I had an interesting discussion with my French Immersion Grade 2s yesterday – an impromptu one that I was not prepared for. We were looking at the globe and doing a little summative review – remember what continents are? What’s this line around the middle called? Where do we live? Then, one student asked how…
Tag: humanity
Royal Wedding(s): the world deserves a happy, sentimental tizzy
When I was three years old, Lady Di and Prince Charles were married. I know I saw footage of the wedding (in replay), and it seemed like the most amazing and wonderful thing ever. Diana’s beauty in her dress made my tiny heart light up. I imagined what it would be like to be one…
School Snippets: Foreign Unrest with 9- and 10-year-olds
Last week in my Grade 4/5 Core French class, we opted out of French for one period, because the students wanted to talk about Libya. It reminded me of music class in high school: once in a while, our music teacher would tell us to put away our instruments and we would sit and talk…
BANG Book Review: The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
Here’s a book that makes me feel lucky. It puts into perspective the easiness of my life. I live in Canada, in a time when cultural diversity is considered a virtue. I’m white and middle-class and educated. I’m female, but I have a union-protected job in a female-dominated field… and now that I think about…
A Reminder to Keep Perspective
It’s been an unlovely week at Dilovely’s house. My son is sick – ear infection last week, cough that won’t go away, neon-yellow banana-flavoured antibiotics, resulting frequent diaper changes, occasional feverishness and not-so-occasional moodiness for him… worry for us. Of course we think he’ll be okay any day now… but altogether it’s been over two…
BANG Movie (and story) Review: The Adjustment Bureau
After seeing The Adjustment Bureau last night, I decided to read the story it’s based on – “Adjustment Team”, by Philip K. Dick. A strange experience on both counts. I’d seen trailers, so I knew the movie was about some guy who gets involved with a group of sinister guys in fedoras who reveal to…
Double BANG Book Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo + The Book Thief
I realized after the last GGG book club meeting that I had never reported on previous meeting… OOPS! So here goes: two at once. Hope y’all can handle it. In November we read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. Practically everybody in the world has read this, it seems. We were very…
School Snippets: Snow Fort Currency
Friday was a fun day: the last day of school before Christmas holidays. Treats out the wazoo, everybody in a good mood, movies in the gym for the kids (N.B. though: Santa Paws is too scary for kindergartners – the the evil foster mom with the incinerator freaked them out), and no expectations for the…
Tribute to a Friend
You were not one to mince words. Your laugh was contagious. You had the coolest back tattoo ever. You knew how to give a good, solid hug. I can still picture you with the mohawk you had fifteen years ago. I was afraid of you as a kid – you were all metal studs and…
BANG Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I
Today I went with Skye and Skye’s friend to see HP7i at the VIP cinema in Oakville. I’d like to say we got into the VIP place (which is age 19+, has big crazy chairs, alcoholic drinks, and reserved seating) on the sheer awesomeness of our persons, but actually entry is achieved by the purchase…