Category: Opinions/Editorials
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A Teacher’s Thanks To District 87
As many of you know, I teach high school English. (Yes, I am the epitome of the clichéd English teacher who thinks he’s also a writer. It’s true that I even have sports coats with elbow patches.) I wanted to take a moment and thank my employer–District 87. It’s been a long ride with District…
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Netflix’s The Eddy – A Few Thoughts
Though I was skeptical at first, the name Damien Chazelle initially drew me to The Eddy. You may know him from movies he directed like La La Land and First Man, which are two films I very much enjoyed. If you’re unfamiliar with the show’s premise, it features Elliot Udo, a formerly famous American jazz…
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Disney’s Prop Culture Gave Me the Feels
Disney Plus recently released an original series called Prop Culture. In this show, the host visits iconic props from seminal, sometimes historic, Disney movies. My family and I watched the first episode this evening, which focused on Mary Poppins. I’ll be honest with you–I’m not a fan of the original Mary Poppins. I somehow missed…
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Upload – A Few Initial Thoughts About The Amazon Original Series
Generally speaking, I tend to like Amazon Original content. When I saw a new series debut created by the man who brought us The Office, I had to give it a chance. I am currently three episodes in, and I really like Upload. If you’re unfamiliar with the premise, Upload takes place in 2033. It’s…
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What the NBA G League Means For Businesses and Colleges
The NBA’s G League is kind of a like a minor league for the NBA. Players in the G League are considered professionals, and they are paid. However, something very interesting has happened over the last several weeks. Top college prospects are electing to enter the G League rather than going to college for a…
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Netflix’s Unorthodox – A Few Thoughts
Have you heard of Netflix’s Unorthodox? I hand’t, either. One of my wife’s friends recommended it to her. Even though it didn’t look like my thing at all, I decided to give it a try with her. Let me tell you, this show is captivating. At just four episodes averaging about fifty minutes apiece, Unorthodox…
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Visit Monica Estabrook’s Virtual Exhibition “mother•land”
I hope you will take a moment to visit Monica Estabrook’s virtual exhibition entitled “mother•land” by clicking HERE. Monica Estabrook is an art teacher at Bloomington High School. I’ve known her as a coworker and friend for several years and appreciate her unyielding passion to create art even as she excels at teaching and raising…
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We Love Brave Kids Art Club
My friend, Jude Landry, recently made me aware of a YouTube channel called Brave Kids Art Club. We tried it out today, and as you can see from the pictures above, it was a huge hit! Brad Woodard is a professional illustrator, and in these 15 to 20 minute videos he walks kids through a…
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Working Hard, Or Hardly Working? My Answer Is … Yes?
The other day someone asked me if I’m working more or less than I did before the COVID-19 outbreak. I thought about it for a few moments, and I found that I could only logically answer “less.” As a teacher, I spent about eight and a half hours at work every day before the pandemic.…
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Are You Checking Your Child’s Grades?
Whether COVID-19 has sent your life into utter chaos or perhaps simply a bit of disarray, chances are you’re forgetting to check on your child’s grades. I urge you to do so regularly. Most school districts have an online grade book that allows family access. I’m sure your elementary and middle school teachers have communicated…