My Homecoming Dance: Reflections on Teaching in Wisconsin

In her memoir My Homecoming Dance: Reflections on Teaching in Wisconsin, Sue Leamy Kies returns to her alma mater to teach high school English. What's changed in the twenty years since graduation? What hasn't? Her recollection of former classmates, students, mentors, peers, and lessons taught and learned provide a humorous, behind-the-scenes look at secondary public education.

 

Platteville, home to a state university, lies amid the rolling hills of the Driftless Area of Wisconsin that was left untouched by glaciers. This work embodies small town Middle America, its customs, attitudes, and people. Platteville High School maintains a stellar track record for providing students with a top-notch education, but, like all schools today, it faces unprecedented, historical challenges. 

 

Over the course of her nearly thirty-year career, Sue deals with homecoming pranks, hormonal teens, disgruntled parents, demonstrative administrators, and ever-changing technology. The drama of three bomb threats in one year, mandatory shooter drills, book banning, and ramifications of Act 10 distract from teaching and put a damper on the joy of the job. But, through it all, Sue finds hope for the profession in her ever-inquisitive students, those priceless teachable moments, and her dedicated supportive peers.

 

Compassion and empathy present powerful lessons as Sue experiences the deaths of students, her beloved mentor, and her own son. Sue's story will inform and entertain anyone who has entered the doors of an American high school.

 

You are cordially invited to My Homecoming Dance. Unlike in the author's day, no date is required.

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My Homecoming Dance: Reflections on Teaching in Wisconsin

In her memoir My Homecoming Dance: Reflections on Teaching in Wisconsin, Sue Leamy Kies returns to her alma mater to teach high school English. What's changed in the twenty years since graduation? What hasn't? Her recollection of former classmates, students, mentors, peers, and lessons taught and learned provide a humorous, behind-the-scenes look at secondary public education.

 

Platteville, home to a state university, lies amid the rolling hills of the Driftless Area of Wisconsin that was left untouched by glaciers. This work embodies small town Middle America, its customs, attitudes, and people. Platteville High School maintains a stellar track record for providing students with a top-notch education, but, like all schools today, it faces unprecedented, historical challenges. 

 

Over the course of her nearly thirty-year career, Sue deals with homecoming pranks, hormonal teens, disgruntled parents, demonstrative administrators, and ever-changing technology. The drama of three bomb threats in one year, mandatory shooter drills, book banning, and ramifications of Act 10 distract from teaching and put a damper on the joy of the job. But, through it all, Sue finds hope for the profession in her ever-inquisitive students, those priceless teachable moments, and her dedicated supportive peers.

 

Compassion and empathy present powerful lessons as Sue experiences the deaths of students, her beloved mentor, and her own son. Sue's story will inform and entertain anyone who has entered the doors of an American high school.

 

You are cordially invited to My Homecoming Dance. Unlike in the author's day, no date is required.

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My Homecoming Dance: Reflections on Teaching in Wisconsin

My Homecoming Dance: Reflections on Teaching in Wisconsin

by Sue Leamy Kies
My Homecoming Dance: Reflections on Teaching in Wisconsin

My Homecoming Dance: Reflections on Teaching in Wisconsin

by Sue Leamy Kies

eBook

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Overview

In her memoir My Homecoming Dance: Reflections on Teaching in Wisconsin, Sue Leamy Kies returns to her alma mater to teach high school English. What's changed in the twenty years since graduation? What hasn't? Her recollection of former classmates, students, mentors, peers, and lessons taught and learned provide a humorous, behind-the-scenes look at secondary public education.

 

Platteville, home to a state university, lies amid the rolling hills of the Driftless Area of Wisconsin that was left untouched by glaciers. This work embodies small town Middle America, its customs, attitudes, and people. Platteville High School maintains a stellar track record for providing students with a top-notch education, but, like all schools today, it faces unprecedented, historical challenges. 

 

Over the course of her nearly thirty-year career, Sue deals with homecoming pranks, hormonal teens, disgruntled parents, demonstrative administrators, and ever-changing technology. The drama of three bomb threats in one year, mandatory shooter drills, book banning, and ramifications of Act 10 distract from teaching and put a damper on the joy of the job. But, through it all, Sue finds hope for the profession in her ever-inquisitive students, those priceless teachable moments, and her dedicated supportive peers.

 

Compassion and empathy present powerful lessons as Sue experiences the deaths of students, her beloved mentor, and her own son. Sue's story will inform and entertain anyone who has entered the doors of an American high school.

 

You are cordially invited to My Homecoming Dance. Unlike in the author's day, no date is required.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9798986336558
Publisher: Wisconsin Writers Association
Publication date: 06/11/2024
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 280
Sales rank: 242,278
File size: 1 MB

About the Author

Sue Leamy Kies, a retired high school English teacher, lives in Platteville, Wisconsin with her husband Dave, border collie mix Jojo, and her backyard chickens. She relishes spending time with family and friends, growing flowers, kayaking and walking in nature, cooking and eating food, listening to music and reading and writing books. Sue and her husband have five children. Before teaching, they ran a dairy and hog farm. She returned to school and at the age of 36 graduated in 1991 as valedictorian from the University of Wisconsin Platteville. Her degree in English education and minor in journalism led her to 27 years in the classroom at her alma mater, Platteville High School. She earned her master's degree in education in 2000 and began writing down teaching stories. She spent the last four years compiling them into My Homecoming Dance. She has published poetry, essays, movie reviews, and short stories for regional magazines and newspapers, including The Illinois English Bulletin, The Voice of the River Valley, and The Wisconsin Academy Review. Also, in 2021 CADA (Center for Applied Drama and Autism) chose her play Back about a disabled veteran to be performed for their One-Act Play Festival. Additionally, Sue has written two children's books. The Platteville Library Foundation published Saving Sadie in recognition of the donors for the new library that opened in 2017. Sassy's Vacation was published by the Platteville Community Arboretum in 2022 to promote literacy and nature education on the Rountree Branch Trail.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction

PART I - THAT ROSY GLOW

Chapter 1 - Riding the School Cycle

Chapter 2 - The Yips

Chapter 3 - Don't Touch My Stapler!

Chapter 4 - Homecoming and Hormones

Chapter 5 - Just Hormones

PART II-EDUCATING ME

Chapter 6 - Jane's World

Chapter 7 - The Best We Can Be

Chapter 8 - Young Rascals

Chapter 9 - Truths and Consequences

Chapter 10 - Pissing Contests and Skunks

Chapter 11 - Cultural Awakenings

Chapter 12 - Happiness Shows in all Languages

Chapter 13 - Bringing Japan Home

PART III - THE WEIGHT OF IT ALL

Chapter 14 - In the Name of Sports

Chapter 15 - The Ladies Doth Protest

Chapter 16 - The Men Doth Protest Too

Chapter 17 - Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho! It's Off to Work We Go!

Chapter 18 - Technobesity

Chapter 19 - Techno-fun!

PART IV - RELEASE

Chapter 20 - Requiem

Chapter 21 - Also Close to Home

Chapter 22 - Stepford Schools

Chapter 23 - All Good Things

Next Chapter

Acknowledgements

About the Author

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