Learning To Be Writers and Readers: In The 21st Century
Sharing thoughts, ideas, and research about teaching, writing, and LIVING in the 21st Century.
Thursday, May 28, 2026
May 29: Imagination Station
May 28 On the Shelf
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Monday, May 25, 2026
SOL26: May 26: Just Like Annie Said
May 25 Memorial Day
Sunday, May 24, 2026
May 24: Rainy Day
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
SOL26: May 19: Angst?
The unusual 40 degree temps last week gave way to a few days of 90s this week and the hum of summer noise makers fueled my angst.
Monday, May 18, 2026
Ethical ELA: May 18: Appreciating Sundown
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Ethical ELA: May 17 The Old Apple Tree
Today's Ethical ELA Host, Erica Johnson, asks us to write a poem about a tree! I considered writing about my neighbor's magnificent, ancient Sycamore, lost in a recent storm; however, I am writing about a tree from my childhood that lurked in the old apple tree

Saturday, May 16, 2026
Ethical ELA: Stormvile
Today's Ethical ELA Host, Jessica Wiley, asks us to write Place Poems today by considering the backstory of a town or a landmark. I read the prompt early this morning and have been brewing ideas all day! I could write about a few fabulous towns that are etched in my memory with powerful native American roots, like Esopus or Kerhonkson; but I am going to write about Stormville, NY, named after the Storm family, where a mountaintop location means endless power failures and snow squalls that close the interstate regularly! While I no longer call it my home, it will always be in my heart.

Thursday, May 14, 2026
May 15: Another Dinosaur
When I came home on Wednesdays, my mother would be watching some talk show (I think) on our tiny black and white TV. She'd have a stack of damp shirts, pants, and sheets, fresh from the fridge, neatly stacked in plastic bags on the edge of the ironing board, awaiting the tortuous process of pressing. Her top of the line adjustable height model was a prized possession and every piece of laundry, even sheets and undies, spent time on its belly.
The image of my mom proudly ironing for hours each week popped into my mind during a conversation about trying to give away ironing boards during downsizing! I do have one, used exclusively for pressing seams in sewing projects, that I plan to keep for now; however, ironing boards, now, fit in the dinosaur category.
Press shirts, blouses, never sheets,



