The students were not cooperating.

Here I was, a real live writer, swooping in with pearls of wisdom while their hardworking English teacher was out of town celebrating the birth of her first grandchild.

Every day they entered the classroom with the same two questions: “What is the baby’s name?” and “Does today’s assignment count?”

I didn’t know the baby’s name. But of course our work together counted! This was real live education — fresh and relevant and ready for the world. Or at least that was my take on it. Continue reading →