Not long ago, but in a land far far away, I got a wild hair to reach outside my comfort zone. Since I already like change and new challenges, I decided to apply for a freelance writing gig. Since I’m already starting work at a new school (a middle school! where the kids are middle schoolers! they are soooo my brand of crazy!) I figured I would go in with a new perspective and write daily about my experiences. That lead to feeling comfortable about my writing, warts and all. Disclaimer: I don’t have an editor for my blog which is why you’ll see typos, but hardly ever will you see something misspelled. You’ll, probably, also, see, too, many, commas. When I’m not sure about the issue with commas I think back to advice given to me when I did my student teaching. The principal of the high school called all the student-teachers together and said, “Remember this: commas are like sex education. When in doubt, keep it out.” Ever since he said that I’ve always wanted to use that line in teaching about grammar, but it never seemed appropriate.
It’s a long story how I even found out about it, but suffice to say that a writing job came open for Teaching Tolerance. I’ve gotten their periodicals for a while and have always been pleased with them. Teaching Tolerance is a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center which was founded by two civil rights lawyers in 1971. After some back and forth with the editor, I got offered the job and will be writing for them on a regular basis. If you don’t see me posting here, I’ll likely be over at Teaching Tolerance writing about inclusive classrooms, nurturing diversity, and, as always, I will be on the hunt for justice and equality. As usual, I will write from my own experiences, but if you have anything you’d like to see in print (IN PRINT, OMG) (I really hope my new editor isn’t upset about my use of OMG) feel free to pass it along to me for consideration.
Typical of me to make huge changes in my life like this, isn’t it? But it feels so very good to be doing something I love coupled with a topic that is such a core belief for me that it cannot be separated from my pedagogy. Wish me luck!
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Good luck. Though… it seems like you’ve been making a lot of your own good luck lately, so congratulations!
Congratulations, Momma! I, too, have a wild love affair with commas. I put them in and then, later, take them out. I swear, I almost cry every time I have to delete one.
Awesome. Love Teaching Tolerance.
Congratulations! I hope they know how lucky they are to have you – OMGs and all.
LUCK!!!! So proud of you for stepping out of the comfort zone into faith!
Congratulations!
Yay for Momma!! Now can you come to the Twin Cities and show my 5 yr old tolerance ’cause she refuses to tolerate me, her brother or anything else that is alive, breathes, speaks, moves, etc.
Send some of that good luck with big changes my way. I’m venturing into the land of “professional” photography. Yikes!
Congratulations!
I am known to be a little too comma-happy myself. And hyphens. I like them a little too much as well.
Oh, how I love to see excellent things happen to excellent people. What a perfect fit! This makes me so happy.
This seems perfect for you. Enjoy, and you’ll be making even bigger differences.
That’s great. Congratulations. Southern Poverty Law Center does some great, important work.
AWESOME! You go. Sounds like amazing, amazing, work, and I could totally, really, use you to HELPMAH OUT with my own writing. Suffice it to say, you rock. XO
Congratulations Kelly! I’m not at all surprised. Word to the Southern Poverty Law Center and all the incredible work they’ve done over the years, now including publishing yours.
OMG stands for “Oh my goodness!” doesn’t it? lol
Are you going to be working at the new middle school? It should be a wonderful place for a kid to soar. My fingers are crossed that it goes well.
That is freakin’ FANTASTIC. I love the SPLC; did lots of magazine articles with and about them in the past. What a perfect fit. Good good goody for you and good good goody for the world!! xx
I am so tickled for you! The SPLC does great work and I love Teaching Tolerance. They’re lucky to have you as a paid professional. Congratulations!
Re middle school: I have no memory of 8th grade. Although, I know I was there because I’ve seen my report card. (It was a super long time ago.) I’m certain the kids at your school will not only have memories, but good memories, with you there.
Re teaching tolerance: Congratulations on your new gig! That is fantastic. I am so looking forward to your writings. Good luck, Kelly.
That’s awesome! I know you’ll be writing excellent and thought-provoking (and tear-jerking?) articles, looking forward to them
LOL! Love it!
When trying to convey the importance of saving their work and protecting their jump drives, I warn my Comp I students not to go sticking their saving devices into every usb on campus…or anywhere else for that matter. I warn them that every usb port has been accessed by at least 100 other jump drives per day and those jump drives have been stuck into 100 more usb ports, etc.
By the time I go on and on with this analogy and they are all snickering and stunned at what I’m insinuating, I tell them that if they have to compare jump drive safety with other aspects of life in order to remember, then so be it
Congratulations! From one academic to another, that’s truly an honor.
Way to go Kelly. I knew that it was just a matter of time.
See, all that writting to Penthouse Forum paid off!
Awesome gig-Congrats! High five/fist bump Morris Dees for me when you see him.
Congrats! That sounds amazing! Although we both know after this weekend at the…”Voldemort conference” that your true calling is to be The Bloggess’s handler. Seriously, you were rocking that like nobody’s business.
It was great meeting you! I’ve lurked here before and it was so nice to see everyone out of the computer and in the flesh! Er ok that sounds awkward and possibly dirty but you know what I mean…
: )
Congratulations!! Wish I’d have read about this before BlogHer so I could have given you an extra hug for this!