by KP | Jun 2, 2019 | Design, Education, Instagram, Social Issues
In the age of viral videos, it now seems inevitable at the end of each school year: teacher lipsyncs appear on schools’ social media channels. The end-of-school lip sync is common enough that I don’t need to embed example videos in this post—just do a search or watch...
by KP | Mar 17, 2019 | Instagram, Random, Social Issues
With a few edits for clarity, a few digital embeds, and a few hyperlinks added, this is the eulogy I offered for my grandfather, Harry Plows, who passed away on March 12, 2019 at 97. By now, you may have heard the big stories about our grandfather. Five bronze stars...
by KP | Apr 4, 2018 | Journalism, Social Issues
In Katie Zernike’s April 2 New York Times story “‘I Can’t Stop’: Schools Struggle With Vaping Explosion,” Ashley Gould, the chief administrative officer of Juul, offers the following quote: “We do not want kids using our products. Our product is not...
by KP | Jul 8, 2017 | Education, Random, Social Issues
During July 2017, I was lucky to spend ten days in KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa, traveling with a group of 14 students from my school and two other chaperones. Although the trip is classified as ‘service,’ it’s much more immersion and...
by KP | Jun 14, 2017 | Education, Journalism, Social Issues
“You’re on my tape.” Two periods later, “You’re one of my reasons why.” The next day, “Welcome to your tape.” I listened to these student comments, ebbing and flowing in the normal chatter of a classroom where students are working on projects. There were no...
by KP | Oct 3, 2016 | Social Issues
A week ago today, my identity changed. In a peaceful, wooded spot, surrounded by trees and dappled sun, I watched as the vet hooked up a catheter to Yale’s neck, then injected the serum that would end his life. His head lowered as I stroked him. It had already been...
