Then the Moose Got Down on One Knee to Ask the Unicorn to Marry Him. She Wouldn't Say Yes, However, Until She Could Count on the Frogs Four Fingers

Just another day at CWP summer programs, this time introducing script-writing, performance, language-play, and theatrics to what the learners of English language learners might contribute to POW! Power of Words. It is amazing what humor, great teaching, tremendous support, and a 11-year history can do to really empower newly arrived youth from immigrant and refugee backgrounds. In two weeks, the collective moves mountains and it makes me proud each and every year. I wish we had a facility and support for 180 days.

And just like that it is humpday. Glad to see it arrive, but now have to think about cleanup and departure, thankful that 25 teachers and almost 200 kids made it through our summer programs successful (and with absolute joy). I love getting the emails from parents saying the week changed their kids life and they are now writing every day....I wonder, though, when they say, "we'll be back next year," because I just don't know how finances will be or if the University will kick me to the curb or force me out. It's great work that gets more difficult every year. 

For those who want to know, the Unicorn does say yes to the Moose and accepts the marriage proposal. I officiate the real wedding in a couple of weeks in Monroe, Connecticut...my second of the summer. Love that Abu's dressed as a frog in toad-attire.

And with that....time to hit the road because he just signaled he's ready to go. 

Ribbit Ribbit. 

They Call Us Writers - Thrilled to Once Again Feature YA Texts to Enhance Literacy Skills with 36 English Language Learners at Fairfield University

We learned early on, via the incredible Kwame Alexander, that poetic verse is a phenomenal way to go with students learning English as their additional language. Our goal is to build confidence with reading, writing, speaking, and being good to one another. We recognize how important their leadership is when they return to school after summer, but also how much we should invest in confidence. We found the perfect books from David Bowles. They Call Me Guëro is superb for the needs we have this summer.

Yesterday, we split the kids amongst the young adult literacy leaders (kids in college) and they had small reading groups around campus. I'm proud to say they made it to page 30 in a little over 45 minutes. They discussed each poem, too, and took a jab at reading fluency. The support was there and from what I could tell, there was 100% investment.

I said to William and Jessica, it would simply be wonderful to be financed to begin our own school - one that cares and guides kids towards a better tomorrow...one that celebrates diversity and global realities, teaching critical thinking, the arts, and the power of words. We'd simply love to make safe spaces available to the kids 180 days a year, but we also know the power of mixing zip codes and bringing young people into conversation with each other.

I need to recreate my own Brown School. It is the only solution. And just like that, it is Tuesday, I'm on for today, and I need to drive to campus. 

We're getting there one day at a time. I wish others had the opportunity to witness the magic of what is accomplished in our programs during the summer. It makes me proud. I have the best teachers who recruit the most amazing kids.

And Just Like That, The Dispersion Occurs Once Again. Great to Host the Sealy-Wooley-Johnsons Over the Weekend.

It won't because long before their frequency in Stratford will dissipate. I'll take advantage of it, however, as they remain in transition. It makes for interesting seating arrangements to watch the Olympics and to drive Karal nuts, "Where's my space? You're sitting in my space!"

Sunday was a casual day...they celebrated Ishy's birthday, I walked the dog and did yard work, as well as worked on syllabi for the Fall semester. I needed a day of quiet to work from behind the screen.

Abu and I watched more Olympics at night and ate some of the cake left before they trekked out West. 

Today is day one of the last week with kids, so I'm heading to campus to absorb it all. We have a solid team of educators this week, so I will have more flexibility to direct the program and do the countless paper work it takes to finalize the summer that just was. 

They're calling for rain for three days, so here's to the gray and dreary. It's Monday, after all, so it seems appropriate. 

Weekends are For Grilling Vegetables as Appetizers Before Big Dave Comes Forth With the Primary Meal (Penn State on Mt. Pleasant)

Received the Sealy, Wooley, Johnsons from all directions, as Ishmael comes to his 11th year on earth and a birthday party for himself in Orange. Abu went to Syracuse, so we have the beds to accommodate the joy, including badminton in the backyard, steak on the grill, and Dave's out-of-this-world lemon pasta salad. It was a great way to end a day of watching Olympics and preparing a teacher event in August. I meant to weed-whack, but I didn't get around to that. Big Y called.  

Loved the gelato treats that Beth brought, too. Such good flavors. Also a beautiful day to be outside, sweat, take long walks with Karal, and embrace the sunshine. Only thing that would make it better is a swimming pool.

Today is a transition of their departure and Abu's re-entrance from Liberian Independence Day (which was Friday but he celebrated yesterday). 

We have a week ahead of Ubuntu Academy, then I have to begin thinking about the next phases of the year, my life, and what comes next. 

For now, I'm just loving the ways I'm able to sleep longer on the weekends. That makes a tremendous difference from the five-hour rest I've been getting each night as summer programs roll forward. I love have a busy, active home with much going on and this occurs much more during the summer months. 

Here's to a day of rest (whatever that means for you). I'm hoping it is as it should be....rejuvenating. 

Well, Yesterday Was Pretty Spectacular. The Kids Continued to Groove and the Brilliant, Fantastic, Wonderful Human Being -- Sydney Johnson -- Stopped By

Yesterday was one of those moments that are are to describe in words. I've hired Jalen Johnson two years in a row, as he came through our programs since 3rd grade on. He's hilarious and wonderful with our kids and it was a wonderful choice. Now we're in Ubuntu, and Jessica and William are back together, then Coach Sydney stopped by today to introduce himself to Ubuntu Academy and to give his history with collaborating with CWP and updates on where he is with data analysis and his recent work with the Chicago Sky and coaching Angel Reese. Many changes in his world. 

As he presented, inspired kids, and high-fived with Abu, William, and Jess, we couldn't help but reflect on history, family, growth, the Great Whatever, integrity, and living the mission of humanitarianism and spirituality. It's been a minute, but the ways our lives interacted and aligned have been amazing.

Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Creole are the languages of the week, and Sydney was there to discuss the history of his name, his ancestry, his drive to be an athlete/coach, and intention to live an influential life. He is truly missed at Fairfield and it has been night and day since his departure. When he left, so much of the good light went with him....but as he reminded me, the light the kids and teachers are shining upon the world is much larger than the darkness others have brought....continue to bring.

La Cantina last night. Good meal, then sleep. Abu traveled to Syracuse to bring a couch home (good deal through Lossine...and Pam) and will return on Sunday. 

Today is Saturday, though: Ishmael and Kris are heading this way. And me? I just want to process a very good, deep sleep.

I Haven't Had Okra Since Kentucky and Picking Them from the Crescent Hill Bushes with Sue. Last Night We Grilled Them

Dave is two for two, and last night we had Max and Mateo (workers from the summer programs) over for a Cajun shrimp dinner with okra. Abu took care of the rice. We grilled the okra and served it as a side dish, and Mateo (raised well by his parents) brought an apple pie. We had it with vanilla bean ice cream. Another gourmet dinner that I only had to partly take part in preparing. I actually am afforded time to get work done on the front porch after we work all day (the emails alone take hours).

And just like that is is another Friday....week 4 of summer programs with only one week left. It's been nice to see the kids gelling with one another (like they always do after a few days) and to see the lightbulbs flashing off as they feel more accomplished with their written work...the sense of pride makes every second of the work worth it. 

Will and I high-fived today simply because we know if we didn't host Ubuntu Academy, 32 students would not be given a language boost and sense of confidence for the next school year. Many of them just arrived and have only been in English as a Second Language for a year: Haitians, Dominicans, Brazilians, Bangledeshians, Mexicans, and Guatemalans. The populations have shifted from primarily African-born youth to more S. American.

In our 11th year, too, it's hard not to reflect on all the work that has gone into building the program, knowing it is vision and perseverance that pulls it off.

I know I will be ready for bed tonight. I will need a mindless evening (maybe Big Brother marathon to catch up....or Abu's Family Feud escapades). 

Ah, Friday. How thankful to God we be that you are here. We love what we do but we are exhausted.

"He's here, he's there! He's every-#$@#$@#@-where! ROY KENT! ROY KENT!" Had the Pleasure of Seeing Brett Goldstein's Stand-Up Last Night.

Of course, he was four miles away from my seat in the balcony, but I knew when I saw the tickets go up that I had to go. I loved Ted Lasso too much to pass up the opportunity. Dave, Abu, and I met Kaitlyn & Dominik in Wallingford (where they put the dot down before the squiggly before making a question mark). It was at the Oakdale Theater and a spectacular venue in a very bizarre location. A+++ for the efficiency in parking, moving so many vehicles in-and-out. I thought they were going to launch us on a ferry with all the lanes and timed movement, but it was sharp and I appreciated it.

The humor was great and not that of Roy Kent, although the character's humor was also in play. The opening act, Brian something-or-other had the best joke of the night with the Shoop one after a track meet (love potty humor), and I appreciated the brilliance of both comedians. Needed to laugh.

Great to see Kaitlyn and Dominik, too. They don't get out much now that they have a lil' one, but this adventure was a good test. Mermala babysat and apparently Oliwia poked her in the face every time she tried to fall asleep. That's a good strategy for 6 pm weekend nights. Leo, Bev, and I can handle the poke in Pam's forehead. Wake up, Woman. Smart kid. 

Of course, now I want to watch the Ted Lasso series (three seasons) for the third time, but know that is probably not healthy...get a life, Crandall.

And just like that, "It's Thursday." Slowly, administrators and staff that have been missing for two months are coming back alive and with each email I feel my blood pressure rising. 

It is what it is. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.  I know now I can't change the incompetence of others, the shamelessness, and the honest truth of how things actually are, so I will only focus on the programs I run, the classes I teach, and the national relationships I have. I have to think globally if I'm to stay sane. I'm choosing competence and joy. I'm leaving the rest behind.

And When We Aren't Thrilled By the Reality of Everyday Pictures We Go Into Snapchat Animation World Where A Cartoon Self is a Better Option

I was playing too much during and after the college essay workshop. Ah, but at lunch, Kim and I did a selfie and I was super happy (and I said, "Whoa, you are totally Alanis Morisette"). We were talking about generations of kids and how the way you wear socks can be a total social identifier. Um, I am just totally uncool and I'm okay with that.

I've been working with college essays since 1995 and where we are almost 30 years later still doing the genre. It's a fun one, as it is (for many kids) one of the first times that audience awareness and purpose come together - the writing makes a difference in the whole package.

We have 20 kids this week and they are spectacular and super diverse. So many possibilities for what they write, and we have Ubuntu Academy with 30 students who have just arrived....it makes for interesting conversations and perspectives.

Ah, have you seen Waking Life? I think I'm living it. Funny, too, because my students of yesteryear were like, "Why are you showing us this? People don't think this way?"

And then they went to college.

What is the life of living aware and with questions? Critical thinking? Possibilities?

That is what we try to accomplish with our programs at CWP-Fairfield, but we do it with writers and that is the vision of the work. Do the world as you.

And today is hump-day, where we need to transition the writing towards publication, which is a little lofty for some of our kids. But the world operates to some fundamental laws, and I'm here to offer technological arrangements of the world.

We're here to make meaning for this temporary location in space while we have it (while we're fortunate to have it). 

This is what makes it all worth while. 

Loving Mr. King's Clipboard. That's Right, Ubuntu Academy, Year 11, is Back. Supporting Immigrant and Refugee Youth and Literacy in the United States

Let the haters flag this post...the ones who are anti-immigrant and anti-refugees...the one who are ignorant on global and world history, religion, and what it means to be a human being. If you are pro-kid, you can't only be pro-your own offspring. You need to be pro-kids no matter the childhood circumstance. Literacy for Life. Literacy for Hope. Literacy for Survival no matter where one ends up.

We have over 30 students, the majority from Brazil and Haiti this year, with a spattering of Guatemala, Bangladesh, Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Mexico. These are kids choosing to give up their summer to improve their reading and writing skills and, the program is not district funded, but relies on the network of CWP individuals who see the benefit of investing in the next generation of change makers. And then there's the grant-writing. 11 years strong and always growing...trying to find solutions in the way that our institutions have failed . If you have a productive, literacy citizenry, you have the change-makers of the world ahead. All children deserve access, and that is what we set out to do over a decade ago.

Jessica will join next week, but for now Mr. King is running shop...well, Mr. King with Abu, Max, Mateo, and Jalen. It's special, and after the first day, I already know the magic will continue. We are reading David Bowles, discussing boundaries, regions, cultures, language, work, reading, writing, identity, and being. I'm so thankful to the YA community for creating the books that are useful to the learners we have in our classroom.

I did the math last night and I've seen over 2,500 young people grow through CWP's programs. It's rather impressive, and I only wish the work had more influence on K-12 school during the academic year. We try. But there are only so many teachers we can reach each year AND it's a special kind of teacher who finds the mission of the National Writing Project...

...like Mr. King...

so thankful for his vision, leadership, love of kids, and intellect.

And with that, on we go to day 2 of week 3.

After ... So Many Days (a year?) Finally Made it Back to the Beach with the Paddle Boards. Nothing Like Beach Time

We haven't figured out if it's simply the fact that it's been too hot, or that weekends have simply been miserable, but yesterday was the first time we all gathered at the beach. It was 88 degrees without humidity and a wonderful day on the water. Abu and I paddle boarded as well as rested, and the Sound temperature was refreshing. 

A much, much needed day with feet in the sand.

Abu and I also returned to see the full moon (orange/red) rise across the sound at 9:03. It was cloudy on that side and not the greatest, but we did manage to see it before heading home to greet Dave who is with us for the week with College Essay. Excited to have both him and Kim working together again. 

This week, Ubuntu Academy returns, as well as the College Essay and Other Narratives project, Who Do You Think You Are? We have a good crowd of students and I'm looking forward to another year of productivity and publication. 

I am sunburned, however, so we'll see how I fair as I put civilian clothes on once again. Happy to have Chef David in the house for the week, especially with Abu so they can have some bonding time. Lots of rain later in the week, but until then, a beautiful one. 

Time to hit I-95...but I'm carrying the weekend that just was with me to get me through. 

The Singing Duet is Back in Town (They Have Alanis Morisette Down Pat) ... Currently Booking Ironic at a Venue Near You

Actually, you might want to think twice about booking them. Seriously. Although their music renditions are unforgettable, especially as they make up words and have no idea what they're singing. It's nothing but joy from wake-up until bedtime....the forever 15 squad doing their thing as alway.

Cornhole, diners, beach time, campus hike, Stratford walk, dinner, more beach time, and family feud. Karal is in her glory and so are the walls of Mt. Pleasant. The laughter and happiness is contagious.

16 years of storying, silliness, adventure, memories, conversations, road trips, mentoring, learning, history, dreaming, trusting, and joy. As Delaney says, "No one stands a chance when the two of them are together." I like to think that with Delaney, there's a fighting chance.

Also ran into teachers from yesteryear hiking the beach and now I'm ready to gather all the CWP teachers and begin a war agains the nation on redirecting respect for the work we do. The National Writing Project attracts the strongest educators in the nation and it is our bond that keeps us going in the profession. Ah, but the times are dark and they can only get darker. There needs to be a unified front to fight the ugly growing across the nation. Those who fill their hearts with hatred and fear have no clue about the beautiful diversity, and excellence of this nation. They are fighting to protect a narrative that was never true, but beneficial to them...and they will do everything in their power to protect the stories upholding the lies. 

It is what it is, and I don't like to get to involved...just to help kids and teachers to have a better world. I prefer a world of laughter, global history, truth-seeking, and humanity. I am attracted to intellect, light, humor, creativity and hope. 

This is what it will be until I die. Let it be my religion.

Hope. Possibility. Happiness.

And with Arrival of Lossine & Delaney, There's Only One Dish I'm Allowed to Make - The Crandall Special (a spicy variation of chile over rice)

What a day. Dropped Karal of at Pam's by 7:15, picked up Pam at the car dealership, worked from 8 a.m. until 4, came home to cook dinner (and run to the grocery)(plus pick up Karal), then cooked until 6:30 so we could feast and welcome Delaney onto Mt. Pleasant. I'm not sure I am ready to handle Abu and Lossine together, but now I'm wondering how she'll handle all of us! Actually, I think I have a team-player in Delaney to fight them both off. 

The food was delicious. Usually it needs to sit overnight to soak in all the flavors, but it was spot on during night one. I love the happiness it makes for others: beans, steak, shrimp, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and many spices. Abu make corn and the garlic bread to soak it all up is superb.

It was a fantastic last day of Week 3 of the Literacy Labs and I'm not sure if I kept up to the programs standards, but teaching this week was a good reminder of all the energy it takes to run a day with kids. the planning for each day is just as long as each day. I will alway admire teachers for all they do. Yes, academics work, but it is nowhere near the labor of K-12 faculty. It's a much more brain-heavy, spastic, and time-oriented act...emptying the ocean with a spoon. 

Today, though, we hope to get a beach day, even if it is supposed to cloud over for most of it. I haven't had a single day on the Sound and it is usually and summer ritual. We'll kayak, paddle board, and probably swim, even if it is an overcast day. I'll let them call the shots in the morning.

I'm so thankful for Allison and John Fallon for their hard work with the two-week novel-writing program, as well as Emily Diggs. They are superb educators who had zero incidences with over 72 kids. It is remarkable to see them do what they do. 

I am also thankful to Abu, Jalen, and Max who seriously stepped up this week to assist the Little Labs (after Stefania's mentorship). I'm not sure 4 male, literacy minded teachers were what parents expected. It was hard, whacky work, but we managed....our incidences were many (the energy is insane), but nothing that cause too much stress. Just many naps.

 Okay, I'm off to plan the day with the boys and new lady partner....so many dynamics to figure out with Delaney in the mix (and being able to team-up with)

And Just Like That, I'm Thankful Once Again to the Many Years at the Louisville Nature Center and All the Team Building from Jefferson Memorial

It's definitely Friday. If we complete all the task on the agenda as we have planned we'll be lucky. We accomplished so much yesterday, but when I got home and started editing their work, I realized pieces were missing for the final video. Phew. Back at it tomorrow, but first having to drop of Karal so she does drive the cleaners nuts, and then the last 7:30 to 3:30 shift of the week. Tonight, Lossine and Delaney arrive from Syracuse.

There is a Zen Garden, nature pond on campus and I'm hoping to do a few nature writing activities with the kids. Actually, I'm hoping Abu, Max, and Jalen will do the nature writing and I can finish editing the work by staying behind. Jessica and Stefania raised the bar with what they could accomplish in a week and filling in for them both, I'm trying to maintain the same quality.

It's been a fun week subbing for the Little Lab for Big Imaginations, but also a reminder why working with the Youngers is absolutely exhausting. I look at this photo and think, phew, I've been doing such work since I was 22 years old...30 years, indeed. 

Had I stayed in Kentucky, I'd more than likely have retired from teaching by now (do a doctorate, he told himself...do a doctorate).

Ah, but the happiness still comes from working with K-12 kids and teachers. It's such a shame that our institutions keep them from doing the great work that is possible. The older I get, the more I see the uselessness of bureaucrats, administration, and all those that put more work on educators, without ever asking them what they already know and can do. 

It's funny to think that the kids I did these same very activities with all those decades ago now have children this age....and here I am living it over, and over, and over again.

Then, of course, I have to do the academic/collegiate stuff on the side to keep my place in the world.

In the end, it's always for the kids...always for the future...always for making the next generation a little better than my own.

Let's Call It a 5:30 p.m. Microburst...Not a Tornado, But It Wouldn't Surprised Me If it Confirmed as One. That Was a Wednesday.

Abu and I got our hair cuts at 4 with Jerry, but we're home by 5. He needed to shower to get the hairs off of him, and I sat down to plan Little Labs for Thinking and Thoughtful Thursday. We knew a storm was coming, and looked forward to the relief from humidity. It got dark and we beat the rain home. I watched the clouds move in fast, but then they seemed to stop over our house. Like, literally stop and try to move in all directions....it was still and then the lightening hit. Flashes were everywhere and it was quite the show...the thunder matches the bright streaks and then it started to pour. 

Yet, for four or five minutes, the winds picked up and you couldn't see across the street. It was sideways rain that reminded me of the Laborl Day storms in Syracuse. At one point, I thought I should probably move off the porch in case it was to blow away, but I sat their chiseling away at the presentation, and yellowing, "Whoa," every time a clap of thunder and lightening seemed to hit next to me. 

Karal climbed onto my shoulders and shook. She normally is unfazed by the weather.

Then the winds stopped and the rain lessened. Up and down the street all you could see were down tree limbs. Cars could not get through because it was a maze of fallen trees. One guy drove up on my lawn trying to get around the debris and failed. So, we got on shoes and went outside to pull what we could to the side of the road. It seemed like all the neighbors on my street were doing the same. 

Everyone was like, "WTF was that as we went to work?" 

Apparently we did a good job because cars from Nichols Avenue were rerouted down our street, making it like I-95. We later learned (and saw) that there were too many trees on Nichols Avenue blocking the roads. We went outside with saws and machete and began hacking away to fit the tree by the road, and then went over to the 94 year old woman's home next door and did the same with her street. We could not get far, however, because the trees that fell there were much too big (again, later, we would see all of this). 

Obviously the electricity went out. It was restored around 10:45 p.m. which surprised us. Abu and I went to Big Y to get a few things (as an excuse to drive around). It was hard to find a path to the main roads, and we were curious how much damage it cost. Interestingly, the north side of Stratford was untouched as was the Southside. It was as if whatever it was started before Wooster Middle School and moved its way towards our street. The damage is 1/2 a mile wide and 1/2 a mile long. It's very contained to the streets in our neighborhood, and some of them had lots of damage with trees fallen on cars and houses. 

It was something and I was a wee bit paralyzed without my laptop or ability to get CWP-Fairfield work done. But I rode with the evening and was very thankful to bro-in-law Mike who bought me a head lamp headband years ago that I've always wanted to use. It came in very handy and made me feel like a celebrity in my house as I could light up every room.

And that is the tale of July 16, 2024. 

Teaching in a Time of You-Tube Offers All the Needed Breaks a Kid (Well, Teacher) Needs. Little Labs for Big Imaginations Week II

I've learned from the expert elementary teachers over the years the importance of having every second overplanned, and the necessity of pivoting quickly when the student writers let you know what is and isn't working. One of the things I've stolen is the power of the exercise break and I love the numerous fun ways you can get kids moving to get the wiggles out and the frustration from sitting all day. We've booked up time, too, with book readings, funny cartoons that are on point with out themes, and doing crafts just when it is necessary...all of this with the right hand assistantship of YouTube.

Um, did I say that I fell asleep again after work yesterday. That's 4 times in two weeks...and I know it is because I'm 100% on with the Little Labs, whereas in the past I had others cover the younger ages. It is the same as when I was a substitute taught in elementary in my earlier years. Yup. I get tired out because there is so much minute detail that goes into keeping control. If you lose a mili-second, the whole things gets wonky....I need to be on at all moments.

Today, we continue with the Olympic theme, but also work with a lil' Kwame Alexander brilliance (working with rule poems and life skills). Looking forward to that. We're also hosting a mini-Olympic events and doing a tour of the library to see what we can learn about getting information for our Thursday writing. Friday, of course, we need to pull it all together for the big video filming.

Yesterday, too, we workshopped with the Bellarmine college students and it was a blast. It was so much fun working with the kids and freshman together and I'm impressed by how the younger ones hold their own. Ah, but this coffee needs to kick in so we can hit the road. Another day, another dollar (or something like that...if you know the Fairfield story, well, then you know). 

Hump Day...here we come. 

Let the sweat begin.

It Was Monster Marshmallow Monday Yesterday and the Little Labbers Excelled with Imaginations and Storytelling

Week three, the 2nd week of Little Labs, arrived with a new crew of kids and a cancellation of a lead teacher. Who arrived to save the day? Frog! The pond always at his side. For a week, Abu, Max, Jalen, and I will tag team good lessons to get the kids towards publication in POW! It's fun, accept when I'm summoned to the other literacy labs and teacher institutes. Being in multiple locations at once is maddening (and quite truthfully, impossible). 

It's probably why I needed the 8 pm nightly walk to sweat out some of the anxiety. The storms went north of here and I was drenched with sweat. This humidity is unbearable. And we have two more days of it.

Today, we're joining forces with an undergraduate Bellarmine theater class who is sharing the space with us in DSB. I look forward to doing this because I've come to love seeing the diversity on campus. It makes everything so much better. 

Ah, and to make Marshmallow Monsters on Monday, it's best to use fruit for parts and spaghetti strands as the stick to poke into the monster, holding all the goods together.

Okay, Time to take off for another round of lessons. I'll be working with almost 90 K-13 students today and several teachers. Hope they all plan to stay indoors more this time around. Yesterday's monster mash was a little too warm. Phew.

@AbuBility Likes the Hulk-Mobile So Much, He Done Found a Pair of Green Pants to Match (and Hoodie...not seen here). Chameleons of CWP-Fairfield

2nd week of literacy labs. Great day of Euro and COPA soccer. Thankful to Bev & Leo for hosting, Papa's for making the pizza, and the pool entertaining Abu, Leo, Ethan, and Stephanie. Did a last-minute run to Big Y to get items for Little Lab, and we're teaching 6 hours each day this week (leadership means you step up when a teacher had to step out). 

Yesterday was a beautiful day for outdoor recreation, although we spent much of it indoors watching t.v. - but Karal did get a walk in before it all started.

And I was smart about crock-potting chicken so we'd have it for pulled sandwiches this week, when we don't feel like cooking after work.

Four more weeks of summer programs to go...three more with kids and one more with teachers. I'm most definitely feeling Monday more than usual this morning.

Ah, but now to hit I-95 to see how it will ebb and flow this week.

Wonderful When the Grandkids Come Around (Thanks, Oona). My Snap Chat Selves are Much Better than the Real Thing

Pam had friends over for dinner, including Jack, Oona's grandson from New Jersey. Jack wanted to play on my phone, and Pam and I are all about playtime, especially when we have opportunities to look younger and more intriguing that our middle-aged selves. This was my favorite, although the 1990s versions of ourselves are good, too (it's just that they look like older photos...at least with animation, there a little more class). 

Yesterday's rainy morning (and Abu's later-than-usual-sleep schedule) gave me ample time to create contracts, to think ahead to next week, and to think forward with remaining grant money. The clouds cleared, though, and Abu got food for the week, planned out the schedules, got tickets to to Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) in Wallingford, and chilled the rest of the night away watching soccer. 

Now, I really want to jump into anime land because I like the way we all look with our cartoon features. Ah, but we have the Euro Cup final, as well at the COPA final today (pizza day) and I really should be proactive with more planning. Fascinating to live as we do in this moment in time, because I'm unsure if opportunities to be whacky, wild, and American free will be in the future given the realities since 2016. We're still living in a nation that is hard for me to recognize.

The audiences of Jerry Spring are now adults loving a Jerry Spring world. It's not supposed to make sense, it's all about the drama, and the whackier you make it with human behavior, the closer it hits to home on psyches and self-fulfilled prophesies. I now want to skip ahead 100 years and read what is written about the years I'm currently living. Fascinating, and paradigm-shifting, indeed. 

Humans continue to be...well, humans. 

A Hammerhead and a Unicorn Walk Into a Bar...Actually, a Spaceship and with them are 38 Young Adult Literacy Labs Novelists

They had a tall order this week, and we are thrilled to bring John Fallon into the mix...an English teacher at Laurelton Hall who loves science fiction (and is partnered with Allison). We decided early in the week that he'd have to be initiated in the Scripted workshop, and I knew immediately I'd make him a unicorn, as his youngest daughter, Cordelia, is obsessed with the magical creatures.

My week was pulled towards Little Labs more, so I didn't get as much play time and conference work with the middle and high school novelists. It's a funny program, too, because the kids really don't want to be bothered with the adults - they just want a space to write all day (which we give them with mini-lessons, workshops, demonstrations, and a reminder we should build a community, too). I always love the way friendships begin in this program and little coteries are formed. A previous colleague once told me, "CWP is where she found her people."

I'm writing this morning watching the skies dump the ocean onto Connecticut. It's been a wall of water since 7 a.m. (and I'm thankful I chose to mow the lawn at the last minute before I went to bed last night). Looking like quite the wash today and I didn't know it was coming - this is probably because of the 14-hour days of keeping the programs going...I don't think about the weekends.

Abu and I watched Inside Out last night on Disney because he heard it was good and he wanted to get ready to watch Inside Out 2. The Pixar fill is really good and I can't help but think about all the emotional creatures working inside my own mental control room. When I think about the work I love doing, but the reality of where I'm doing it, I think every emotion hired to control my brain goes into battle. 

Here's to Noah's Arc...the rain...and the spectacular week that just was. We repeat the greatness again starting on Monday. 

Nothing Like Seeing the World through the Eyes of Little Labbers with Big Imaginations. Week Two of Summer Programs are Coming to a Close

Working with 3rd-5th grade writers is simply a tremendous treat. The way they think about the world and the humor that guides them is remarkable. Every task is a welcomed challenge and they have such confidence in what they set out to compose. This is why the Anton exhibit at the Walsh Gallery was such a hit. I took teachers their last week (the pop tart), and this week the teachers brought the kids. You can see the big-eyed happiness for exploring such work...

...we went with a theme of Cooking up Words and the weeks focused on culinary writing experiences (which we'll continue next week with much variation). Many of the kids choose to come back for a second week so I want the experiences to be different. We're tapping the summer Olympics for sure with Recipes for Excellence. 

I enjoyed hearing the young people tell me how much fun they were having and how this is making them writers. I also love hearing the parents tell me that the kids go home and continue to write after dinner. We've been doing this for 13 years...at this point the data seems to lead to consistent findings that what we are doing works. There are a few, of course, that don't jive with the work but I can count those kids on one hand (and zip code demographic of Verooka Saltz-type kids...they made themselves extremely memorable...as do their parents).

Today, the young people display their writing ... novels, poems, drawings, comics, stories, and jokes. We record presentation for the parents, still drawing on the Covid reality of smaller crowds whenever possible. No one likes to get sick.

I'm looking forward to unwinding, however. It's non-stop from sunrise to sunset while all is in action. Weekends I need to recover.

I definitely need to get rest.

And I Interrupt Summer Programs to Celebrate the Terror-ier Black Nosed Cur Dog's 28th Birthday (Well, She's Four).

Actually, Karal is probably a little older than 4, but yesterday was the anniversary when I picked her up. Chitunga moved out, I swore no more dogs, but then she appeared on a timeline and within seconds I was intrigued. Didn't really discuss it with anyone, but drove to Rye-Harrison and sat with the care-take for over an hour because...well....her behavior didn't convince m she would be the greatest companion. She barked at every dog and never sat still for a second. It wasn't until I made up my mind that this probably wasn't the dog for me, when she suddenly ran over to me and sat by my side loyal. It's like she knew she was mine, but didn't want to adopt me until I was getting ready to leave.

She's always been good on a leash, has been trainable for tricks, but no coaching gets her from jumping and nibbling on clothes and shoelaces to get attention. Not mine. She can care less about me; she's only interested in those that aren't me. She pesters them (annoys them) for attention. I've tried everything to calm her down: trainers, treats, videos, and she is simply spastic. Hoping in her 28th year, she settles some.

Karal has excessive energy. Her zoomies can last 30 minutes and she's in full greyhound sprints. She loves her bay window like Glamis did, and when it's just the two of us, she insists on lying on my shoulders, at my feet, or in my lap. She barks at me at 8 pm to put her to ged (which means she wants me to lie with her and give her a doggie massage. She's also great friends with Jake, which was inevitable. 

And today, it is editing day. Fridays are always a mountain to achieve the impossible, so Thursday is about peeling the layers backwards. The kids have been their usual amazing selves and now it's time to simply get the work done.

While Many Prepped for the COPA and Euro Cup Games, Our Youngest Writers Invented Foods Out of Play-Do...Including Watermelon Pie

I'm not sure watermelon would hold up in a pie, but the concept intrigued. Also wasn't sure about grilled cheese Oreo cookies. The traditional Guac and taco dish, however, made sense to me, but the Everything Pizza (which had everything on it, including the Kitchen sink) was not that appealing, although it did give me opportunity to talk about everything bagels, which are my favorite.

Meanwhile, in the Novel Writing labs, students had options to develop demons, other worlds, or plots with the three instructors. They pulled into separate rooms and I was amazed by how much work go done. The plot room fascinated me, because there is no single writing process...these kids prove it. They have multiple writing processes and I love observing every second of them putting their ideas to together.

Abu and I made it home for the Spain/France game, but only the second half. Then it was COPA in the evening, Argentina and Canada. Believe it or not, I fell asleep during the first game. I'm getting old. Teaching all day and then planning all night is tiring. That, and a local deli charges a 3% credit card fee that they don't put on the receipts they give you. The result? When you share the receipt with the University accountants, they won't accept it...so you go back to the deli and they say they can't retro receipts with the extra charge, so you you a take a photo of the miniature taped line at the register that says there is a fee.

Not ordering from there again. That's not how you run business

Today, it's more writing fun...hump day, so a lot of writing has to occur...tomorrow we need to edit. And there are two more soccer games on tonight. Bonus week for Mt. Pleasant. 

The secret of writing success is hiring the best, most creative, and thought-provoking teachers we can. CWP rocks. I love these people. 

An Extra-Special Summer with @CWPFairfield Teachers, Especially Those Returning from Last Year - Love Being Able to Celebrate Them

CWP-Fairfield Young Adult Literacy Labs and Teacher Institutes received a 2025 Divergent Award for Literacy Implementation. It was an honor to be sent the email acknowledging the nomination, and now it is time to share the award with each of the teachers who help make our literacy labs a success. One by one I'm putting the award into the hands of the educators and youth literacy leaders who have helped us to reach and publish thousands of young writers over the years. It is their dedication to the work that makes it all worthwhile.

And we all admit to each other, it's the summer work that rejuvenates us and makes us believe what is possible with kids and teaching, after a year of being let down and disappointed by the bureaucracies of our institutions. Here, we come to have fun, to read, to write, and to celebrate humanity.

My goal is to get the award into all the hands of the people (humans of our lil' corner of the National Writing Project network) to watch the smiles grow. 

These are dedicated, brilliant, creative, clever, and hardworking teachers who make the work so much fun - they restore the faith in the profession we all had when we first started out.

Day two of the youth work beings in about 3...2....1....

2013 - 2024. Phew. The Redirection of Young Adult Literacy Labs and Abu Bility is Here for it All. 11th Year of the Work. Let it Begin

Kris and Dave, with Ish, came for the night. They were dropping off Isaiah in Hartford who is doing work for Blumenthal. Meanwhile, Abu came from Syracuse for another summer of Young Adult Literacy Labs. We had a make-shift dinner and the rest is history. Today, at 9 a.m. everything kicks off.

We've covered barbers in State College, played corn hole in Stratford, visited with Pam, fed Ishmael, checked the clothing of Isaiah in Hartford, and updated the accidents that could be so much worse. Definitely 24 hours of Connecticut life. 

And this morning we're off...100 kids, many programs, and it's officially Shark Week on the Weather Channel. We got this. Karal is confused. She wants it all to be about her.

Here's to summer camps beginning every where this year. It takes off at the snap of a finger, and then it has to be what it is. 

I'm upset, though. I finally redid the tub with non-slip stickers (a gift from Casey after my fall), and then Ish took a shower and reported all the tub stickers floated to the top of the service (well, the tub non-stick stickers were a gift from Casey....figures they floated to the top of the tub and didn't stick). Moral of the story...be careful in the Crandall tub...you'll fall and crack you head open. 

Well, I tried. When Ish came downstairs and said, "All the stickers on the tub floated to the top of the water," all I could say was, "Well, they were a gift from my little sister. Don't crack open your head."

Crandall luck. She would send me tub stickers that don't stick, but float. C'est la vie.

And After Four Years, Three Months, and a Day, Crandall Finally Put Pictures in the Frame He (Once Upon a Time) Got on Clearance

I found this frame several years ago and said to myself, "Oh, those are the colors I want for Mt. Pleasant...a little sandy and an ocean sky." Of course, I've moved that frame to just about every room in the house still in its packaging only because I never got around to figuring out what I want to do. I've only painted two walls...the accent wall in my living room and the hallway upstairs. Of course, Chitunga painted his room (impatiently), but it is painted. I have an idea of what I want to do but I need someone like Cynde to visit to convince me I'm right. 

Anyway, yesterday in the readying for Abu, Dave, Kris, and Ishy's arrival, I threw away six pillows and bought six more, then printed out photos for the frame which I planned to hang upstairs, but it looked good in the living room so there it shall sit for a while

The Sealey-Wooleys are only in town for one night, as they had to drop Isaiah off in Hartford to do an internship with Blumenthal. Dave will be returning in a couple of weeks to lead the Who Do You Think You Are? literacy lab with Kim Herzog. I'm excited the two of them will be working together again.

It was steamy yesterday....pea-soup, thick air. Did get a walk in but it was miserable. Actually, that is not true. It felt good and I'm glad I got moving. I was just drenched afterwards

As for this morning, I have to figure out if I'll cook for tonight or not...it's supposed to be another ten degrees warmer this afternoon than it was yesterday. Phew. 

But all the beds were made fresh and that is always a good feeling. Nothing like bringing in guests to think a little harder about home life. I also have the twin set up in the dining room so everyone can be accommodated. Mt. Pleasant loves the summer guest!

A Celebratory Dinner for Shirley and Sharon at Cibus: Good Food, Nice Drinks, Great Company, and Even Better Desserts

I had scallops, others had steak, chicken, pork, and salmon, and we all tipped glasses to Sharon's birthday and Shirley's soon-to-be-departure to Florida to care for her mom and to attend her older sister's wedding. 

It was a muggy one. I was drenched moving materials from Canisius Hall to Dolan School of Business, but I wanted everything to be read for Abu and me on Monday morning, when the teachers and kids come. The first day is always the hardest as there are 101 questions and even more items that my peanut brain is not ready to process. 

I believe today is supposed to be rainy, but with humidity, and I should stock the house for summer eating, as I haven's grocery shopped in a while, and continue to eat leftovers (which doesn't happen when we eat out with friends. 

We watched the Europe soccer semi-finals, played with Ethan and Patrick a little, walked the dog, and decided to do a Friday night like it's supposed to be done...deliciously. 

Today, however, I put away three loads of laundry and try to get my head around the grants and where they stand after months of good spending. Probably best to spend the day indoors, but we shall see. 

I like long weekends...they offer so much more Flex Time. 

Easily One of the Best Purchases I Ever Made (Best Gifts I've Ever Given). Yesterday, I Used It as a Location to Remember Where My Glasses and Keys Were

Patrick and Stephanie hosted an afternoon 4th of July gathering. At the last minute, I through together a lemon pasta salad with materials I had around (making my own buttermilk) and it came out superb. I think it's the lemon juice. While bringing it into the kitchen, I saw that Patrick still had the antelope skeleton art piece I found on clearance for under $17. I was shocked. I wish they had more. The joy on his face the year he unwrapped it was marvelous and I know that Stephanie still wishes the damn thing would just disappear (like the leg lamp in a Christmas Story). 

It's just so damn beautiful. Every home needs one. 

I love barbecue food because it's a medley of everything and so many great meats. And it's in the afternoon, so I don't have to eat again at night.

I came home to do trash, to listen to the United States go wonky with their firework insanity. Actually, I just listened...imagined being bombed or ransacked or living somewhere where those were the sounds you heard all day and slept through. That is, living in war. Perhaps the tradition is one of fantasy and joy because we have NOT had to live with such sounds on a regular basis. For us, it's a play thing. Let's hope it remains for future generations to have such luxury to chow down a couple of hotdogs before running around a yard with sprinklers. We'll see if World History will remain or if new chapters will be written....England sure as hell is hanging on...we shall see.

I need to load up rooms on campus today, but also hope to maintain a total chill mode. I'm not doing anything unless it feels mentally right for a couple of days.

This will likely look like walks, organizing, cooking, and prepping for guests and Abu. It's summer, so the house gets a little livelier.

Happy Friday, Y'all. We could use an eating day everyday of the week like yesterday was.

Day 3: Just Like Ol' Times with Julie Roneson (Dr. Julie Roneson)...the Power of Writing with News Stories to Inspire How We Really Feel

The third day of the institute had moose, Layla's falafel, poetry, scripts, and a special demonstration with Julie Roneson, a teacher who has been with CWP since 2012 as a summer co-conspirator and change agent. She used the New York Times Learning Network to prompt us to think about reports that might catch our eyes and get us going (for me, it was this bizarre photograph of a supermodel walking down the runway as what looked like artistic broccoli. Why? I don't know. And that was my point. Who cares? If fashion wants to have vegetative attire and people want to look like a broccoli stalk, so be it. 

The next two days are without gathering, so I can catch my breath before 4 weeks of young people begin. Bring on the Literacy Labs.

I went to West Haven for fireworks, but departed before they went off. I wanted the barbecue before hand and mixing with company. I didn't want to mingle with the large crowds going ooo and aaaah as bombs burst in the air. Haven't been a fan of fireworks since taking the Sudanese guys to a show in Louisville and the noise scaring the hell out of them (after all, they were boys when their homes were bombed, so they experienced the real thing....trauma).

I'm riding out today simply to catch my breath and slow my brain down. These summer courses mean teach all day and plan all night or plan all day and teach all night. I'm hoping it won't be this pace once the kids arrive.

Finally, prayers up for Drew Dearstine. The loss is sad, as most of them are. I used to laugh that my grandparents kept taps on obituaries, like my mom sometimes does, too. As you get older, it happens a lot more and it's hard not to see the luck of those of us who have lived longer lives. As the inevitable occurs more regularly, it gets even heavier on the head. My sisters are past the age the neighborhood adults were when they were looking over the rugrats of our generation. I can only think about the children and grandchildren when bad news comes to each and every home. It weighs on the heart, but also plays tricks on the brain of embracing every second while we have them, because they are definitely not guaranteed. 

May the 4th be with you.

Funny What a Piece of Art Can Do...Peter Anton's JUST DESSERTS Exhibit on Campus Serves as One of Our Writing Workshops Yesterday

I took the teacher-leaders to the Walsh Gallery yesterday to see the exhibit of gigantic, hand-crafted desserts and told them to sketch one and start writing...see where it takes you. They all got to work and I became fixated on this one Pop Tart. I don't recall eating Pop Tarts as a kid, but I saw the commercials. I've always been an a.m. cereal guy. I like oats in milk. 

What I started writing about was something that I never have written about...a memory from Junior year that came quickly and faded fast, but really punched me in the stomach. It doesn't really have to do with Pop Tarts, but it does, because we were adolescent, young, set free, and stupid. Actually, I was...with a few of the other guys. We were asked to be student ambassadors for the Northstars marching band because they were competing in a national show that didn't let adults bring equipment onto the field. They needed to recruit a bunch of guys and they did...most of them on lacrosse teams, football teams, baseball teams, etc. who were dating girls in the Dance Ensemble. I roomed with three of them and, for the most part, while the band practiced we were told we could stay in our rooms, which we did, but also this is where the mischief began. I noticed  coolers the adults had were full of alcohol and they left them outside of their rooms without supervision. I took one, and the guys and I were set for evening fun while we played Pitch and smoked cigars (nasty things those are...but there was a store around the corner and we bought some). We also bought a couple of dirty magazines, one of them called Cherry Poptart. We pretended we were grown ups for the weekend, did what we were supposed to for the band, but when left to our own disposal, we were idiots, including taping pictures from the magazine all over the hotel elevator. We laughed our asses off. 

We were never caught, though. It was a fun trip...part of the stupidity of adolescence. It was a group of guys in their senior year and me, a junior (I had my incidence in 9th grade, and stuck to the straight and narrow after that). This was a rare, spontaneous weekend, and because I always worked and I took off for the long weekend to do the band gig, I thought, "Why not? Live it up." Because I was a year younger, I wanted to seem cool so when the coolers presented themselves without parental policing, it was a no-brainer. And I was hit to the older guys.

I think I put the story out of my mind because of the luck thing - we really did get away with it all - but mores because one of the guys was this lacrosse player....super popular and a twin whose sister was equally as popular. We bonded briefly that weekend and I figured when we returned I'd probably never see him again. A year's difference -- the juniors vs. the seniors -- makes all the difference. Two weeks later, he, his twin sister, and another brother died in a house fire. It devastated the school, so much so they shut it down until after the holiday break. We were sent home (which almost got me arrested, but that is another story from being young and stupid)

I've always been sort of numb about this story, because I knew the kid, but I didn't really know the kid...just briefly...a blip on the radar. I learned more about him when we returned to school and he lost his life. He was so loved and cherished by the senior class. In my young mind, I didn't realize life could be taken so young...so quickly...without any meaning.

When the year ended, yearbooks came out, and at my school that was always a big deal...there were close to 2,500 kids in the building, 10th-12th grade. One of the highlights, always, was to read senior memories, and figure out if you could decipher any the secrets shared in the brief notes. In Josh's memories...this kid I only knew for one weekend...wrote, "Crazy Crandall - Cherry Poptarts" or something like that. I was trying to figure out how he included this memory in the short time between our return from Michigan and his tragic departure. 

I think I packaged the story up and tucked it away without really sharing it with anyone because it was so intense at the time. He truly was loved by so many, and I was just this dorky kid with a box cut. These older kids were just stuck with me in their hotel room. I had the weekend off and was bored. The history followed and we had a blast.

Then the tragedy. 

I think of this often. 18 years old...an age I taught for many, many years, and I definitely never shared this story with my students (unless the Michigan hotel party and porn was left out). 36 years later, I'm thinking of all the life that has come my way, and all the life he and his siblings were denied. It is something, Private Ryan. Earn this. I hope the life I've lived makes up for those lives cut too short.

Yup. Art. It can trigger stories out of nowhere, especially a Poptart. Youth is wasted on the young.

And the Summer CWP Programs Have Begun...Always Wonderful to Kick Things Off with the Teachers

It was a successful first day, 11 of us...writing. Elementary, Middle, High School, ESL, and even sports teachers and coaches. Ralph Fletcher is always a wonderful first-day friend, and planting seeds in the power of writer's notebooks is a gift...as is pedagogy (Luke, 2008). It's a democratic collective and I was impressed on the willingness of all to take chances, share, participate, and tend to whatever they hope my germinate this summer. 

A highlight, of course, was author Sonya Huber, who can lead a workshop like no other. She is a Queen of taking a small idea and exploding it into all the brilliant ways it can be turned into an essay and exploration of communication and life. 

Six hours of workshops and sharing, belonging and care (as William and Jessica provided in a workshop they led in the morning). 

My writer's notebook has already been loaded with 20 pages of thinking, and I'm ready to add more to it today...that is the power of teachers teaching teachers and the National Writing Project way. 

At night, I also hosted Stefania and Max for dinner to begin cooking up ideas for two weeks of Little Lab for Big Imaginations. The best part of the work is the willingness to find absolute joy in everything we do. My intention was to share all the writing that was plugged onto paper today, but there's too much other work needing to get done so I have to be brief. 

Here's to all the educators of the world who give up their summers to return to school for more learning. Teaching is a profession that is lifelong...a commitment to the work of the next generation that is immeasurable. I'm so excited to be part of it where I can. 

Gambled Some Upon My Return with Campus Life, Teacher Institutes, and Young Adult Literacy Labs...Much Needed to be Done To Be Ready

Returning from CNY seems non-eventful, except I hit storms from Binghamton to Liberty, drove out of them, then learned storms were coming to Stratford and southern Connecticut. When I got out of the car it was super hot...oppressive air...and then Alexa and my phone were going nuts with storm warnings. I looked at the radar and decided I could chance a campus visit to get things set up.

Before I left for Syracuse, I knew I had to be super organized so when I returned I could instantly drive things to campus classrooms. Everything was lined by the door and in the dining room. I also spent extra hours on campus getting everything organized in my office, so when I returned from Syracuse I could easily move things from that space to the summer classrooms. 

That saying, "Your lack of planning doesn't constitute my emergency," is not how I operate. I wanted to attend my nephew's graduation and to see my family, so I worked extra hard before I left knowing the chaos I would return to. But I had a plan. 

What I didn't plan on were the storms. It was a downpour in Stratford when I left, but I saw this crazy lull in the clouds over Fairfield from 3 to 3:30 so I packed up my car and drove it to campus and got everything indoors before it let lose....I set it up for an hour, and then knew there'd be another lull for 20 minutes and drove and packed up my office. Needed an umbrella when entering, but it was dry on the way out. I got all those materials into the building. I unpacked for another hour....

....ah, but when I left the building it was monsoon and I was drenched walking to my car. The good news is all the materials are stored in the building for tomorrow's programs. I'll like arrive 2 hours before they begin so I can make sure everything is in place for the teachers and students. 

I drove home in a river, but by the time I made it to my driveway, there was another lull....just enough time to grill mushrooms and a hamburger before the 2nd round of storms came through.

Phew. That was a laborious day. I'm just counting my blessings that I the foresight to get everything ready to go before I left for Syracuse. I need to sneak the lil' breaks in where I can get them (trust me, I did much of the computer work while visiting) but knew the physical stuff needed a logical plan. And that's what I did.

But now to teach. Hello, Monday. I know most are on holiday this weekend, but we're taking off!

It's July!