Category Archives: teaching

Poet Lee Bennett Hopkins

Posted on August 15, 2019 by lisakwinkler

The world of children’s literature lost a champion this week with the death of Lee Bennett Hopkins, poet and anthologist. I had the good fortune to meet and interview Hopkins when I was working as a graduate assistant to Dr. … Continue reading →

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Fire at CT’s Shakespeare Theater

Posted on January 17, 2019 by lisakwinkler

My heart weeps for a Connecticut theater destroyed by fire recently. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/13/arts/stratford-shakespeare-theater-fire.html I grew up attending performances at the American Shakespeare Festival Theater in Stratford, CT. My mother took my sister and me to its shows, mostly Shakespeare plays; it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary, Education, Family, Shakespeare, teaching, Theater | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Gun Control: WHEN?

Posted on June 30, 2018 by lisakwinkler

I’ve been fortunate to have worked in two professions: journalism and education. As a newspaper reporter in Danbury, CT, I covered local government: everything from elections to zoning meetings. I attended lengthy Board of Education meetings and would return to … Continue reading →

Posted in commentary, Education, news, politics, teaching, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sharing Amanda at Bat

Posted on June 26, 2018 by lisakwinkler

It’s summer! Little League baseball and t-ball games are in full swing. Before school let out, I shared Amanda at Bat with fourth graders at a public school in Teaneck, NJ. My friend Caleb, one of the teachers, invited me to … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Education, parenting, Reading, teaching, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Facing History: Removing Statues

Posted on April 18, 2018 by lisakwinkler

A statue of Dr. J. Marion Sims (1813-1883) was removed from New York City’s Central Park yesterday, after holding court for 84 years. Sims, dubbed “the father of gynecology,” performed surgical experiments on female slaves without anesthesia. His statue will … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Civil Rights History, commentary, Education, New York City, news, Reading, teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Do Something

Posted on February 22, 2018 by lisakwinkler

Do Something. It’s a mantra that’s been playing inside my head since the 2016 election. Last July, I joined the League of Women Voters, a nearly 100-year-old organization dedicated to preserving our democracy. Inspired by a friend in Connecticut whose chapter teaches … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, Education, teaching, women | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Four Books & A Movie

Posted on October 15, 2017 by lisakwinkler

When asked about what he looks for in a novel, actor and writer Tom Hanks told the New York Times, “ Authenticity. I want to see the world accurately, and history examined is search of the details of truth.” Hanks’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Civil Rights History, commentary, Family, parenting, Reading, reviews, teaching, teenagers, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Back to School: Teachable Moments

Posted on August 29, 2017 by lisakwinkler

Visiting my sister Madeline last week, we took in the eclipse and did some errands before she returned to work as a teacher on Wednesday. She’d been into her classroom several times over the summer, labeling bookshelves, covering bulletin boards, … Continue reading →

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Trump’s Vocabulary

Posted on February 12, 2017 by lisakwinkler

As a child, I discovered the thesaurus and loved finding synonyms for words. My parents had the old-fashioned kind, organized conceptually instead of alphabetically, and I spent hours making word lists. As a writer, I love the thesaurus. As a … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, commentary, Education, Grandchildren, parenting, Reading, teaching, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Books for Young Activists: Never too Early

Posted on February 1, 2017 by lisakwinkler

As a grandparent, I’m finding it difficult explaining current events to our grandchildren. They’re aware of the election results and know where we stand. They hear rumors from classmates about what may or may not happen. We try to avoid … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Civil Rights History, commentary, Education, Family, Grandchildren, parenting, Reading, teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments