Tag Archives: students

What Makes Me Laugh? Usually the Things Nobody Planned

Posted on March 29, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

A great sitcom, a classic comedy, sharp stand-up, and the occasional perfectly timed line from real life all have one thing in common: the best laughter usually arrives when nobody is forcing it. Continue reading →

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The Last Thing I Learned

Posted on March 7, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

WordPress asks another one of its famously broad daily questions: “What’s the last thing you learned?” The answers range from classroom revelations to a television installation and a 1970s automotive scandal. Continue reading →

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The Question I Pretend Not to Hear

Posted on March 6, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

In my classroom every request has to include one simple word: please. Without it, I pretend not to hear the question. But there’s one request students ask more than any other — and it always leads to the same series of terrible puns. Continue reading →

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Quick Thought – Thursday, February 12, 2026: His-Story is Important

Posted on February 12, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Read Exodus 1:8-22 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. Exodus 1:8 Reflect I was substituting in an English class several years ago, and I started talking to students about the poem, “O Captain! … Continue reading →

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Quiet Joy and Teal-Colored Noise

Posted on December 20, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

Fun looks different these days. Sometimes it’s quiet—coffee, music, stillness. And sometimes it’s loud—students, a stadium, and the Jaguars dismantling the Jets. Last Sunday reminded me that both kinds of joy matter, and teaching has a way of keeping me connected to each of them. Continue reading →

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Halfway Down the Road, Finally Looking Ahead

Posted on December 17, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

A year ago, I expected more answers and fewer loose ends. What I’m discovering instead is that faith isn’t about having the future wrapped up—it’s about learning when to plan, when to trust, and when to do both at once. Continue reading →

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Florida Wildlife: The Two-Legged Kind

Posted on December 6, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

When WordPress asked, “Do you ever see wild animals?” I don’t think it meant the ones I see most often — the aggressive driver who cut across I-95 at a 45-degree angle, the megaphone-loud panhandler at the gas station, or the herd of middle schoolers trumpeting at each other like 200 excited elephants at lunchtime. Real wildlife? Not so much. The wilderness is quiet… and honestly, that sounds pretty nice. Continue reading →

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From Maycomb to Mount Olympus to Old Kentucky: What I’m Reading Now

Posted on November 15, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

I’m reading three books right now—two with my students and one just for myself. My 8th graders are deep in To Kill a Mockingbird, my 9th graders are journeying through The Odyssey, and at home I’m finally returning to The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come, a book my mother once read aloud to me as a child. Each of these stories is speaking to me in a different way this season. Continue reading →

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What’s Been in the Barrel

Posted on October 19, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

Life rarely lets all the barrels mature at once. Some projects are ready to pour; others still need time in the wood. Between the daily rhythm of writing, teaching, and tinkering, I’m learning that the workbench isn’t about finishing — it’s about faith in the process. Continue reading →

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The Priority That Shapes Every Other Priority

Posted on September 29, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

Tomorrow, my number one priority is simple but foundational: to remember whose I am before who I am. If God really has changed my life, then my words and actions should show it—in the small exchanges and the big moments. … Continue reading →

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