Jennifer Wolfe's Blog, page 22
April 1, 2016
The Only Thing You Shouldn’t Miss-According To Oprah & Me
The other night I sat at our dining room table, across from my daughter and her forever friend, A. It was late, and everyone else in the house had long since gone to sleep. As tired as I was, I couldn’t pull myself away from the moment – the chance to look across at them, […]
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March 28, 2016
Equal Pay For Equal Work
“Equal pay for equal work!” His words broke the silence. The midnight air was sultry and my feet ached from tromping around in sandals all day; in March, I’m not used to 90-degree weather, and my body was protesting. The bright moonlight and headiness of three new soul sisters, along with being 100 yards from […]
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March 24, 2016
Zen Living
Time moves forward, despite all my desperate attempts to hold onto what is right now. The trees outside my window spring forth with emerald tendrils, the golden acacia unfurls in spires of circular sunlight. Life, in all its extraordinary ordinariness, pushes forth. If I had great patience, I would stand still, and practice living in […]
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March 21, 2016
STEM in Education and The Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge
If you haven’t heard, STEM in education is all the rage. Training in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math is our 21st-century challenge in schools, and all educators are responsible – even English teachers like me. According to the Occupational Outlook Quarterly, “Employment in occupations related to STEM—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—is projected to grow to […]
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March 18, 2016
Words For Working Moms
I’ve been a working mom for nearly 20 years, if you count teaching-middle-school-while-pregnant (not an easy feat, believe me). I have to say – it’s made me a better mom. I’m not trying to judge here. I wouldn’t assume to know your story – I’m just sharing mine. I strongly believe we all make choices […]
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March 14, 2016
What To Do On A Rainy Day When You Miss Your Kids?
I love rainy days. I swear I should live in the Pacific Northwest – when I wake up to clouds and drizzle I feel so peaceful. I never wonder what to do on a rainy day – I open the windows just a crack, enough to let the soothing sound of droplets send me into […]
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March 10, 2016
Inheritance
I stumbled across this poem as I was prepping for teaching a poetry unit this month, and its beautiful images of time, surrender and memories absolutely enchanted me. So often I think of those inheritances from my ancestors – both the tangible and intangible – and breathe with gratitude that I carry their stories with […]
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March 7, 2016
5 Ways To Create A Love Of Reading With Children
I’ve been helping kids create a love of reading for 25 years. Some days, I think I’ve nailed it. Others, it’s more of a struggle. Yesterday, for example, my 8th graders rushed into class babbling about the first chapter of The Pearl; they couldn’t believe it when the chapter was over, and how fully Steinbeck […]
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March 4, 2016
Excuses Are Useless In Middle School
I get really tired of excuses. In fact, in my classroom when my 8th graders try to excuse their behavior, lack of homework, or unpreparedness I tell them kindly yet firmly, “Excuses are useless.” Initially quizzical looks form on their faces, and then they start to stammer…which is exactly when I interject my reasoning. Everyone […]
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February 29, 2016
My Great-Grandmother Was A Dress Designer
I still have boxes of lace and buttons my great-grandmother Grace left behind, lingering like shadows of a world I never knew. She died in 1965, months before I was born, her life history playing as a background script throughout my life. I feel her spirit whenever I walk into the old adobe cottage originally […]
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