Tag: library

• Scent: Message Received

  Thanks to winter storm Jonas, a/k/a #Blizzard2016, I had an unexpected “winter break” from teaching, and I must say I have really enjoyed my #snowcation. Sandwiched nicely between my Christmas break and my Easter break, this one came with no expectations of shopping or meal planning. With my six school days I did some school…

  michardillo

  January 31, 2016

  Essay

  Al Di La, Aromatic Elixir, bread, Chris Grabenstein, Cinnabar, Clinique, crochet, Estee Lauder, figs, Freeport Sulphur Company, Gumbo, Janet Evanovich, Jonas, Katrina, king cake, Kirstin Chen, knitting, library, make-up, Mardi Gras, marmalade, Mississippi River, perfume, po-boy, Port Sulphur, Rachel Carson, reading, roux, satsuma, snowcation, Soy Sauce for Beginners, sulphur

• October: A Libra’s Day in the Sun

  I am a Libra. I’m not really into horoscopes or astrology, but a brief research of my “sign” reveals it fits me like a glove. The sun sign of Libra covers those born between September 23 and October 22, and is represented by the scales, symbolized by the Scales of Justice held by Themis, which…

  michardillo

  October 18, 2015

  Essay

  fall, law school, leaves, library, october, portugal, Robert Frost, rosary, scales of justice, soup

• Drowning, But Don’t Save Me — Yet

  At the annual Back to School Night last week I introduced myself to the parents of my 7th graders with my usual background information: “This is my 9th year teaching and my 9th year at this school. I came to education as a second career after twenty years in the legal field. After leaving my…

  michardillo

  September 20, 2015

  Essay

  back to school, Belgium, creativity, English, grading, international school, language arts, library, middle school, reading, real estate, retired, retirement, St. John’s International School, teaching, theatre, Waterloo, writing

• Read ‘Em or Weep: A Cautionary Tale

  All over the country grade school, middle school, and high school students are scrambling to finish their summer reading assignments and projects. Some have put off reading a 300-page book to the very last minute and now finishing it in time to complete the assignment seems a daunting task. In the coming week, which is…

  michardillo

  August 23, 2015

  Essay

  Agatha Christie, Aristotle, Catherine Called Birdy, Catholic, Cuba, England, foreign language, French, Gary Schmidt, Hemingway, Hercule Poirot, Karen Cushman, library, Louisiana, Mary Poppins, Maryland, Medieval era, Montgomery County, Murder on the Orient Express, Port Sulphur, procrastination, Shakespeare, Spanish, sports, sports camp, Steinbeck, summer reading, summer slump, terrazzo, The Old Man and the Sea, The Pearl, The Wednesday Wars, vacation

• Sing It, Alice Cooper!

  In the inimitable words of Alice Cooper, “School’s out for summer!” The end of the school year is a glorious thing for students. The countdown begins somewhere mid-4th quarter. Teachers are ready, too, and many post the countdown on their white boards, both as encouragement for their students to hang in there and finish strong,…

  michardillo

  June 15, 2015

  Essay

  alice cooper, Karen Cushman, library, medieval times, middle ages, middle school, school, summer break, teaching, vacation, writing