The year has only just begun, and I can already see the beginnings of new blooms. I hope to share them with you here.

As I prepare to say goodbye to the summer, I like to reflect on what has made it special.

Glittering Caves is a treasure trove of insight to anybody who is curious about The Lord of the Rings.

I will be taking on two sections of writing in the coming year—the 5th and 6th grade classes. Although this change does involve saying goodbye to 3rd grade literature (actually heartbreaking), I am elated at the opportunity to teach writing, and to teach older students.

On the first day of literature class, poetry is an exciting preview of what is to come. On the last day, it is a perfect bow to tie on the experiences we have shared.

Clear and precise expression is the powerful tool of a well-trained mind.

It does not take a gifted child to read and enjoy Shakespeare. Like most things in life that are worth having, enjoyment of Shakespeare is attainable for anybody who is willing to put in the work.

Lost on a Mountain in Maine is the narrator’s true account of when he was lost on Mt. Katahdin in Maine for nine days. And, more than any of the episodes he recounts, the thing everyone remembers most is Donn’s character.

I was recently given the opportunity to guide my 3rd grade homeroom class through the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California on a field trip.

I adore revisiting the stories that always have something new to offer, even after reading them as many times as I have. Just when I think I have reached peak enjoyment of a novel with a particular class, the following year’s group always shows me something else that can be understood from a close reading of the same old, beautiful words.