7 Ways to Strengthen Democracy Through Language Arts

This political season has me thinking about the importance of teaching democratic skills to children. In fact, I’ve been thinking about it with the kind of starry-eyed civic hope that maybe only elementary school teachers can summon. It’s the kind of hope a person gets when they are in position to do something about something thatContinue reading “7 Ways to Strengthen Democracy Through Language Arts”

5 Reasons to Teach Revision

As a writer, I can say that most of writing is actually revising. As a teacher, I can say that this idea isn’t how most children think about writing. As both a writer and a teacher, I want to argue that we should teach revision as an integral part of writing. I do this inContinue reading “5 Reasons to Teach Revision”

The Best Thesis Ever

Let me tell you how to write the best thesis ever. But first, let me tell you a story. My advisor in college was a man named Ken Fields. Besides being a Stanford professor, he was a poet, a recovering alcoholic, and a Texan. He brought his dog, Dixie, to class. He took the elevator.Continue reading “The Best Thesis Ever”

Convince-A-Parent

It’s Convince-A-Parent time at Frog Hollow. This is where everyone has to think of something they really, really want, and make a convincing argument why they should get it. I want chickens. I want a sleepover with my best friend. I want a $2000 mountain bike. I want a sword. Convince-A-Parent does not bring outContinue reading “Convince-A-Parent”