Last night, America relived a bit of its past as FX's "The People vs O.J. Simpson" came to its infamous final--and inevitable--conclusion. It was mid-June of 1994. Not yet 13 years-old, I lay on my Abuela's couch in the living room of her one bedroom apartment. It was hot, almost sweltering, alleviated only somewhat by … Continue reading "The People vs O.J. Simpson" and Memories Past
Category: Personal Essay
A Good Luck Letter to All the State Test Takers Out There…
When I woke up this morning and headed for work, like many others in some way impacted by the world of modern New York State education reform, I wondered how new regulations regarding state testing will ultimately affect students over the next course of days. As educators (whether it be in the classroom, home, or … Continue reading A Good Luck Letter to All the State Test Takers Out There…
Thought this was definitely worth sharing.
When people with developmental disabilities have the support they need to thrive, everyone benefits. In a speech at the United Nations on April 1, Steve Silberman made the case that it’s past time we all learned to honor neurodiversity. An edited version of his text follows. We are living at a very exciting time — … Continue reading Thought this was definitely worth sharing.
"Girls", The Bystander Effect, and Appearance Versus Reality
One can say many things about the HBO series Girls; after all, its cast, writers, and story lines have all been the subject of heated debate, immense accolades, and typical Monday morning banter. Aside from one of its more obviously bold moments executed within last night's first five minutes, the latest episode titled "Hello Kitty" provocatively … Continue reading "Girls", The Bystander Effect, and Appearance Versus Reality
Welcome Poetry Month!
This morning as I prepared my classroom for the day, delighted in my coffee and pretzel croissant (yes, they're making those now), I suddenly realized: it's poetry month! Those of us in the teaching community, especially the lower grades, love taking this opportunity to celebrate with something called "Poem in Your Pocket." The simple gist is encouraging … Continue reading Welcome Poetry Month!
"On Wednesdays We Wear Pink," Zen, and Other Sunday Morning Musings
It seems as if there's been an almost brand-spanking new resurgence regarding the question of girls (women) and competition. Usually, there's some homage paid to that movie (you know the one--where the girls are mean to each other), some discourse, and a wrap up conclusion that this type of destructive behavior in women can be linked … Continue reading "On Wednesdays We Wear Pink," Zen, and Other Sunday Morning Musings
The Art of Reason
At what point does a person take to the internet in order to begin a journey of self expression? Well for me, it probably started few months ago after a week hospitalization for an unexpected problem (c diff in my early 30's???). Long story short, I realized I had neglected some of the finer moments … Continue reading The Art of Reason
Rachael K. Hannah 