Articles By Author - Paula Travis
Travis: How do teachers savor their summer? Let’s count the ways
In just a few days, the school year for Newton County children will be over. We'll see pictures of them rushing out of the schools' doors, cheering.
Crosswalk confusion is rampant
I try to walk at least five days or more a week for close to an hour.
Children older than their years
I wrote a column not too long ago bemoaning the fact that my grandchildren were growing up. Well, I have more proof.
“Art” installations to cabin
Since I last wrote a column about my husband's cabin, he has made additions.
Newfound e-reader junkie
My husband gave me an e-reader more than 15 months ago. I was surprised. I had not asked for one, but he thought I would enjoy it.
Spring into the yellow season
I suppose it is never a normal spring. But it does seem like we have gotten more rain than usual this spring. Not that there is anything wrong with that as Seinfeld would say. I am sure we will be hearing dire predictions of drought soon enough, and all the rain we have had lately will be forgotten.
The dumps of home improvement
My husband and I have lived where we are now living for more than 40 years. More than half my life.
Travis: Grandmothers grow up, too
I spent two days with my Macon grandchildren in Macon last week while they were on spring break and their parents were working. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, but different.
Precious pet gets princess syndrome
My erstwhile outdoor cat Julianne has gotten used to the good life with a vengeance.
Page 1 of 1
Archive By Author - Paula Travis
Stories of slapstick
I got a call from my sister last week. She lives on a farm southwest of Atlanta. She has to obey a burn ban until Oct. 1 (for which she blames me because all of Atlanta's pollution comes to Newton County) and gathers limbs and other such debris all summer into what she calls her burn pile. After the rain two weeks ago, she decided it was safe to burn. She did once have ...
Travis: The story of the sidewalk steps
Directly across the street from my driveway is a short flight of steps that leads to the sidewalk. They appear rather innocuous, but they have been a part of some strange events.
Drama in the classroom
Studying drama (plays) was usually a class favorite. Students like to take parts and read the play aloud. But different plays get different responses.
Travis: The different kinds of cards
I went to buy my sister a birthday card and ended up spending more than 30 minutes and reading nearly half of the cards before finally choosing one I was really not satisfied with.
Making less/fewer mistakes
My sister called me the other day. You remember her. She is the one who wrote the orange juice company about less calories. She had been watching television and saw an advertisement for a car. I am paraphrasing, but the car had more power, more electronics and less doors.
My husband and the kitchen
I wrote a column about my husband's love of kitchen gadgets and he reminded me of other fiascos he has had in the kitchen. In fact, for probably over a decade I did not allow him to cook in the house.
Are you a grammar wizard?
I've had fun writing for this column, and the one that received the most responses was the one about English teachers running around correcting the world's grammar. Everyone who responded shared his or her pet peeves. So here is a test. Correct these sentences:
Travis: I don't need all these appliances
My slow cooker died recently. I went to buy a new one, a task I thought would be relatively simple. But, no. Slow cookers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, apparently one size does not fit all. Once I had sorted out size and shape, I then had to choose from a variety of bulbous protuberances on the sides of the cookers which would allow me to program the amounts of time and start times.
Travis: On paragraphs and Chester Drawers
We used to begin the teaching of composition in the ninth grade with paragraphs. It could sometimes be an agonizing experience. Freshmen want to impress their teachers with big words and circuitous language. Why use a perfectly good word like "beauty" when you can impress your teacher with the fancy word "beautifulness"? And why say a simple thing simply when you can use passive voice and get your sentences so entangled that no one can ...
Teachers don't love tests either
I know students don't like tests. But sometimes teachers don't either. First you have to make them up, that means deciding what content you want to cover and what format you want to use. Essay - hard to grade but easy to create. Short answer or multiple choice - easy to grade but hard to create. Though it's a lot easier now with computers. We had to type them on a stencil and run them ...
Travis: I won't miss old Newton High School
The story in last week's News about the groundbreaking for a new building for Newton High School brought back many memories of the quirks of the old building.
Still in the habit of correcting grammar
Douglas McArthur quoted an old barracks song in a speech to Congress, saying, "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away."
Travis: ‘I be thanking you for my troubles’
At one time part of the tenth grade curriculum involved teaching business letters - a skill which, no doubt, is no longer relevant, just like teaching cursive.
Travis: Confessions of a retired teacher
School starts this week. I taught high school English (or language arts as it is now called) for over 30 years and have been retired for over 10 years.
Croquet tournament March 12
The Heartland Woman's Club will hold its 20th annual Cherry Blossom Charity Croquet Tournament at 9:30 a.m. March 12 at Oxford College of Emory University.
- LOCAL
- NIE
- Local Home
- Business
- Archives
- Education
- Covington
- Oxford
- Porterdale
- Social Circle
- Eyesore of the Week
- Newton County Jail Log
- Pets of the Week
- Restaurant scores
- BOC Media
- LEGALS
- SPORTS
- Alcovy
- Eastside
- Newton
- Social Circle
- YMCA
- Recreation
- Sports Columnists
- Oxford College
- OPINION
- Columnists
- Our Thoughts
- Letters
- RELIGION
- Columnists
- LIFE
- Birthdays
- Anniversaries
- Births
- Engagements
- Weddings
- Health
- Home & Garden
- Special Print Sections
- Academic Achievement
- BOC
- VIDEOS
- STATE
- OBITS
- PHOTOS
|
Powered By
|