As a prospective secondary English teacher, my placement teachers and classes have mentioned the recent conversations about banning books in various states. Several states across the United States are considering or crafting legislation to ban books that contain themes related to sexuality, racism, explicit language, or other areas. This article by The Atlantic called “Read …
Author Archives: Brooke Carbaugh
Black History Month Theme
As part of my English Education experience at Hope College, I have clinical placements in local schools. I love being able to work with and learn from area teachers and students. One of the things I learned this past week as the school acknowledged Black History Month was that each year a theme is chosen …
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Happy Valentine’s Day to our Lakeshore readers! Hope College and some of our area schools have winter break today, so we hope you are able to spend your day doing something you love with the people that you love. Below are a few activities using the power of words to make you chuckle this Monday! …
Black History Month Resources
February is Black History Month, which provides a time to celebrate and learn more about African American history. Carter Woodson originally advocated in 1926 for a time dedicated to Black history and culture and President Ford recognized Black History Month in 1976. February was ultimately chosen because the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick …
Finding Joy in Reading
If you’re reading this blog, then it is likely that you enjoy reading and/or writing in some capacity. However, maybe like me, you struggle to read for fun as you have gotten older. When I was in elementary and middle school, I have distinct memories of lying in my bunk bed and staying up late …
Winter Wonderland
The snow continues to fall in our Lakeshore community and I have begun to hear those around me expressing hope for warmer weather. One of my professors begins each of our classes with an attendance question. Last week’s question was: what is your favorite thing about winter? One of my classmates replied saying, “my favorite …
Martin Luther King, Jr Day
What is MLK Day? Martin Luther King Jr was a prominent civil rights leader and advocated for the end of racial segregation. King Jr became notable for his work with the Montgomery, AL bus boycott in 1955, founding the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, helping pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights …
Top Book Picks from 2021
Quite a bit of snow has fallen in Western Michigan in the past week and our community even received a few snow days from school or work. What better way to spend a snowy day than diving into a new book. Here are a few recommended books from Barnes and Noble’s Best Books 2021 list! …
Happy New Year
Happy New Year from the Big Read! We hope your year is off to a great start and will be filled with many blessings. It is always sad to come to the end of the holiday season and the excitement surrounding Christmas and the New Year. We are now in the time, since we live …
Reflections on The Big Read 2021
It is the final Monday of 2021, so here are a few reflections on the Big Read 2021. Our 2021 program focused on Joy Harjo’s An American Sunrise and our Little Read book was Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard. Through our partnerships, we were able to host lectures, discussions, …