Brenda Mahler
Bio
Travel
Writing Lessons
Memoirs
Poetry
Books AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.
* Lockers Speak: Voices from America's Youth
* Understanding the Power Not Yet shares Kari’s story following a stroke at 33.
* Live a Satisfying Life By Doing it Doggy Style explains how humans can life to the fullest.
Stories (441/0)
Voices of American Teenagers
Prologue As she walks by locker 623, she notices the door is hanging open. With the palm of her hand, she reaches out to push it shut and continues walking. Metal hits metal causing the door to swing back open without the familiar click that acknowledges it has latched. Upon closer inspection and a slight jiggle, a folded slip of paper falls to the floor, a simple system that allows for easy access without a combination. To the untrained eye, it is just a piece of paper; to high school students, it’s a shortcut, a quick and easy access; to her eye, an administrator, it’s an invitation to theft, vandalism, and bullying.
By Brenda Mahler2 years ago in Fiction
A Dog Can Be Anything and Is Everything
Look at that face. Sure, she smiled and held me close, but she also separated me from my birth mom and siblings. Fear gripped me the day we drove in the car to my forever home. I knew enough to go calmly because I’d heard how important it is to make a good first impression, but I remember when they snapped this picture. Then strangers, Mom and Dad that’s what I call them now, had just picked me up and whisked me away from everything I had ever known. Unsure if I could trust this woman, I remember her smile warmed my tummy and my head fit perfectly in the crook of her neck.
By Brenda Mahler3 years ago in Petlife
Embrace the Masks; Kids Do
My kids love Halloween; most children do. They love to dress up and pretend to be somebody else. In fact, we have a basket of play clothes just so they can pretend. Sometimes, they become royalty by wearing a crown. An apron has the ability to transport them to a fancy restaurant as they play the part of a chef and make pretend meals to serve us. Many of their favorite costumes include masks that transform them into villians, super heroes, and cartoon characters.
By Brenda Mahler3 years ago in Families
I Realized All People Are Not Stupid
Billy Currington sings the words to one of my favorite songs, “God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy.” Over time I absentmindedly revised the words to “people are stupid.” And those are the words I substitute in my mind each time the music plays.
By Brenda Mahler3 years ago in Humans
Before the Students Arrive, Prepare the Classroom
Many secondary students arrive with negative attitudes. The cause of their distaste for school varies from student to student because experiences differ: one may have struggled with basic skills at an earlier age; one may have had their ideas laughed at by peers; one may have had their paper bled upon by an overzealous teacher with a red pen, and yet another may have left a small, comforting environment and are intimidated by a large public school.
By Brenda Mahler3 years ago in Education
Back to School Requires Learning Strategies to Talk with Parents
Parents and teachers have the same goals — to provide an environment where every child feels welcome and to establish opportunities for every child to learn. However, meeting with parents can be intimidating. It doesn’t have to be an uncomfortable situation.
By Brenda Mahler3 years ago in Education
Discipline Requires Follow Through
We’ve all done it. We create a list of chores for the kids, post them on the fridge and expect them to be done every week. We state the rules for a class of students, make a poster for the wall, and anticipate a great school year. Then we walk into the house to find a sink full of dishes or are interrupted during a lecture by a student’s cell phone.
By Brenda Mahler3 years ago in Education
Teach Kindness
Daily, teachers are preparing lesson plans and developing worksheets. Generally, the focus is on subject information but with the turbulent times, youth are feeling an increase of stress in daily life activities. Most didn’t attend fulltime, in-person classes last year so the idea of leaving the comfort of home and entering a larger, unknown environment can be intimidating. Parents, educators, and adults who support the emotional wellness of our kids will find benefits in the investment of time — investment in youth.
By Brenda Mahler3 years ago in Education
Book Review of Lockers Speak
Brenda Mahler is a retired educator with 34 years’ experience. As an English teacher and administrator, she learned about the life of teens from her students as a silent observer. She values memories of the students who taught compassion, the value of overcoming challenges, and the need to compromise. Her passion for teaching grew each year as she realized the power of one person to make a difference in the lives of others. Lockers Speak allows the voices of youth to speak their truths.
By Brenda Mahler3 years ago in Education