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.

Some winter roses I have enjoyed during our holiday break.

Robert Frost is the greatest poet of the 20th century. While there are several other contenders, Frost’s work rises to the top. Balancing expert use of form with a masterful command over the English language, all of Frost’s art is suffused with the tender tone of a sensitive heart.

This “word dump” allowed my students to just get all of their thoughts out and be okay with organizing them later.

After the crazy fun of Halloween, the month of November feels like a happy, cozy, cold month, and I like to lean into that feeling in my classes.

Life is life, regardless of size.

By encouraging this personal connection, we bring the values of some of literature’s most admirable heroes right home to the hearts of our students, and it makes them stronger.

A few anecdotes from the past week or so.