God love em! We always say that and mean it. Who else will wipe your kid's nose, and bottom if they have to, teach them to tie their shoes (and actually enjoy doing it), wrangle cafeteria duty with love, teach their hearts out, even if against all odds and standards, and so much more...? Like throw their bodies over their students' bodies to save their lives in a tornado...while they can't be sure, for sure, where their own kids are and if they are safe. Teachers are first responders, are heroes, and knew "Leave No Child Behind" long before it... Continue reading

Yeah, I understand that Common Core is one more in a long long long list of "perfect" ways to teach. And, that they probably didn't ask you, did they? But I don't believe that Common Core has to be scary, intimidating, boring, or restricting! This just may be (fingers so crossed!) your chance, teachers, to regain some control and a chance to use your brilliant creativity again—finally! I want to tell you a curious story: My favorite time in school was back in 10th grade in the 1960s. Now that might be the dark ages to you young teachers, but... Continue reading

History’s a mystery to me; Sometimes I wonder how things came to be. Could what happened to them…happen to me? Oh, history’s a mystery to me. I wrote this little ditty long ago, in reference to Sir Walter Raleigh’s lost colonists of North Carolina. They vanished. No trace. I thought about this recently when archaeologists at Jamestown, Virginia discovered “Jane”—their name for a fourteen-year-old girl whose “butchered” (their word) skull pretty much proved what they had long suspected (ie, known?)—that during the starving years of the colony, some of the colonists resorted to cannibalism. I have always enjoyed—relished, really—teaching history... Continue reading

THE FACTS • 100% aligned, 100% comprehensive, 100% correlated with Ohio’s New Learning Standards, and integrated with Common Core State Standards for ELA • Not adapted from a “generic” 50-state program – every word, every activity, every map skill, every online resource, and every assessment was written based on Ohio’s... Continue reading

Hi, Kids, Have you ever heard of "Epiphany"? It's related to the Christmas Story. It's always January 6, the day that it is said the Magi (Three Wise Men) arrived in Bethlehem to give Baby Jesus their gifts. The word "epiphany" also means when you magically discover something, perhaps even... Continue reading

I am at a "secret" show at the World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. It is a "secret" because ONLY people who sell school supplies, or buy them, can attend. This group of people go back more than 100 years! Many of the businesses are family businesses that go back... Continue reading

Hey! Have you ever read a book? Hahahaha; I know you have! Have you ever "collected" a book? That means you intentionally bought or saved a book to keep. Some people collect books. This could be a great idea for YOU, since you are young and one day such books... Continue reading

On Friday, I did four school classroom "Skype" visits, in four time zones, in four hours...It can happen! Once, when we had to go to western Iowa, I cried because I really wanted to go to northern Vermont. About two weeks, 2,000 miles, and two countries later, we (truly) "accidentally" wandered into Vermont, and not just that, to the town of Stowe and the exact inn that had made me want to go there so desperately in the first place. It can happen! If you've seen the current Atlanta Magazine, you might have seen the story of a young Tibetan... Continue reading

It's not everyday I drive 1,000 miles to see a museum, but Crystal Bridges in Bentonville (yeah, Walmart's hometown), Arkansas, is more than worth it. Continue reading

In the New York Times, David L. Kirp reported on the success of the Union City, New Jersey school system with improving itself to a "first rate" education for students. Mr. Kirp is a professor of public policy at the University of California, as well as an author of a new book with a long title on the rebirth of a great American school system and a strategy for any school to achieve the same. Here's why I'm so confused. Continue reading

I have spent a small personal fortune on books Bob and I love to read, and that I felt as a writer, I needed . . . Continue reading

Thanks for all the things you told me via my Fan Club (www.carolemarshfanclub.com) that you did over the holidays. Like Jeremy J, I like "every part" of Disney World. Seems a number of you got iPads for Christmas; cool! Hey, Julie, I have a chocolate fountain, too; I think they are so much fun...messy, but fun. Seems Jared also has a Christmastime birthday like me, and my granddaughter Ella; I think Christmastime birthdays are the best! Tahlia said she went on a 23 mile bike ride; wow! Good for you. I will have to try to work up to that;... Continue reading

I'm still hung up on the movie, Beasts of the Southern Wild. Seen it? Continue reading

I thought communication was about speaking as accurately as possible, not possible if you refuse to use the precise word, or, words at all? Continue reading

I am at a "secret" show at the World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. It is a "secret" because ONLY people who sell school supplies, or buy them, can attend. Continue reading

Can we just go ahead and make Steven Spielberg the U.S. National History Curriculum Head Guy? Continue reading

Hi, Kids, Have you ever heard of "Epiphany"? It's related to the Christmas Story. It's always January 6, the day that it is said the Magi (Three Wise Men) arrived in Bethlehem to give Baby Jesus their gifts. The word "epiphany" also means when you magically discover something, perhaps even about yourself! You could say I had an epiphany when I realized that I wanted to grow up and be a writer! What kind of epiphany have you had? Since it's still January, you can make an Epiphany Surprise Cake! You can make any cake box cake. In the final... Continue reading

Hey, not from me—I get in trouble all the time when I try to give advice! But I've heard some good ones lately, so sharing, but, hey, don't kill the messenger! •If you really want to get anything done—PRIORITIZE RUTHLESSLY! I like that; it's one thing to prioritize, and another to do it "ruthlessly." I plan to try it this year, and if it does not work, I will blame Ruth. •Don't waste precious time doing unnecessary texts, cell phone calls, photo sharing, googling, etc. The Wall St. Journal estimates people spend 1/3 of their productive time doing these things.... Continue reading

Riddle: What do you call turkeys that don't get killed and eaten at Thanksgiving? Answer: FAT TURKEYS! I know, because I had TWELVE in my yard this week. They were VERY tall and VERY PLUMP! They also looked very happy, not that they were smiling, or anything; they just looked happy...and hungry. They did not travel in a flock, but marched around single file like a parade! (Maybe they watched the Rose Parade on TV?) When they decided that they did not like me taking pictures of them, they turned and "hightailed" it out of my yard, one after the... Continue reading

While it's a lovely new year with much work to do and fun to have, the first item on my list for January 2013 was written down last year—to send letters to my representatives insisting on any responsible change that would help avoid a future tragedy like the many we had last year—especially the one at the school in Newtown, CT. I don't want to be a busybody or a buttinsky, but, hey, this is important. I do think it will take Moms, Dads, Grammies, Papas, and others to "speak up" to get any effective change. Below is a very... Continue reading

Here's a dog I met over the holidays! He just came and sat beside me at a Christmas parade! I thought he was cool, and, uh, he thought he was cool, too! Did you get any pets for Christmas? My granddaughter Avery got a pet rabbit, a lop eared (the ears that hang down just like in storybook pictures of rabbits)...she's a miniature so will only weigh four pounds! She's solid black so Avery named her Midnight! I hear she poops a lot! A LOT! Make your New Year's Resolution to read MORE CAROLE MARSH MYSTERIES! Speaking of that, I'd... Continue reading

As Christmas and the new year close in, our hearts are with the loved ones of the schoolchildren lost last week. Heaven has more angels this week, but there are families out there enduring a pain that all of us hope never to experience. Please hug your children for me, and enjoy every minute you have with them. Warm and peaceful wishes this holiday season, from me to you. Continue reading

Another fun holiday activity to do as Winter Vacation draws nearer! This one is from Christmas Activites, Crafts, Recipes, and More! Enjoy! Copyright Carole Marsh/Gallopade International Continue reading

This month I'd like to share a fun page of holiday story or activity, etc. each week for children or grandchildren. Continue reading

Kathleen is my guest blogger for the Savannah Children's Book Festival, which, alas, I missed, since I was at the Dahlonega LIterary Festival...it's that time of year! Continue reading