Category Archives: race

Taking responsibility

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

The end of the school year is hard in many ways, one of which seems to be ending well, saying goodbye, and making a transition to a new phase of schooling and growing up.  At my school, on one of … Continue reading →

Posted in community, education, lessons, race | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Class matters

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

School has started and with all the excitement of the new school year also comes some anxiety — from kids about homework, getting good grades, preparing for high school (and some of them for college).  Parents, too, have anxieties about … Continue reading →

Posted in affluence, class, community, connection, education, identity, lessons, race, teaching | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Silver Beach — No Silver Lining

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

We’ve been spending time in St. Joseph, Michigan at the Children’s Museum which happens to house a large carousel, artifacts and a miniature replica of the original Coney-Island Like Silver Beach Amusement Park.  Gorilla Girl loves the carousel, and its … Continue reading →

Posted in affluence, identity, language, lessons, nostalgia, race | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

(un)Blinded by race and class

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

I still have not seen the beginning of The Blind Side, but I did manage to see enough of it to form strong opinions and to have a visceral reaction.  The more I thought about the movie, the less comfortable … Continue reading →

Posted in adoption, community, connection, education, growth, race, transformation | Leave a comment

In praise of honesty: the complexities of adoption

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Scott Simon, host of NPR’s Weekend Edition, released Baby, We Were Meant for Each Other: In Praise of Adoption in late summer 2009; Simon and his wife adopted two girls from China.  A friend told me about the book, suggesting … Continue reading →

Posted in adoption, growth, identity, motherhood, race, scars, transformation | 12 Comments

Hispanic heritage month

Posted on October 8, 2010 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

I think that little by little I’ll be able to solve my problems and survive. –Frida Kahlo, 12-18-1939 Thanks to my school colleagues for organizing the Hispanic Heritage Month assembly today. It was a good reminder to look outward for … Continue reading →

Posted in identity, inspiration, painting, race | Leave a comment