Welcome to James Liou's Website

Teaching Ambassador Fellowship Applications Open!

James — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:00:15 +0000

Are you a teacher looking for an unparalleled opportunity to learn about education policy? Are you interested in bringing the voice of the teacher to local, state and federal avenues and to also bring relevant information back to your local school and school district? I was fortunate to participate in the U.S. Department of Education’s [...]

Surprise Friend Visits Are the Best Visits

James — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:13:12 +0000

You know when you get those completely unexpected phone calls in the middle of your typical run-of-the-mill week days? The kind of days that almost shamefully blend into each other in a whirl of what becomes the greater part of a lifetime? (Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic). Still, how great to get such a [...]

Some Snow in the Southern Adirondacks

James — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:12:34 +0000

So we finally got a bit of snowfall today in the Boston area… with about 3-4 inches of accumulation over the course of the day. Really lovely to see the white stuff fall so fully and fat-ly through the morning into mid afternoon. And while it was good to make it out to the Saturday [...]

Bring on the Spring… in January?

James — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:49:10 +0000

How nice to get out for an afternoon walk with only a light vest– in the middle of January. Mid 50s on a mid-January Saturday afternoon? You have to be kidding me. Refreshing to get a full dosage of fresh air though as we walked through many of the quiet paths in the Forest Hills [...]

Thanksgiving, Christmas and into 2012

James — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:50:50 +0000

I’m not sure what it was, but the last few months have gone by in a condensed blur. A really wonderful blur, but a bit too fast for me. Maybe it’s most telling that up until a few days ago, I had yet to download pictures from Thanksgiving that I’ve been meaning to send out [...]

Will Never Look at the Honey Badger The Same Way Again

James — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:08:23 +0000

Pretty hilarious. I think it’s safe to say that this guy isn’t replacing David Attenborough anytime soon, but I’m sure he could build up a pretty dedicated following. “Oh my god, watch it dig. Look at that digging…” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg

Speaking at the White House / National Board Teacher Event

James — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 04:58:28 +0000

Sometimes it’s just good to be reminded about the importance of belonging to great communities of teachers. And how fortunate, in addition to being connected to so many thoughtful and dedicated teachers in the Boston Public Schools, to also have access to nationally recognized ones through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and [...]

A Gathering of Fungi in the Classroom

James — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:17:11 +0000

Sometimes, it’s just bewildering to witness, and even more so to guide, the steady flow of students in and out of your classroom; especially at the middle school level where students are at the cusp of kid-hood and teenage-hood, and where in our city schools, they are often still lined up and accompanied to and [...]

Upcoming Dec 6th Superintendent + Teacher Share Event

James — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:19:31 +0000

In case you might have missed it, please do take advantage of the opportunity to talk with other teachers and Superintendent Johnson around your daily work and ideas for district-wide innovation/collaboration. Sponsored by the Boston school district and Teach Plus, it’s a great chance to voice your ideas! *** Talk with Superintendent Carol Johnson during [...]

Late Fall at the Appleton Farm Thanksgiving Festival

James — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 03:41:10 +0000

Can I tell you how glad I was to finally make the annual drive out to Western Massachusetts this past weekend? Really glad… Fall just isn’t the same without that weekend pilgrimage through apple country, meandering down Route 2 in good company, and ending up where you end up. We were particularly glad to come [...]