I know teachers leaving the profession is a problem, but my child’s principal at a suburban elementary school told me the problem is just as big with people not entering the profession. She said in the past, she would have 25-30 applicants per opening, mostly new teachers. Now she gets five.…
Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
Are plants wimps?
Imagine you are swimming while holding a heavy anchor which is pulling you under water. What would you do? Of course you would let go of the anchor to keep from drowning. Maintaining your grip…
A USA Today article discussed students missing thousands of hours of school due to being suspended for minor things like putting their finger in someone’s hamburger. Does it make the case for …
When it comes to barbecue, many folks are passionate about it — like, super passionate.
We all know the feeling of having something on our minds that we have a difficult time letting go of. Similar to an image or a catchy song that gets stuck in our head, commonly called an earwo…
With the night time temperatures still very cool now it’s a good time get organics and preemergent products out in your yard if you have not already. I was talking to one of our commercial cus…
In 2000, the Canadian Medical Association Journal published a tongue-in-cheek article suggesting the characters of Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne all suffer from mental illness. Pooh’s obsessi…
Living and working in Mount Pleasant has its perks, among them being a relatively low crime rate, especially as it relates to violent transgressions. However, one type of felony that continues…
There’s no question that kids are becoming more mentally unhealthy. A 2022 study published by the National Institute of Health found that 15 percent of kids ages 12-17 had a major depressive e…
Watch out for the weeds, both the annuals and the perennials! Even in Shakespeare’s time, as now, gardeners had to be vigilant, getting rid of the interlopers as soon as they appeared. Of cour…
Determination is an essential component of all accomplishments. Determination is the drive that keeps you going in spite of obstacles and adversity. Determination is your mental adrenaline. Wh…
There’s a boy at my son’s school who gets picked on. The school is aware, but it happens before school, recess, etc., where they can’t see it. My son notices it and wants to stand up for the b…
Moles are always a hot topic in the Lowcountry. I try to limit my writing about them to only once a year (or less – it has been two years); however, after walking through some neighborhoods an…
Although spring has sprung, it is still a bit cool on these Southern mornings. As a botanist, I understand that many of my colleagues, botanists, that is, have been suffering through bouts of …
The Human experience includes the standard requirement to choose right and wrong and has always been accountable when it comes to good and evil. Each of us has the free will to choose how we l…
In Jamie Lee Curtis’ book I’m Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem, a boy and a girl celebrate liking themselves no matter the circumstances. Their egos remain intact even when they…
My son was failing chemistry, so I requested a conference. The teacher told me all these things my son needed to do, but took no ownership herself for why he is doing poorly. Shouldn’t she acc…
Intimidation causes you to behave differently than you would normally. You don’t respect people who intimidate you. You resent them. You are afraid of the consequences should you defy their wi…
An odd thing happened to me recently. I was waiting to get my haircut when I began replying to a text from my mom. I had just started to voice dictate a response when my hairdresser finished u…
Dear Editor,
I hereby decree that spring has arrived, along with its fragrant wisterias, brilliant jessamine and charming crimson clover. Finally! And to celebrate, let me offer one of the most attractive …
Does it seem to you that a lot of the controversies in education (homework, grading, punishment, curricula) exist because people aren’t considering things from the student’s point of view and …
Dear Editor,
“Persistence can grind an iron beam down into a needle. Dripping water can pierce a stone.”
Picture yourself in Bavaria in the spring, in a friend’s back-yard, admiring the view of the Alps in the distance. Your host, showing you around, spots this little weed, and exclaims, “Schau m…
One of the many favorite things I enjoy in the springtime are the plants that flower before they grow leaves. Saucer Magnolia, Star Magnolia, Forsythia, Spirea, Dogwood, Redbud, Prunus (Cherry…
The South Carolina legislation is trying to put cursive back in schools. My son is in high school and still can’t sign his name in cursive, so I think this is good. But will it take away from …
Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit. — Napoleon Hill
Years ago I worked in a department of five people and one day our director was replaced with someone new. The new leader of our team brought a small radio into our office and started playing s…
Dear Editor,
In Kevin Henkes book, Owen, his mom must convince him to surrender his blanket, a comfort item that is no longer age-appropriate, before he starts school. Her attempts are unsuccessful until s…
What can be done about a child who is an all-A student taking courses above her grade level yet despises school as “stupid, slow, and boring?” She considers herself to be not especially smart,…
There are two basic reasons why you should make — and eat — guacamole.
People avoid certain things for a variety of reasons. Fear is a significant cause of avoidance. It could be fear of failure, fear of criticism or fear of hurt. Difficulty is another reason peo…
Three months after my best friend in Charleston passed away, my birthday rolled around. I felt her loss in a particularly strong way that day, because she always spent our birthdays with us. S…
Do you believe there is such a thing as good and evil, God and Satan? When something good happens do you thank God because you believe He blessed you? What about when something bad happens? In…
When it comes to technology, I am a pretty middle of the road kinda guy.
Emily Winfield Martin’s children’s book, The Wonderful Things You Will Be, expresses the hopes we have for our children. It also serves as a reminder that those same children belong to God fir…
At the beginning of the year, the teacher of an 8th-grade honors class informed her students that most of them would fail. Was this to challenge the students not to fail or an excuse to accoun…
Life is filled with ifs. The ever constant dilemma is: "If I do this, what will happen?" People also lament about the past with thoughts of "If I had only done things differently ..." Then the…
The Tulip Magnolia (Saucer Magnolia) is blooming in the Lowcountry. It is time to be sure the winter projects have been completed, and the proactive spring projects in the yard and around the …
I'm just like Lord Bardolph, who was afraid that just as soon as the new buds start to show, a cold spell will come along and "bite" them.
How often do you hear it's not what happens to us, but how we respond? We know we will face trials in this life, so it only makes sense to prepare how we are going to react when they arrive. T…
What do you think about the mother who was held liable for her son’s school shooting?
Dear Editor,
Recently, I attended an event where the music was loud. Really loud. So much so that my ears hurt for a couple of days afterward. I was especially worried about this since my dad suffers from …
We have more local, state and federal laws than we can count, laws that were written by our elected officials for the benefit of all citizens who are ordered to obey them, even those laws the …
Should coaches be allowed to kick kids off a team for vaping during school?
