Birthdays are important to me.  Unlike other American holidays, they do not require reciprocity.  There is no give-and-take, no social contract; nothing that says, ''our gifts better be equal, because if they don't, I'll either feel gyped or guilty.''  Unlike the stressful holidays that require months of planning and occassionally ...

I sit at my desk with a fat stack of papers.  The solitary electric guitar quietly introduces notes to the song  ''Round Here'' by Counting Crows– a lonely track that never should have been a hit, because it really wasn't all that radio-friendly anyway.  After that, I immediately expect to hear the goofy, hick-like beats ...

After taking so many theory classes this summer, I am left with a mental overload.  I enjoy the dialogue and debates, yet I can't help but feel that none of the ''isms'' really worked for me.  Constructivism was great, but often unrealistic.  Behaviorism seemed to treat kids like robots.  I loved parts of the critical pedagogy, ...

The following are five easy steps to managing a classroom:   It's blank for a reason.  I don't think there is that magical formula.  There aren't five easy steps.  We don't teach in Hogwarts and we don't have a magic wand to make it all better.  Moreover, I am skeptical of the famous gurus and wizards offering a ...