After the holiday break, my students entered the classroom well-rested and eager to discuss current events. I had jokingly declared that we would start a war after the break, with the understanding before the events of the assassination of the Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani, that the war we would "start" would be world war one. [...]
On a cold day in central New York, I had the fantastic opportunity to take 26 students to tour the Harriet Tubman National Park, located in Auburn, NY. After an enlightening hour, we loaded onto the yellow submarine (aka the school bus) and watched the movie Harriet at the local Movie Tavern. By the end of the [...]
Many of my current sophomores were not alive on the day the world stopped turning. Most of my students are fifteen-years-old — these adolescents are the post-911 generation. They know no other reality than the war on terror. And yet, they know so little about the events of that tragic day. For example, when asked, [...]
There are some subjects that fascinate us. Archaeology is one such subject. Archaeology can take us to Egypt and the tombs of the Pharaohs, or unravel the mysteries in our own backyards. Many people go through an archaeology phase, though few become archaeologists. Plus, everyone likes digging in the dirt. The Society for American Archaeology [...]
Six in the morning is early for any faculty meeting, especially on the Monday after the July 4th holiday, but I was told to report to the library in a large high school I have only driven past. Hired over the phone, I wonder what kind of Gong Show I am attending. Is my employment [...]