Whenever I see someone coding on a computer, I get a sense of excitement as I wonder what they’re creating and how they’re creating it. I first tried coding ebooks during my freshman year of college. I participated in an intro workshop run by a club at my school and was intimidated at first. The characters on the screen hurt my eyes and [...]
We’ve all been bored when we were little as we sat in that chair getting our hair cut. All we could do was worry about what we might look like when it was done.Barbers across the country have found a way to resolve this boredom and also have a positive effect on literacy—having children read aloud while getting their hair cut. Ryan Griffin, [...]
When I reflect on my preschool and kindergarten days, nature and exploration don’t come to mind. In fact, the mental image provoked is quite the opposite. Most of my formative days were spent inside a small classroom, only venturing outside for recess during the times of the year when the weather permitted such adventures. Even then, we could only enjoy the outdoor expanses [...]
Over the summer, I spent most of my afternoon breaks with my friends by a lake in rural New Hampshire. Our spot, one that was popular with picnickers, was also frequented by a family of ducks. One of my friends would often toss them a handful of salt and vinegar chips, which were a flavor the ducks didn’t seem to like very much. [...]
During my freshman year of college, I became involved with an AmeriCorps program called Jumpstart. In Jumpstart, I teamed with other college students twice a week to go to a preschool in Dorchester, Massachusetts, where we engaged children in fun, educational activities. All of the songs, puzzles, art and games we brought to the classroom may have seemed only that, we were also [...]
When my parents were first dating, they spent a lot of time going on bird-watching dates. They would trek through the woods on hikes armed with a copy of a National Audubon Society’s field guide, trying to name the birds they saw. Today, that same book rests in one of our kitchen drawers, right by the window that looks out onto our various [...]
Reading can be a challenging task for people with print disabilities, but an online library is trying to change the situation. With over 450,000 titles, Bookshare is the world’s largest accessible online library. For people who have difficulty with traditional print materials due to any visual impairments, physical disabilities or learning disabilities, the library provides various functions that make reading accessible to all. [...]
When I was applying to colleges, I remember looking through lists of scholarships, and eventually deciding that most just weren’t a great fit for me. It was simpler to take out loans than to spend so much time searching for the scholarships that were right for me. This isn’t a unique problem. Scholarships that are a good fit are often hard to find. [...]
As writing is the trade with which I intend to make my (secondary) living, there’s a significant level of pressure on me to be the best writer I can be. This is also true of my being a student in college. Gone are the days of high school when building to a final essay assignment could take as long as a month. Now I, [...]
This summer, I am growing a vegetable garden for the first time in my life. The family that I am housesitting for is leaving behind a mini garden of tomatoes, cabbages, cucumbers and more under my charge. Not only do I water them daily, but a week ago I also got to participate in planting them. As I got down on two knees, [...]