . . DON'T STOP READING!!! Okay, okay. I know this is earth-shatteringly profound. But seriously, as cyclical a statement as this might seem (the way to develop a love for books is to keep reading but it's difficult to keep reading without having a deep love of books),... Continue Reading →
I love how literature stirs the imagination, takes us to Fairy Land, Camelot, Narnia, Middle Earth, and beyond. And based on my own worldview, I don't see these motifs as escapism but actually congruous with my own beliefs in a way (another discussion). Nevertheless, literature is also supposed to keep us right where we are ... Continue Reading →
[Here is my first post entitled "Poetry Wednesday." This is a pretty new blog to begin with, but this particular idea is fresh-outta-the-oven-new. I like the medium of poetry. I once heard someone describe dance as a pure art since dancers rarely get famous and the peak of a dancer's life is so short (they're bodies literally cannot... Continue Reading →
"Has US literature woken from the American Dream?" is the name of a books blog article put out by The Guardian last year. The author recounts his perusal of an American art gallery in which he was "struck by this wilful avoidance of darker, pressing realities. Art preferred to revel in a certain pastoral romanticism that... Continue Reading →
Okay, so this is my first full week teaching...exhausting. But exhilarating as well! I'm blessed to teach what I love. And when you teach what you love, you LOVE finding great resources. I'm very fond of various teaching methods, especially visuals and those that increase interaction. Thus, I wanted to share (unashamedly hoping some of my students... Continue Reading →
My reading list is BIG... REAL BIG. And it's always growing. At times I make the mistake of going out and buying a book as a way of adding it to my list even if I'm not ready at that exact moment to read it. Bad idea. Because by the time I get around to... Continue Reading →
HERE is a wonderful video put together by The School of Life group. As in everything, we should not assume that our learners have answered the question: "Yes, but why is this important?" As a literature student and teacher, I know why I love my subject. But do my students? We need to help make that connection... Continue Reading →
*This is the first post. If you aren't familiar with the purpose of the blog, please check out the page "Mr. Caleb" to learn more. Like nearly everything in life, reading is a discipline. It takes time and practice to develop good reading skills. But for many people I know, there's also that book (or... Continue Reading →
