Approximately thirty-seven million American children attend elementary school, but only 20 of these children do so in one of the most remote national parks in the lower 48. From fall 2002 through spring 2006 my husband and I lived and taught in Big Bend National Park, Texas. This is the story of our experience in this remarkable school. One hundred miles from a supermarket, a hospital, or a Pizza Hut, my students and I laughed, learned, and flourished. In addition to learning reading, writing, and arithmetic in this rare world which moves at a pace and is imbued with the serenity of an earlier time, our adventures included bus trips, video conferences, school plays, river voyages, re-vegetation projects, and desert hikes. It is my wish that through these pages you will experience some of the joy that enriched my life during my years at San Vicente Elementary School. This account also includes glimpses into some behind-the-scenes activities and events that occurred in this particular national park. Whether attending presentations of the scientists who conduct research in the park, hunting down a mountain lion that has attacked a tourist, or relocating a rattlesnake retrieved from the school playground, the park rangers and interpreters stayed busy. Yet they made time to share their expertise with my students whenever called upon. Some of the history of the Big Bend region, along with its geology, flora, and fauna is also included. This area of the State retains echoes of earlier times -times when this vast, rugged, remote, and hauntingly beautiful part of Texas was indeed, the last frontier. Come travel around the Bend with me and listen to this Texas teacher's love song. Pat Seawell 's Texas roots run deep. An ancestor fought and died at the Alamo, and she grew up on a South Texas cattle ranch. Her teaching career spans five decades, four states, and three continents. She has bachelor's and Ph.D. degrees from The University of Texas at Austin and a master's from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. After two retirements from public school teaching, she is currently working as an assistant professor in the education department at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. While she has enjoyed teaching multiple subjects and grade levels, Pat's real passion is her students. For them she applauds, for them she cheers. She lives with her husband of 47 years on a ranch, observing wildlife, collecting beautiful rocks, and dreaming of returning to the park as a geologist.

Get to know this West Texas region by tasting flavorful recipes, meeting the colorful locals, discovering the rich history, and much more. Early settlers of the Big Bend honed a culture of self-reliance, resilience and creativity. Today, this is reflected in the diverse art, music and cuisine of the area that draw visitors undeterred by its isolation. Though sparsely populated, Big Bend is home to nationally acclaimed restaurants and chefs, as well as generations’ worth of family recipes. Travel town by town and plate by plate in this culinary and cultural tour through the Big Bend. Indulge in a slice of jalapeno chocolate cake from Lajitas. Taste the way Big Bend Brewery’s beer makes beef stew irresistible. Take a bite of an innovated classic with the rich pistachio fried steak in Marfa. From barbecued cabrito in Marathon and pozole in Fort Davis to adventures foraging in the desert, savor a part of Texas unlike any other. Author Tiffany Harelik guides the journey with interviews, history and, of course, recipes.

An abundantly illustrated history of the country school with plans of interiors and grounds. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

A free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere: this is the goal of the Khan Academy, a passion project that grew from an ex-engineer and hedge funder's online tutoring sessions with his niece, who was struggling with algebra, into a worldwide phenomenon. Today millions of students, parents, and teachers use the Khan Academy's free videos and software, which have expanded to encompass nearly every conceivable subject; and Academy techniques are being employed with exciting results in a growing number of classrooms around the globe. Like many innovators, Khan rethinks existing assumptions and imagines what education could be if freed from them. And his core idea-liberating teachers from lecturing and state-mandated calendars and opening up class time for truly human interaction-has become his life's passion. Schools seek his advice about connecting to students in a digital age, and people of all ages and backgrounds flock to the site to utilize this fresh approach to learning. In The One World Schoolhouse, Khan presents his radical vision for the future of education, as well as his own remarkable story, for the first time. In these pages, you will discover, among other things: How both students and teachers are being bound by a broken top-down model invented in Prussia two centuries ago Why technology will make classrooms more human and teachers more important How and why we can afford to pay educators the same as other professionals/DIV How we can bring creativity and true human interactivity back to learning/DIV Why we should be very optimistic about the future of learning. Parents and politicians routinely bemoan the state of our education system. Statistics suggest we've fallen behind the rest of the world in literacy, math, and sciences. With a shrewd reading of history, Khan explains how this crisis presented itself, and why a return to "mastery learning," abandoned in the twentieth century and ingeniously revived by tools like the Khan Academy, could offer the best opportunity to level the playing field, and to give all of our children a world-class education now. More than just a solution, The One World Schoolhouse serves as a call for free, universal, global education, and an explanation of how Khan's simple yet revolutionary thinking can help achieve this inspiring goal.

Mama of ten Abbie Halberstadt helps women humbly and gracefully rise to the high calling of motherhood without settling for mediocrity or losing their minds in the process. Motherhood is a challenge. Unfortunately, our worldly culture offers moms little in the way of real help. Mamas only connect to celebrate surviving another day and to share in their misery rather than rejoice in what God has done and to build each other up in hard times. There has a be a better way, a biblical way, for mamas to grow and thrive. As a daughter of Christ, you have been called to be more than an average mama. Attaining excellence doesn’t have to be unsettling but it will take committed focus and a desire to parent well according to God’s grace and for His glory. M is for Mama offers advice, encouragement, and scripturally sound strategies seasoned with a little bit of humor to help you embrace the challenge of biblical motherhood and raise your children with love and wisdom. Mama, you are worthy of the awesome responsibility God has given you. Now it’s time to start believing you can live up to it.

Wichita, aka “Doo-Dah,” is a midsize city with attractions that easily rival the nation’s largest metropolises in entertainment value. Fun awaits for all who come to discover it! 100 Things to Do in Wichita Before You Die is a bucket-list book filled cover to cover with timeless destinations and lesser known places. Dig into the burgeoning arts scene with tips for the First Friday Gallery Crawl or the Tallgrass Film Festival. Find out the story behind the 44-foot-tall Keeper of the Plains statue in downtown. Root, root, root for the home team, the Wichita Wind Surge at Riverfront Stadium. Outdoor activities, delicious dining, shopping, concerts, and a thriving arts scene scratch the surface. As they say, “Wichita is what you make it,” and around every corner is an experience waiting for you. Wichita native and travel writer Vanessa Whiteside is your personal guide to her favorite places in her much beloved hometown. Crack the spine on this book and choose an adventure in the city!

Four brave siblings were searching for a home – and found a life of adventure! Join the Boxcar Children as they investigate the mystery of an old schoolhouse in this illustrated chapter book series beloved by generations of readers. The Aldens' friend Max says nothing interesting happens in Port Elizabeth. But when the children visit the small fishing village and come across a man snooping around the local library, they prove that every town has its mysteries. What started as a single story about the Alden Children has delighted readers for generations and sold more than 80 million books worldwide. Featuring timeless adventures, mystery, and suspense, The Boxcar Children® series continues to inspire children to learn, question, imagine, and grow.

A generation of young Christians are weary of the political legacy they've inherited. Could it be that the church's politics are shaped by its habits and practices? Contending that we must recognize the formative power of the political forces around us, Kaitlyn Schiess urges the church to recover historic Christian practices that shape us according to the truth of the gospel.