September 2012

  • Undervalued, Unappreciated, and Misunderstood

    via http://www.simplycyfair.com/great-gift-ideas-for-teachers.aspx I am very dedicated to what I do. I put so much of myself into my job. I don’t clock in or clock out. I am always a teacher. And I don’t complain about it. My family, friends, and even neighbours know how much work and effort I put into my job. It […]


  • Know Your History 29 – Hip-Hop United for a Cause (Part 2)

    On January 12th, 2010 Haiti was hit with a devastating earthquake. The natural disaster left the already poor and impoverished country in an even more dire state. One month later, wheels were set in motion to mobilize some of Canada’s most popular musicians to help record a benefit track for the cause. As such, Young […]


  • Teaching Tip – Differentiated Instruction

    Welcome to Teaching Tip Tuesday! Every week I share with you a tip that I hope you will find useful in your teaching. You can visit the Teaching Tips Archive to see all of the tips in the order I have posted them over the years. Please check that page as I will continue to […]


  • Life Unexpected (Great Television)

    I always borrow DVDs from the library and I’d seen this one on the shelf several times. I had no idea what the show was about, simply because of the way the library had packaged the DVD set, but something about it called to me. I just didn’t have the time to watch it until […]


  • Angus McKenzie Trail (St. Thomas, Ontario)

    I collect trail runs. I’m always looking for a nice place to go for a jog. Sometimes I have no idea what the trial is going to be like, how long it is, or where exactly it leads. Today, I laced up my shoes, strapped my camera to my wrist, and decided to explore this […]


  • Springbank Skatepark (London, Ontario)

    I’ve been collecting trails for a while now on this blog. Whenever I run a new one, I take a few pictures and write about it. I’ve decided to do the same thing with my favourite skateboarding spots. Today we are going to explore the latest skatepark to be built in London, Ontario, Canada. It’s […]


  • The Write Start: Nurture Writing at Every Stage

    I don’t often take my own advice of taking the summer off from teaching. I usually find something to read at the very least. I think it’s important to develop professionally and books are a great way to do so. I found this book over the summer at the library. I wasn’t looking for a […]


  • Avid Reader . . . Still Collecting Book Experiences

    I’ve never kept a reading log before. I always thought that it missed the point. I read because I enjoy it, because it’s a great way to experience stories, because I love the written word, and because I am a writer and appreciate the craft. This year, I decided to at least keep track of […]


  • Make Mistakes and Roll With Them

    “Weren’t you worried you would make a mistake?” I ask. “Made two of ‘em. No one seemed to notice.” I nearly choke on my carrot stick. “What? You made two mistakes?” “Acting’s like real life, Mon. You make a mistake, you keep going. Everyone adapts. It’s no big deal.” He hurries to say hello to […]


  • Too Many Things, a Doom, and Finally a Daredevil

    I saw these gumball superhero figures that looked really cool. I put my two-dollar coin into the machine and hoped that I would get a Daredevil to add to my collection.  I got Thing from the Fantastic Four instead. I thought I’d try again. I put another twoonie in the machine and got another Thing. On […]