I used to joke that everything I learned about teaching, I learned from dog training. Then I’d scold my class, “Sit! Stay! Hush!” The truth is, especially since the rise of positive […]
Why Positive Reinforcement Works
An informal review of Matt Haig’s book _Reasons to Stay Alive_
So I finally got around to reading Matt Haig’s Reasons to Stay Alive. I follow him on Twitter, and a friend sent me a couple of quotes from him at important moments. […]
Why I Can’t Just Turn Off the News
“Tell everyone on this train I love them.” —Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, 23 I want to turn off the news. As someone who struggles with depression and anxiety, I need to turn […]
Quick and Easy Grammar: When to Use It’s or Its, Their or There or They’re, Your or You’re—and More!
Knowing the right way to write what you mean can sometimes be tricky, but you don’t have to memorize the rules of grammar to stop making common errors. Other people make […]
Moving: A Photo Essay
Review of DUMPED: STORIES OF WOMEN UNFRIENDING WOMEN
When I first came upon this title on a Facebook feed, I stopped in my digital tracks. Did I really want to read about and wallow in the breakup of “besties?” Since […]
Snow White
Hi friends– I’m excited to share my poem, “Snow White,” from the current issue of Orion Magazine. It’s an absolutely stunning issue, and those of you who care about nature and the […]
Top 5 Reasons Why Pet Lovers Should Care about Science
You dig the new toys on the market and know that polymer scientists and engineers and physicists are responsible for some of the coolest toys that didn’t exist when you were […]
When Another School Shooting is Another Domestic Violence Shooting
School shootings and domestic violence shootings are two separate, complex problems—even when they become intertwined, as they have today. Crucial in the development of this tragedy is that the victim, Karen Elaine Smith, had recently left her abuser—the most dangerous time and circumstance for a battered woman. In our righteous grief and anger because this shooting took place at a school and included child victims, we must not forget the women like Ms. Smith who need us to address this story as a domestic violence issue.
5 Short Parenting Tips That Go a Long Way
When you’re a parent of young children, you have a golden opportunity to create habits and expectations that will survive the long haul. Want well-behaved children? Head ‘em off at the pass before […]
The Gloria Sirens 