Laverne M.
Subscriber since: November 2009
About Me
I am an English Teacher. I teach grades 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.
My Word Lists
Recent Comments
My Favorites

Favorite Word:

grace
Other subscribers who love this word:

Least Favorite Word:

sin
Other subscribers who dislike this word:

Favorite Quote:

"The real strength of a person lies in the ability to rejoice in times of adversity."
- L. McLain

Favorite Topics:

Books:

Surveying the Mind-Boggling Diversity of American English
February 8, 2012 - 4 Comments
I DARE Say!
January 17, 2012

Copywriting:

Score One for the Apostrophe
October 19, 2011 - 9 Comments
The Case of the Lay Flat Collar
June 29, 2010 - 19 Comments

Creativity:

Calling All Writers: Introducing Figment
May 16, 2011
SciPlay, So Far
November 30, 2010 - 2 Comments

Fiction writing:

The Power of General Statements
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 23, 2012 - 15 Comments
The Writer-Reader-Character Bond
August 8, 2011 - 12 Comments

How to write:

Seven Ways to Stop Editing While You Write
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 11, 2012 - 24 Comments
Do Writers Really Need to Learn Math?
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers December 13, 2011 - 6 Comments

Language:

"Downton Abbey": Tracking the Anachronisms
February 10, 2012 - 6 Comments
Surveying the Mind-Boggling Diversity of American English
February 8, 2012 - 4 Comments

Language arts:

The Wild Kingdom of Animal Adjectives
January 31, 2012
Better Off Banished?
January 24, 2012 - 3 Comments

Libraries:

Love Your Librarian
September 26, 2011 - 4 Comments
"Get Your Geek On" at Public Libraries
November 19, 2010 - 9 Comments

Linguistics:

Surveying the Mind-Boggling Diversity of American English
February 8, 2012 - 4 Comments
Get Your Creak On
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 31, 2012 - 1 Comment

Linguists:

A Linguist Answers, "Why Do I Do What I Do?"
January 17, 2011
Telling the Life Stories of Words
December 7, 2010

Media:

Introducing "Lexicon Valley"
February 7, 2012
Exposure, Excitement, Inspiration
December 19, 2011 - 4 Comments

Poetry:

Ducking Under the Caution Tape: Approachable Poems
January 30, 2012 - 3 Comments
Song of Myself: Spoken Word Poetry in the Classroom
May 30, 2011 - 4 Comments

Self-publishing:

Re-Imagining Publishing
August 22, 2007 - 5 Comments
DIY Publishing
July 25, 2007

Students:

This Summer: Reading Pays!
June 20, 2011
What's in a Name? Students Reveal Their Words
June 14, 2011 - 14 Comments

Teachers:

Ducking Under the Caution Tape: Approachable Poems
January 30, 2012 - 3 Comments
The Art of the Interview
January 17, 2012 - 1 Comment

Teaching:

Black History Month
February 9, 2012
Ducking Under the Caution Tape: Approachable Poems
January 30, 2012 - 3 Comments

Usage:

"Downton Abbey": Tracking the Anachronisms
February 10, 2012 - 6 Comments
Houses of Straw: Flimsy Votes and Arguments
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers February 9, 2012 - 4 Comments

Visual Thesaurus:

Vote for the VT as Top Language Website!
December 23, 2011
Jamie McKenzie on Finding the Best Words
November 16, 2011 - 6 Comments

Word Origins:

"Cacophony": A Word for the Digital World
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers February 7, 2012 - 3 Comments
Word Tasting Notes: "Geoduck"
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 26, 2012 - 6 Comments

WordMasters:

WordMasters: Grade 7 Gold Division Jan-Feb '11
January 31, 2011
WordMasters: Grade 7 Blue Division Jan-Feb '11
January 31, 2011

Writer's block:

Getting Unstuck
July 24, 2008
Why You Should Think of Yourself as an Orange
June 4, 2008 - 11 Comments

Writers:

"Not to Put Too Fine a Point Upon It": How Dickens Helped Shape the Lexicon
February 3, 2012 - 12 Comments
The Power of General Statements
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 23, 2012 - 15 Comments

Writing:

Type Casting
January 24, 2012 - 2 Comments
Seven Ways to Stop Editing While You Write
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 11, 2012 - 24 Comments

Young readers:

Taken Into Context: History and Fiction in the Classroom
October 20, 2011 - 3 Comments
This Summer: Reading Pays!
June 20, 2011