“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CCOi0OJD1nd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link John Trumbull’s proud and bold image had been inspired by the recollections and musings of Thomas Jefferson, of which … Continue reading In the Room Where It Happens: The Legacy of the Declaration of Independence
Author: Stephen
Multicultural and Anti-Racist Resources
https://www.instagram.com/p/CB62LK9DwZr/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Hello! As a history and social studies teacher at a private high school, I help young people understand the evolution of the human consciousness and how to make sense of difficult questions of living in the social world. I help students with the "hard yoga" -- the flex-work, strengthening and breathing -- of living … Continue reading Multicultural and Anti-Racist Resources
Ramp Season and Foraging
It’s that time of the year again in the Hudson Valley!! I’ve been seeing buzz about ramps and fiddleheads in my social media newsfeeds. Not so gentle reminder, just because something appears to be in abundance, doesn’t mean it is. In fact, ramps, or “wild leeks,” or “wild onions” are listed as a threatened species in Quebec … Continue reading Ramp Season and Foraging
Neil de Grasse Tyson: Kids are born scientists.
“Kids are born scientists […] An adult scientist is a kid who never grew up. That’s what an adult scientist does.” -- Neil DeGrasse Tyson https://youtu.be/tbX6aMfPtEw
How My Family Helped Me Break Into the Ivy League (The Short Version)
This piece is as much reflections on my education as a continuing graduate student as well as my role as a history and social studies teacher at an independent high school. Scandals like last year's Operation Varsity Blues bring to the fore the role of socioeconomic status and inequality at elite institutions of higher learning. … Continue reading How My Family Helped Me Break Into the Ivy League (The Short Version)
It’s a Beautiful Day, and I Can’t See It.
“The New Colossus” in the Age of “Shithole Countries”
Jimmy Carter was President when I was born. He was the Sunday School teacher who wore sweaters when it was chilly, carried his own bags and had no real discernible ideology other than a commitment to peace. As a child, I don't ever remember hearing, "That might be how President [George H.W.] Bush talks but … Continue reading “The New Colossus” in the Age of “Shithole Countries”
Bear McDonald 