My reading this week has left me feeling sandwiched between two generations. First I read a book that I gave to my mom, I See You Made an Effort: Compliments, Indignities and Survival Stories from the Edge of 50, by Annabelle Gurwitch. She enjoyed it so much that she let me read it after she was through. It was a funny look at the terrible crime of getting older in our society. For all of the wry wit, there was, however, one heartbreaking part that I was not prepared for.
Then, this weekend, I went shopping with my children and some of my nieces and nephews. Feeling like the young, cool aunt taking the kids to places like American Eagle and Abercrombie, I proudly held up outfits that I thought were cute, only to have one niece shake her head at me.
"Aunt Chrissy, with a high-waisted skirt like that, a person would need a belly shirt."
Needless to say, I was not a cool enough aunt to buy anyone a belly shirt. The skirt went back on the rack, and I went home and read two Lauren Conrad books that I have seen my students read, Beauty and Style. And after that reading, am I any more beautiful? No. Any more informed about style? Maybe, but I still wouldn't count on any 'tweens wanting my fashion advice. My credit cards, yes; my fashion sense, no.
Happy reading,
Christine
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Second Sight Saturday
Here is a post from last year:
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
The Declaration of Independence and The Bill of Rights!
Happy (almost) Independence Day!
Yesterday, a friend and I took our children to the New York Public Library to see an exhibit of one of two known surviving copies of The Declaration of Independence, written in Thomas Jefferson's own handwriting. According to the exhibit, before the Declaration of Independence was ratified on July 4th, a number of revisions were made to Jefferson's original text. Concerned about the revisions, Jefferson made several copies of the text he originally submitted to the Continental Congress. He underlined the passages which had been revised. One of those notable revisions, was Jefferson's lengthy commentary on slavery:
"of life & liberty in the persons of a distant people, who never offended him, captivating & carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither. this piratical warfare, the opprobrium of infidel powers, is the warfare of the Christian king of Great Britain. determined to keep open a market where MEN should be bought & sold, he has prostituted his negative for suppressing every legislative attempt to prohibit or to restrain this execrable commerce and that this assemblage of horrors might want no fact of distinguished dye, he is now exciting those very people to rise in arms among us, and to purchase that liberty of which he has deprived them by murdering the people upon whom he also obtruded them; thus paying off former crimes committed against the liberties of one people, with crimes which he urges them to commit against the lives of another"
This section, which was omitted to appease Georgia and South Carolina, could launch several class discussions and debates, but there are several other revisions worthy of analysis and debate as well.
Most surprising to me, was how small this 4-page copy of the Declaration of Independence was. I imagined a large parchment, but each of these sheets seemed no larger than an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. The Bill of Rights, on display for the first time with the Declaration of Independence,was much larger, but due to age and low lighting in the exhibit area, it was much harder to read.
Today is the last of this three-day exhibit, so I urge anyone near New York to try to see it. It was amazing to see these founding documents of our democracy on display in a free public library, which, like a free public education, is a bedrock of democracy.
Happy reading,
Christine
Yesterday, a friend and I took our children to the New York Public Library to see an exhibit of one of two known surviving copies of The Declaration of Independence, written in Thomas Jefferson's own handwriting. According to the exhibit, before the Declaration of Independence was ratified on July 4th, a number of revisions were made to Jefferson's original text. Concerned about the revisions, Jefferson made several copies of the text he originally submitted to the Continental Congress. He underlined the passages which had been revised. One of those notable revisions, was Jefferson's lengthy commentary on slavery:
"of life & liberty in the persons of a distant people, who never offended him, captivating & carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither. this piratical warfare, the opprobrium of infidel powers, is the warfare of the Christian king of Great Britain. determined to keep open a market where MEN should be bought & sold, he has prostituted his negative for suppressing every legislative attempt to prohibit or to restrain this execrable commerce and that this assemblage of horrors might want no fact of distinguished dye, he is now exciting those very people to rise in arms among us, and to purchase that liberty of which he has deprived them by murdering the people upon whom he also obtruded them; thus paying off former crimes committed against the liberties of one people, with crimes which he urges them to commit against the lives of another"
This section, which was omitted to appease Georgia and South Carolina, could launch several class discussions and debates, but there are several other revisions worthy of analysis and debate as well.
Most surprising to me, was how small this 4-page copy of the Declaration of Independence was. I imagined a large parchment, but each of these sheets seemed no larger than an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. The Bill of Rights, on display for the first time with the Declaration of Independence,was much larger, but due to age and low lighting in the exhibit area, it was much harder to read.
Today is the last of this three-day exhibit, so I urge anyone near New York to try to see it. It was amazing to see these founding documents of our democracy on display in a free public library, which, like a free public education, is a bedrock of democracy.
Happy reading,
Christine
Friday, July 4, 2014
Happy Fourth and a Friday Film Clip
Happy Fourth of July!
On this rainy Independence Day, I've been thinking about my favorite summer movies, and so far my favorite movie of this summer is Blended with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Hysterical!
Enjoy the clip below.
Happy 4th,
Christine
On this rainy Independence Day, I've been thinking about my favorite summer movies, and so far my favorite movie of this summer is Blended with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Hysterical!
Enjoy the clip below.
Happy 4th,
Christine
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Two Independent Bookstores to Close
This Publishers Weekly article about the impending closure of two independent bookstores in Connecticut made me think of one of my favorite movies, You've Got Mail. Enjoy the film clip below, and support small businesses in your neighborhood.
Happy reading and shop small,
Christine
Happy reading and shop small,
Christine
Monday, June 16, 2014
Bite-Sized Magic
Last night, I finished reading Bite-Sized Magic, the third book in the Bliss series, by Kathryn Littlewood. It was my least favorite of the series, because it contained the fewest magical back stories. However, it is very relevant to today's social and economic issues. It could stand as a parable about the dangers of corporate personhood and growing monopolies. It certainly could launch a discussion about greed and class and injustice.
Happy reading,
Christine
Happy reading,
Christine
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
The Fault in Our Stars
Just finished reading The Fault in Our Stars, and I have to say it is difficult to watch the Stanley Cup Finals with tears in your eyes. Thank you very much, John Green, for writing such a compelling book, that I couldn't put it down, even to watch the Rangers battle for their lives!
Thankfully, my attention was divided between the book and the hockey game, otherwise I think it would have been even more upsetting. While many of my students and my own children's friends have read and loved the book, I think it is probably emotionally easier for 'tweens or teens to read this book, than it is for a parent. For that reason, although it is beautifully written, I'm not sure I would recommend it for parents to read. Too disturbing.
Happy reading,
Christine
Thankfully, my attention was divided between the book and the hockey game, otherwise I think it would have been even more upsetting. While many of my students and my own children's friends have read and loved the book, I think it is probably emotionally easier for 'tweens or teens to read this book, than it is for a parent. For that reason, although it is beautifully written, I'm not sure I would recommend it for parents to read. Too disturbing.
Happy reading,
Christine
Saturday, June 7, 2014
My Articles Out Now
The June/July issue of Scholastic Parent and Child is out now, and in it are two of my recent articles. The first, "Opting-Out is In, But Does it Work?" contains the opinions of three experts who weigh in on the issue. Pick up a copy at your local newsstand to see the opinions of Bob Schaeffer, Public Education Director for Fair Test: National Center for Fair and Open Testing; Diane Hernandez, Director of Assessment Development for the California Department of Education; and Carol Varsalona, literacy consultant. The second, "Field Guide to the Introvert" offers tips for helping your introverted child thrive in his or her own way.
Happy reading,
Christine
Happy reading,
Christine
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)