I began teaching in the early 1970’s. My biggest problem was credibility and my youthful appearance. I was a newbie. At one of my first Open Houses, I overheard a parent of one of my students comment that she couldn’t figure out who was the teacher. I was standing right in front of her. She thought I looked too much like a student.  The parent was hesitant to have her daughter in my class;  she wanted a teacher with more experience.

I resolved at that point to do something. Experience I would get by teaching more but my appearance I could change. I chose to grow a beard. Continue reading Great Aunt Lil’s decree…

I’m not sure where I’m going with this yet. It came to mind as I was trying to sleep last night:

Of all the members of the family, she is the most looked up to. Her 90 plus years not withstanding, she commands deference with just the tone and confidence in her voice. Great Aunt Lil was a distinctive woman from an early age. Her quest for knowledge out shined all the rest of her family, which would explain why she is the one we all go to when we need advice. There was not a problem, issue or need that we had that she did not have some quote to guide us on our way.
Continue reading Great Aunt Lil…