17 Jul, 2017

Flower: A Video Game Review           Flower is a visually stunning game that uses art to tell a story. Originally released for the PlayStation 3 and ported over to the PlayStation 4, Flower tells an abstract story that you piece together through visuals and unique gameplay. You start the game in a city apartment where you click on a flower and are immediately transported to a brown field. You maneuver a clear spirit of some kind and bloom flowers that appear. Each time you hit a flower it

06 Jul, 2017

Being an effective instructor is difficult. There are classes and seminars on different approaches that teachers should try all to reach their students. Yet through all of this, there is one strategy that I have found the most effective. That is getting to know your students. No pedagogy or teaching technique will get you to effectively teach your students like this one. If you take the time to know your students and understand who they are as people, they will learn. I take two to

16 Jun, 2017

It's no secret that I have a recognized disability and a service dog. Skylar and I go everywhere together. She's given me a life I never thought I could have again, and I am grateful everyday for her. One of the many blessings of having Skylar is my ability to go places that I otherwise would have never dreamed of going. I've been getting out and doing things that I haven't done in a long time. Unfortunately, there's a flip side to that. Skylar is adorable and so many people want to come up and

10 May, 2017

I’m almost done with my masters and the further I delve into learning about writing, the more I love it. Unfortunately, I find myself analyzing and dissecting everything that involves some type of writing. My most recent victim was The Devil’s Arithmetic. I just finished reading this with my students. The book won the National Jewish Book Award and is critically acclaimed. I was excited to read it with my students, but found my hype short-lived. I wasn’t impressed. Now I know that I’m not an

01 May, 2017

​             Most people out there know that I’m a fan of video games, particularly any one that has a good story. Recently, I was introduced to Titanfall 2, a first-person shooter that involves massive machines called Titans that you can pilot. I’m not going to lie: I suck at first-person shooters. I don’t have the coordination or depth perception to fire any weapon and actually hit something. Also, first-person shooters aren’t known for their story line. In fact, most of them have story lines

As a teacher, I understand the importance of environmental education. I also know that its importance and repetition is lacking in most classrooms. As teachers, we place emphasis on reading and math skills. It is what most states test on and what keeps teachers jobs secure. It’s the unfortunate reality of the situation. So, we have the students practice math and reading skills every day and build on them as the students grow and master old skills.  Yet something we do not stress

23 Apr, 2016

Picture by allspossible.org.uk  Earth day is extremely important to me. I feel that everyday we should celebrate and honor our Mother Earth, but any time we selfish humans can take off and think about something that is not ourselves is better than nothing.  Now it is no secret that I am passionate about the environment and the natural world. Nature, to me, is equivalent (to a point) to freedom. It is both selfish and selfless, existing for itself and for others. Humans have always held