Patti LaBelle has been a favorite vocal artist of mine since I began teaching at East Topeka Jr. High School in 1972. When among my friends, especially those who are educators, I frequently say, “My students at East Topeka Jr. High School taught me how to teach, but they also taught be more than that. They taught me we were more alike than different.” We often hosted community lunches at the school, where families would bring food to share. The majority of our students at the school … [Read more...]
Musical Memories: I Can See Clearly Now
Memories of songs are often connected in our minds with a specific emotional event or close person in our lives. For example, I’ve always been attracted to reggae music for its upbeat tempo and beat, and to this day am reminded of my daughter Laura when I hear the music of Bob Marley. It was she who first introduced me to his unique style, and his song “Three Little Birds” remains one of my all-time favorites. Another reggae song I love is Jimmy Cliff’s version of “I Can See Clearly Now,” … [Read more...]