Welcome back to our Commonplace !
A commonplace book—a collection of cherished words. A common place to gather as writers and thinkers. A commonplace practice turned extraordinary whenever we weave our thoughts together.
The American academic calendar is said to have an agricultural origin, including long summers for folks to do farm work. In the 21st century, farming is hardly a common lifestyle, but it’s nice to think of the work we do in the classroom as closely tied to the earth and its cycles. After all, as teachers, we do cultivate minds. We stir up the soil around our growing students, encouraging movement from what is familiar to what is new. Perhaps that’s how we might think of Voltaire’s directive: “Il faut cultiver notre jardin” ( We must cultivate our garden) . Of course, the key word in that phrase is “notre” ( ours) —it’s shared. We work together with, in, and for it. Thanks to the writers in this issue, and thank goodness for all those who keep nourishing seeds, sowing truth, and planting hope even when conditions are less than optimal.
Congratulations to HVWP on its 25th anniversary this year. May the teachers and writers in our community flourish for many seasons to come!
Sarah Wheeler and Meg Davis Roberts Hudson Valley Writing Project
HVWP COMMONPLACE 1
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