This is the time of year when many of us resolve to change something about the way we do or think about life. We make the change with the hope that things will improve. Even with the best of intentions and preparation, we’re likely to fail to some degree or at some point. Is that…
Eventually we will all get news which is hard to bear and sometimes almost impossible to take. It could range from “disappointment”-something like needing to change or cancel vacation plans to “unbearable”- a serious financial reversal, a marriage that ends, a life-threatening illness, etc. How do you handle this? Emily DeArdo was diagnosed with cystic…
New Year’s resolutions. Did you make one? How about this one: Live Memento Mori! Probably not, but you might want to consider adding it to your list or simply focusing on it exclusively. Memento Mori is a Latin phrase which says, Remember you must die. Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor, wrote regarding memento mori, “You could…
Return Do you have a favorite vacation destination that you return to regularly? For us, it’s Eagle Crest, a resort located in Central Oregon. We’ve been going there almost every year since the early 1990’s. Our first stay was when our children were young. Now, as our adult children are able, they return along with…
Remove! This is an informed and thoughtful call to action. First, what it’s not. It’s not simply a call to restrict the individual use of digital media. It’s not a call to more self-discipline. It’s not a call to simply go back to using a flip phone. It’s not a call to set a limit…
Recognize! Most mornings I take our English lab, Fortune, for a walk. I was steps out the back door, heading for the trail, treat pouch in hand when I sensed something was missing. I stopped, slipped my hand into the pocket of my hoodie and then I knew. My phone- I was missing my phone! I…
We are in a quiet time of year here at Basic Skills- a time of preparation for the next testing season which will begin in March of next year. I’m guessing most of you will continue home schooling for the next two to three weeks and then take a break from the books as the…
In keeping with the Black Friday holiday sales, we have decided to offer an early bird discount ($5.00 to $10.00 off the cost of testing per student) to families who register and pay now for remote testing that will take place next year, 2024. If you’re planning on testing, this is one way to save…
Can’t read, can’t write, can’t add, can’t subtract? That’s OK. The Oregon Department of Education just voted unanimously last Thursday, October 19, to confirm students don’t need to prove mastery of reading, writing or math to graduate. They cited “harm to students of color” as the reason. To learn more about this decision, read the…
A number of years ago before AI, one of my tutors was working with a student in writing. She was struggling and often turned in assignments late with mediocre content. On one occasion, a miracle occurred, or so it seemed. She submitted an exceptional five-paragraph essay. There were no punctuation or grammatical errors, her topic sentences…