Elizabeth Trach

What happens when an elementary school adopts a no-homework policy for a year? Students and parents at Estabrook Elementary School in Massachusetts are focusing their after-school learning on independent reading skills.

I woke-up suddenly.
What the hell happened?
Was there thunder? A loud noise from an intruder? No. Everything was calm and peaceful. Was I having the recurring nightmare about my crazy ex-boyfriend from graduate school chasing me? No. I’m breathing normally, and my heart is beating in a steady rhythm.
Why have I woken up so completely?
Then I felt it: My sheets were soaked through. Changing position allowed me to feel just how wet everything was around me...

We buried a cat today.

We brought him home from the neighbor’s yard, where we found him stiff and cold, paws unnaturally curled and raised as if to fend something off. His teeth were bared a bit, but his eyes were closed.

A snow shovel wasn’t bier enough for what was so recently a purring, warm thing, so I brought up from the basement a cloth,

a green curtain that I had sewed long ago and which had once hung in the dining room of the Red House, where we fed babies with plastic spoons and marked time with small colored candles in cakes.

The rapid pace of technological change has brought two major issues to the forefront of teachers' minds. First, they need to be able to seamlessly connect a variety of student devices to the internet and to each other to facilitate learning — a daunting prospect as districts experiment with new devices, 1:1 technology and BYOD models. Second, pedagogical expectations are also changing, forcing teachers to come to terms with how best to use technology to enhance both teacher- and learner-centered lessons. The intersection of these needs means that teachers need customizable solutions...

Wide shot: Early sunrise over a field with a fence. A horse grazes. [Ambient birdsong]

Cut to: Sunrise over mid-sized city street, where an early riser lifts the metal security door up to open a bakery. [The sound of the door opening]

Cut to: Digital alarm clock turning to 5 a.m. A hand reaches into shot to silence it. [Alarm beeps insistently until shut off]

Sometimes a business has a general idea of what they want, but they aren’t exactly sure what that perfect-fit product or gift should look like. That’s when Birch Tree’s creativity shines!

THE PROBLEM

Bain & Company wanted a gift for each of their 8,000 employees to remind them of the five values that should guide their work. They had symbols of each value but were at a loss for how to incorporate them into a premium product that employees would use every day.

Have you seen Maye Musk lately?

In case you haven't, here are the facts:

She's a scientist and dietitian. She's the mother of three successful children, one of whom designed a little car you may have heard of. She's also a model taking the fashion world by storm, doing magazines, CoverGirl spreads and runway work.

And she just turned 70.
[Editor's note: That's not a typo.]

I have to admit, I'm conflicted.

If you’re like most people, social distancing is keeping you from seeing family and friends right now. And that can be hard! After all, humans are social creatures, and this much alone time is pretty unnatural. In fact, studies suggest that prolonged isolation is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes each day...

No sooner is the holiday tinsel down than cherubic cupids take over as the retail decor of choice. Everything is red and covered in hearts, all in an attempt to get you to buy a gift for your sweetie.

Don’t get us wrong — we like the that there’s a day set aside specifically to show people you love them. We love the idea of reaching out and making interpersonal connections.

But surely there’s a better way to do that than with a box of chocolates? ...

As a StoryTerrace ghostwriter, it’s been my pleasure to interview so many interesting people to help them tell their stories. In particular, there’s nothing better than hearing a wonderful love story...

The fourth Thursday in November is often seen as the opening act for the big December holidays, but Thanksgiving is an important day in its own right. This day invites us all to pause and consider all...

For American readers of our blog, a quick explanation is in order right off the bat. MBE stands for "Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire," and it's an honor that dates back to 1917 when the Order was established by George V. There are five classes within the order, and the highest classes make someone a knight or a dame.
In short, it's a very big deal, and Susie earned her MBE by doing incredible work to improve the lives of people who, like herself, suffer from Multiple ...

A brand new year — actually, a whole new decade — is just around the corner. If you're like most people, it's time to make a New Year's resolution to help you make 2020 better.
What "better" means is a matter of personal opinion, of course, but it certainly seems that resolutions should be designed to make people happier with their lives. Whether that's accomplished by getting slimmer, healthier or improving learning a new skill, we make all kinds of promises to ourselves as the clock strikes...

Kelly Boyer Sagert is a full-time writer who has published 18 books and scripted numerous plays. She’s also the author of the script for Trail Magic: The Grandma Gatewood Story, which was nominated for a Regional Emmy Award (Best Documentary, Historical) and just won a prestigious Chagrin Documentary Film Festival Award. The Trail Magic team is now working on a film about Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for president of the United States—in 1872...

You can't pick up a copy of "The Bunny" without immediately wanting to know more. If a picture's worth a thousand words, then the ones here are all questions. At the top of the list: Who is Father William Fulco, and why is he wearing a bunny suit?...