Author: Stefanie Elwood

The Big Lie of DEI

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  • The Big Lie of DEI

    The Big Lie of DEI

    DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Diversity is normal life for most of us. Inclusion makes that nice. Equity, however, is a problem. In fact, the first time I was exposed to this baseball game analogy, I used it to teach faulty logic in a college literary analysis class, certainly not the textbook authors’…

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  • The Little Farm Girl

    The Little Farm Girl

    Arnold Knodel, my dad, grew up on a North Dakota farm back when tractors were replacing horses. My grandfather made the switch before I was born. Farming was probably easier, but I bet it was sad not to have horses anymore.   My parents were working their own farm when my brother and I were…

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  • Toddler Trouble in Arizona  

    Toddler Trouble in Arizona  

    A few weeks ago, I went to a Mexican Restaurant in Wickenburg, AZ, with some family and friends. The food was delicious, the service excellent, and we were having a great time catching up. Nonetheless, because there were quite a few of us and because of the outrageous cost of everything these days, dinner was…

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  • Need More Self-control?

    Need More Self-control?

    Wouldn’t it be nice if we liked celery more than sweets? How about if we preferred doing chores and homework to playing video games, cornhole or pickleball? When it comes to willpower, some of us struggle more than others. So what can be done?   According to “What You Need to Know about Willpower: The…

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  • Oh, Those Tantrums!

    Oh, Those Tantrums!

    Have you ever seen a frazzled mom count menacingly at her child to make him stop misbehaving? I think we all have. I get the concept. I used to count, too. My son always straightened up by two. One day, he asked what happens on three? This savvy little boy was gearing up to test…

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  • Stop Focusing on the Mirror

    Stop Focusing on the Mirror

    Someone dear to me is struggling with emotional problems, self-esteem issues, and past trauma. “Annie” posted a meme on FB of a gorgeous woman in a slinky, dark green evening gown. She stands beside this caption: “In the Era of loving myself more.” Then, Annie added, “It’s not easy, but I’m doing it.” Dear Annie…

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  • Gift Giving Quandary

    Gift Giving Quandary

    Oh, to be young again. Not for fewer wrinkles or greater agility—although that might be nice. But no. It would be great to go back to the years when we actually wanted something for Christmas. My family gave up exchanging gifts amongst the parents and grandparents when the only thing anyone ever really needed or…

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  • Help for Struggling Readers

    Help for Struggling Readers

    End of July, I went to Shakespeare by the Sea with some friends to watch an open-air, live performance of Hamlet. It was impressive that they could shorten such a long play and still make it work. Even most movies cut plenty out of the bard’s masterpieces. The site Top 10 of Anything and Everything…

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  • What the Heck Happened to Education?

    What the Heck Happened to Education?

    All that writing was just ink on a page.The last trend I will ever experience is the most absurd of all.All students need rigorous, profound, well-rounded instruction. Instructors will excel in different ways at different times. I have worked at a suburban high school for over twenty years. We began with a mostly white and…

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  • Stay Safe Out There

    Stay Safe Out There

    In an emergency, Boeing directs pilots to follow these steps: Tammy Jo Shults was a U.S. Navy pilot and the captain piloting a Boeing 737 passenger aircraft when an engine blew at 32,000 feet in 2018. She relied on the steps above along with her extensive experience and training to land the plane and save…

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