Let’s see a show of hands: When it comes to racism in the United States, who out there describes themselves as “woke?” Okay, good. Now, readers of color, please put your hands down so I can see how many white folks describe themselves as woke. Okay, very interesting! White folks, you can put your hands down. Let me ask you … Read
Ain’t I A Woman?
“If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.”–Sojourner Truth, 1851 As I understand it, when Sojourner Truth spoke the … Read
Black History Month 2018
The day after the 2016 election, I met with D Anderson, a young Black man I’ve worked with for a number of years. I hadn’t slept much the night before. Eating dinner at the Drake Diner counter that night, the election results rolled in, and my dreams of a woman president rolled out. The night sky was a stunner as well. … Read
New Year Priority
Time and again I’ve started a New Year’s Resolution and by the end of January my enthusiasm to keep the resolution has all but fizzled out. Maybe some of you have experienced this tiresome cycle. This year I’m trying to combat the cycle by hitching my resolution to my yoga practice. Since I do yoga as often as I can, … Read
New Year, New Intention
So I’m driving home from yoga class listening to an interview of Sue Grafton, the great detective writer and thinking I need to just write a little bit every day this year. Well, is it too late since yesterday was the first? And then I realize I’m hungry, and I see that the garbage can is tipped over blocking the … Read
The Peace and Beauty of Winter in your Classroom
Winter has finally arrived! The solstice brings a sense of peace and serenity to the great outdoors. Likewise, Teachers and students are getting ready for some much-needed relaxation.
Devastation in Puerto Rico
Shelly Johnson, Martha McCormick and I planned to travel to Puerto Rico this Tuesday. Next Step was chosen to present at the North American Association of Environmental Educators’ (NAAEE) Annual Conference in San Juan this week. Our presentations were planned, and we were looking forward to learning about a place we had never visited. Instead, we have anxiously followed the … Read
Lessons for Harvest Time
It’s harvest time in Iowa! It’s been a mostly warm September, and we’re bringing in buckets of tomatoes, bouquets of basil and parsley, and enough carrots to share with the Jolly Green Giant! Kids are gathering produce and learning in school gardens all over the country as well. It’s tempting to get all sentimental about kids raising food for their … Read
Lessons for Fall
For many of us, buying new pencils, pumpkin spiced everything, football, and warm socks mark the beginning of fall! But for teachers autumn ushers in a wellspring of environmental education themes. Three topics are especially interesting this time of year–resilience, migration, and animals we love to hate. Perhaps our strongest instinct is for self preservation. Even in the most difficult conditions, living … Read
Gotta Have a Coach
Over the last four years or so, I’ve let my backyard get more than a little overgrown. One reason–an Amur Maple that we planted the first spring I lived here took a huge hit in an early snow storm. I wept over that tree the next morning when I found every branch either broken or split down the middle from … Read
