594. Norks and Noogly

“Ecology” was not even one of the words we had to memorize when we were memorizing ologies in junior high. We memorized “cytology,” “hematology,” “psychology,” and more, but I don’t think we even heard of “ecology.” The word existed, but I guess it wasn’t considered important enough for us to memorize it. Then, around 1970,…

After school, as a child and as an adolescent, I always came home to a place where I had my own room. That’s where I did or didn’t do my homework. I had a big desk that had a large map of the world on top, covered by a large sheet of glass. Sometimes I’d…

Some teachers seem to have ways of getting children to take charge of their own learning. Of course, some parents do, too, and some children seem naturally self-motivated. Whether we give most of the credit to teachers, parents, children, or nature, it’s pretty impressive to watch a child who has transcended the need for motivational…

Some parents decide that they don’t want their children to go to school, so they teach their children at home. Before school was invented, of course, it was neither a decision nor an issue. Where there are no schools, of course, it’s still neither. But when school is available and free, or at least affordable,…

This morning, I discovered that due to illness, a child who was going to visit me could not make it. But I was in a very sociable mood, and since the weather was okay, I decided to get on my scooter and take the bus into town. There would probably be some people there. I…

Racquel, a young girl, was upset. She dearly loved her mother, Fran, and also loved her mother’s friend, Judy. She enjoyed spending good time with both, both separately and all three together. But Fran and Judy didn’t always get along well with each other; sometimes they annoyed each other. Even though only Fran was Racquel’s…