Posted on by Laura Lee

Literacy Tutor Training Tomorrow

book      “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” –Frederick Douglass.

Since I believe so strongly in the power of literacy to improve lives, I am going back to my teaching beginning, with adult literacy tutoring.  Although I am a licensed reading specialist, English teacher, and reading teacher, tutoring adults is different and requires specialized training.  I am going to https://literacydupage.org/ tomorrow, and may do the tutor training where I teach in the fall as well.  Then I will decide which program I want to actually tutor with.

I feel my life has been enriched because I can read and write rather easily, and I would like to help others grow in skills.   I’ve had a wonderful career in teaching (and still teach college part time), and I respect and truly like people.  I hope I have a lot to offer those needing help.

Back in the 70s and 80s, I was a volunteer adult literacy tutor, while I worked in business and before I entered teaching. Now that I am “sort of”retired, it’s come full circle and I return to my first teaching experience. It’s interesting how that works!  I also remember my students could not believe people were not being paid to be tutors, since in their countries they didn’t find free tutoring. I don’t know about that, as I’ve not been to another country looking for free tutoring.

I think it’s important to give back to causes that one believes in, and I believe in the power of literacy.

Thanks for reading.

Posted on by Laura Lee

Khaled Hosseini’s New Book, “Sea Prayer.” He’s a great humanitarian.

Khaled   Not only is Hosseini a great writer, he is a profound and important humanitarian.  He’s also a physician.  It’s only my thinking, but I bet if he wrote more novels he would make more money for himself.  Instead, he is using his fame as a way to help others, and has been all over the world trying to help. He especially is moved to help refugees worldwide.

https://www.khaledhosseinifoundation.org/

This site spells out some of the work his foundation does.

Well done, Sir. Well done.

Posted on by Laura Lee

ENFP OR INFP–That’s Me…Erm–Depends on the Day or Even the Moment.

img_1239           People are complicated, and that’s my motto. I decided to take the famous Myers Briggs test again, having last taken it in 2010 when considering a job move.

Over the years, the test has shown me to be a consistent split between ENFP and INFP.  I’m about 50/50 split between intraversion and extraversion, but usually NF for sure.

I’ve taken this and other personality and career tests over the years, and found them helpful and fun.  I’ve been found to be:

INFJ

ENFJ

INFP

ENFP

ISFP (ONCE)–DISAGREE

Huh? What’s this mean? If you are not familiar with the Myers Briggs, you can find a free version online here in many places, including here: http://similarminds.com/

Remember this is just for fun and to be enlightening.  This is not medical help or psychological help.

Good thing my spouse is a very compatible (and rare!) type for this highly sensitive soul seeking sometimes over the top person that I am.

Teaching is a great career for me–yay!  My gut knew that.  Writing can be a good fit if I’m not too isolated, although I love being alone for long periods of time.

I’m actually a good advocate, mentor, cheerleader for people and causes I believe in.  I’ll fight for those!

What I know I’m not good at, have little interest in being good at?  Anything with details I find boring, anything with machinery or physical stuff in the world.  Run if you see me driving.

Strong Interest Inventory up next. Oh, that was so valuable!

Well enough about me.  Have you taken this test, and did you find it helpful?

Just for fun now, no heaviness.

Thanks for reading!

Laura Lee

Posted on by Laura Lee

Crack the Spine Literary Magazine: a Mini-Review

spines   Yes, people still read. Yes, people still write. Don’t forget that on days when you feel discouraged.

I know I am holding on to this knowledge when the news gets too awful, when I feel my own writing is not going well, when I wonder about the world.

But where there is a love of literacy, I sense hope. And I sense a lot of hope when finding so many earnest and passionate literary journals, including one that is new to me, Crack the Spine Literary Magazine.

When I first heard the name of this magazine, Crack the Spine (CTS), I was put off a bit–no cracking spines, please.  But I kept going back to CTS, intrigued by the name and wondering just what is this magazine all about.

I’m delighted to find out “Crack the Spine loves the written word. Some might say we’re in love with the written word.” (from their website)  Furthermore, the process of submitting to the magazine is full of kind humor, encouragement, and wit.  CTS publishes flash fiction, micro-fiction, poetry, short stories, and creative non-fiction, sponsors a themed print edition, biweekly digital editions, a “best of” and yearly anthology.

In addition, CTS has a cute “shop” where you can buy their published books as well as literary gifts such as mugs and tee-shirts.

While being a serious literary magazine, Crack the Spine emotes a kind and playful attitude that is welcoming to writers, even down to making submissions easier by using Submittable.com.  I highly encourage writers to read there and consider submitting to this magazine.

As to the name? I’ve learned not to judge a magazine by its title–but I’m still watching out for my aching back.

Thanks for reading.

 

Posted on by Laura Lee

Publications, Updated

cropped-be-creative-creative-creativity-256514      Some of my poems, short stories, and nonfiction articles are included in books and magazines published in the UK, Greece, New Zealand, and the United States.

*Coffin Bell Journal
“Herstory,” a poem, to be published October 1, 2018

*Spillwords Press
Stopped by Laura Lee at Spillwords Press

*Tuck Magazine, June 2018

Tuck Magazine

*Tuck Magazine,  May 2018

Tuck

* Southernmost Point Guest House (UK)

* Journal of Modern Poetry 21 (Volume 21)

JOMP Volume 21 Dear Mr. President

* Journal of Modern Poetry 20 (Volume 20)

JOMP Volume 20 Poetry Writer’s Guide to the Galaxy

* Journal of Modern Poetry 17 (Volume 17)

JOMP Volume 17

* Magazine (New Zealand) , Raewyn Alexander, Publisher

Raewyn Alexander NZ

* Fiction in: http://staxtes.com/2003/ “Between the Sunlight and the Skipping” in English Wednesdays

* Illinois English Bulletin, a publication of the National Council of Teachers of English, nonfiction.

Posted on by Laura Lee

Charles White: a Retrospective at the Art Institute of Chicago

soldier

(Soldier, Charles White)

A Charles White retrospective is at the amazing Art Institute of Chicago right now through September third.  The Art Institute, on its web page Charles White at the Art Institute of Chicago, states:

Charles White, born and educated in Chicago, was one of the preeminent artists to emerge during the city’s Black Renaissance of the 1930s and 1940s. A passionate mural and easel painter and superbly gifted draftsman, White powerfully interpreted African American history, culture, and lives in striking works that nevertheless have a more universal resonance

I’m not an artist, nor am I an art critic.  But what comes to mind and to heart while viewing his works was all of this: dignity, pain, suffering, caring, compassion, strength. These are not art words, and I cannot speak about what White used to create such art. But I can speak to how White;s artwork affected me, a highly sensitive poet.  I would like to find words deserving of the near reverence I felt in the presence of art that is not only great, but art from a great person. White felt people were basically good and his works are imbued with love and respect as well as with a painful knowledge of social injustice, racism, poverty, separation, loss.

I almost feel I should step back, use few words, and just show the photos, simple photos taken by my little phone camera. You can see I am not a professional or even a good photographer, but I believe you can sense the greatness of White’s art work even from my phone photos.

If you can get to the Art Institute of Chicago, I would highly recommend seeing this retrospective.  I will go again, and perhaps find some words. If you cannot get to the AIC, look here for insights and images: http://www.artic.edu/exhibition/charles-white-retrospective.

White’s creative compassion stays with me.

Charles White, a retrospective, now at the AIC through September 3rd. 

img_0783img_0782img_0779

http://m.artic.edu/node/7905

Posted on by Laura Lee

And the “DOCUMENTS” File Just Shows Up?

folders         Somehow my “Documents” folder showed up, along with the 1,000 folders and 27,000 files not in folders! Technology! Have to love it. Have to wonder about it…

I am glad I don’t have to try and find some 50,000 files. Yeah, I am old…I have that many files at least. I love to write!

Has this ever happened to you?