When I was kid, Goldilocks used to scare the crap out of me. I just didn’t get that story. Every other adventure had a happy ending. Dumbo flew. Pinocchio stopped lying and turned into a real boy. Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty got married. It seemed like every other…
For the last few days I’ve been grappling with news stories, numbers adding up, ever-expanding circles on maps and wondering, “What world have I woken up in?” Like other members of my profession, I’ve been scrambling to generate weeks worth of “stand alone” plans, uploading documents to websites, and creating…
Finding ways to help children feel seen and heard during times of trauma is one of the most daunting aspects of any teacher’s job description. Educators are not only charged with sculpting young minds — we’re also obliged to protect them. Making sure children feel comforted and encouraged is our…
Early on in my teaching career, I struggled to find the balance between being an authority figure and being a real person with my students. When I came down on them they tuned me out. If I was too accepting, they walked all over me. After I became a mother,…
As an adult, it can be hard to find balance in a life that demands both work and rest. We’ve all heard the old adage, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” and there’s definitely truth to it. Too much time at the grind dulls our edges….
My husband and I recently celebrated our 18th year of marriage at the lake with four teenage girls and our three children. Yes, you read this right. On the anniversary of the day we said “I do,” we packed three coolers full of frozen food, three bags of chips, snacks,…
There’s an old Zambian proverb, “When you run alone, you run fast. When you run together, you run far.” My sister Mary and I understand the meaning of this saying more than most. We’ve run hundreds of miles together over the past five years, and there’ve been many times —…
Emily studied English Literature and Secondary Education at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, VT and graduated with honors in 2001. Emily began her teaching career in southern New Hampshire and currently teaches in A.P. English Literature at Bucksport High School. After her daughter was born, she began writing a book, Investigating…
“Mom, you’re not a rock star. You’re a high school English teacher!” my daughter reminded me recently. As I left the house to attend a summer seminar I called out, “I feel like a rock star!” During the hour-long commute I started thinking, how many of my students feel like…
Maine Writes, volume 2, is the 2015 anthology of writing by members of the University of Maine Writing Project. Teachers who choose to write – who experience its joy and its struggle for themselves – bring something special to their field and to their students. This collection of teacher reflections,…