Van Gogh and Me

Last November my grandmother was visiting and wanted to do something fun. Instead of fun, my mother dragged us to the traveling “Beyond Van Gogh” exhibit that was…

Overcoming with Otis

When I was in a dark place in my life, Otis Redding’s song, “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay” helped me get through the hard times. –…

Reading Dune as a Woman

I am in the middle of reading Dune, and while Frank Herbert has some good takeaways and powerful quotes, I was most specifically struck by how far women…

Global Education Beyond the Classroom: Engaging the World through Scholarship

For many years, I have challenged myself to advocate for global education and international studies across the world. I have read many books, travelled on my own, and…

Forking Paths

My music education was primarily as a professional pianist. As part of this training, I went to the Dartington Hall international summer school in music to play in…

The White Tiger’s Impact

My most recent humanities moment would have to be a book I recently finished based on my brother’s recommendation. Named The White Tiger, the book was recently adapted into…

Enjoy Your Life

Hong Kong is a prosperous and fast-paced city. Last month, i went to Peng Chau, which is an outlying island, to get away from the stress of the…

Preserving Tradition and Embracing Change

This was my fourth trip to Georgia since 2016 and each trip I have noticed a slow-and-steady increase in the amount of “western” influence in the city. From…

Scotland the Brave and The Flower of Scotland: A Wee Moment with Huge Impact

We tend to remember “firsts” in our lives. Hopefully we recognize the importance and value of experiences as we live through them. My first travel overseas was as…

World History Puzzles

I have vague recollections of eating my packed lunch on the stone steps of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art after completing a scavenger hunt for facts about…

Artifacts at the Museum

Recently, I’ve found myself longing to take advantage of the Smithsonian Museums that are so conveniently located ten miles northeast of my home—maybe it’s because such destinations were…

A Trip to Antietam National Battlefield

When I was ten years old my family took a day trip to visit the Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Maryland. This family activity was the idea of…

When “Who’s Buried in Grant’s Tomb?” Is More Than a Trivia Question

In the summer of 2006, my best friend and I stumbled upon a book called, Who’s Buried in Grant’s Tomb. The book summarizes the post-presidential lives of the…

Parts Unknown, or How a Great Mind Taught Us to Be Better

Maybe that’s enlightenment enough: to know that there is no final resting place of the mind, no moment of smug clarity. Perhaps wisdom … is realizing how small…

Inspired by Activism

It was my first day of observations at the school I now teach at. The day had progressed as a typical day and I had the chance to…

Facing History is Not a Walk in the Park

I recently returned from a two week mini “Grand Tour” of Europe. The last stop on our itinerary was the Bavarian capital, Munich. As a World History teacher,…

Perspective from Waiting for Superman

When I was in high school, there was an incredible amount of buzz around a new documentary, Waiting for Superman. The documentary focused on the struggle some students…

Teach Them Well and Let Them Lead the Way

For many years, my school district hosted an annual Academic Diversity Institute prior to the start of the new school year. At this institute, teachers had the opportunity…

The Great Gatsby, Revisited

When asked what my favorite book is, I often quickly answer with The Great Gatsby. I first read The Great Gatsby in 2009 in my 10th Grade English class and…

The Day I Knew I Was Going to Teach History

In what has become a defining moment of my entire life, my first true humanities moment provided clarity and direction for my future in the midst of all…