Category: Essay

• My Nanny Pat

  My aunt, Ann Patricia Harvey Tomancik, passed away on Friday, May 18, 2018, just 28 days after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. After spending all weekend doing lesson plans and prepping for missing school, my husband and I flew to Louisiana early Monday morning for the wake on Monday, the funeral on Tuesday, a quick…

  michardillo

  May 26, 2018

  Essay

  Amite, Belle Chasse, funeral, grief, Louisiana, prayer, rosary, wake

• Cross on Over to Nerdy Book Club!

  After teaching The Crossover by Kwame Alexander, I wrote about the experience–and and the man behind it–for Nerdy Book Club. Please read it here and let me know your thoughts!

  michardillo

  May 23, 2018

  Essay

  Booked, Kwame Alexander, middle school, reading, Rebound, reluctant readers, Solo, sports, teaching, The Crossover

• Find the Joy – Everywhere and Anywhere

  For over a year now, I’ve been ending my tweets and posts on Instagram and Facebook with #findthejoy. Whenever something makes me smile or makes me happy, I snap a pic and tag it #findthejoy. This stemmed from my desire to bring more joy to my social media posts, in an effort to combat the…

  michardillo

  May 5, 2018

  Essay

  findthejoy, mindfulness, positive outlook, prayer, school, social media

• Some Assembly Required

  Sometimes I pretend I’m on Food Network’s Chopped and open my fridge and pantry as though it is the wicker basket on the set. Then I create a new recipe with whatever I have on hand. As Lori Greiner on Shark Tank would say, “Sometimes it’s a hero, and sometimes it’s a zero.” Today after returning…

  michardillo

  April 22, 2018

  Essay

  Basmati Rice Medley, broccoli, casserole, Cream of Mushroom Soup, Lori Greiner, onion, Pittsburgh Penguins, Progresso Italian Bread Crumbs, red bell pepper, rotisserie chicken, Shark Tank, Trader Joe’s

• Chicken with Three Reds

  So, today, we returned home from 10:30 Mass, all of us hungry and no one feeling like preparing a big meal from scratch. We had on hand a bag of Perdue Perfect Portions, boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I checked the pantry to see what could I do with them that would be more exciting than…

  michardillo

  April 15, 2018

  Essay

  balsamic, cauliflower rice, chicken, mozzarella, parmesan, perfect portions, roasted red bell peppers, salad, sundried tomatoes, tomato sauce

• Finish Strong

  The April issue of Washington Family Magazine is now available online. Please see my article “Finish Strong“, pages 14-15, with quotes from some of the best teachers I know!

  michardillo

  April 3, 2018

  Essay

  education, organization, spring, teaching

• Who’s Your Favorite?

  These “top 10 of this” and “favorite 5 of that” lists are very popular these days. Someone is always posting a list of these types of things on Facebook: list your favorite book (Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier), favorite song (“Your Song” by Elton John), favorite color (pink), favorite day of the week (Sunday), favorite…

  michardillo

  March 4, 2018

  Essay

  Catholic, God, Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, Jesus, Mary, middle school, rosary, teaching

• Angie Kilcullen of Barn Again Home

  Hot off the presses! Profile article on artist Angie Meche Kilcullen of Barn Again Home, in March issue of Washington Family Magazine, page 10. My first print publication! #ampublished! http://digital.washingtonfamily.com/issues/March-2018/index.html

  michardillo

  March 2, 2018

  Essay

  Angie Meche Kilcullen, art, Barn Again Home, Holy Redeemer, Louisiana, paint night, St. Jude

• #LeaningintoLent

  It’s Lent, and I’m a Catholic school teacher. That means I bring my faith and religion to work with me every day, and I bring my work to my faith and religion every day. At my school, we talk about our Catholic faith a lot, in all classes-not just in religion class. My middle school…

  michardillo

  February 15, 2018

  Essay

  Ash Wednesday, butternut squash soup, Catholic, faith, fasting, Leaning into Lent, Lent, middle school, religion, teaching

• Winner Winner, Chicken…Chili?

  In case you haven’t heard, it is freezing in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. In fact, below freezing. Today, at 3:30 pm, it is TWENTY-THREE DEGREES. This is not normal, even for mid-January. Also not normal: the Saints, my husband’s beloved New Orleans Saints, are in the playoffs. For his game-time meal he requested chili.…

  michardillo

  January 7, 2018

  Essay

  chili, ground chicken, kidney beans, New Orleans Saints