I truly enjoyed so many snippets, or gems, throughout this collection. In the first chapter, “Teaching in the Trenches,” the conclusion really resonated with me. “Teachers are rarely given opportunities to develop their rationale or understand how different courses that students take might relate.” This seemingly straightforward statement sits pr…[Read more]

What strikes me the most from Belonging is the almost “let-down” position Nora repeatedly finds herself in. I could feel that emotion every time she described the situation arise. What I mean by this is the idea that she finds herself time and time again being faced with questions she cannot answer about a family she doesn’t quite know with a his…[Read more]

Hi Everyone!

I just finished up my school year, and I am so very sorry that my TOLI obligations got away from me. It has been a whirlwind these last few weeks, but now I’m here! My name is Alisha Schulz, and I am writing from the rather sunny and uncharacteristically warm North Dakota border. I live on a farm roughly 6 miles from the Canadian…[Read more]

-I apologize, I wrote an entire response and it labeled it as “spam” and wouldn’t post, so here is my draft 2 I suppose.

Thinking about my own educational upbringing leaves me feeling torn. As an educator reflecting back now, I’ve come to realize that school was a place of degradation and humiliation for me, but it also became a place where I…[Read more]

When Sondra and company embark on their guided tour of Innsbruck with Horst Schreiber, I found myself immersed in the moment. The weather had taken a turn; cold bit them; snow began to accumulate, intensify–all a reflection to the tension and mood of the cohort. On page 79, Horst bluntly addresses the common excuse for silence in witnesses.…[Read more]

Hello All,

My name is Alisha Schulz, and I am from North Dakota. I live in the northeast corner; my home is about 7 miles from the Canadian border and 20 from the Minnesota border. The entire area is mainly rural farmland. I drive 38 miles to school in Edinburg, ND. I am the 9-12 ELA teacher as well as the 9-12 Librarian. This will be my 7th year…[Read more]