Nathan Branson
Whatever you read here is a way for me to hash out ideas until I can talk about them in real-time with whoever is willing to join in.
Three Christian Books to Read in 2021 That Are Heavy on the “How”
Yesterday I saw a church sign in the Appalachian Mountains that said “Choose Jesus in 2021.”
I would agree. It is best to decide to follow Jesus whether in the new year whether you are someone who has been a Christian for 20 years, 2 months or someone who does not believe God exists. To follow Christ is a daily decision to prioritize your . . .
The Three Things I Gained from Majoring in Literature
I Made the Right Choice Switching from Biology to Literature
I transferred to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2003 with the intention of becoming a physical therapist. After spending my freshman year at the community college, I decided the best path to getting into graduate school to be a physical therapist would be entering my sophomore year as a biology major.
During my . . .
Posted in: being humanconversationliterature
To Be A Great Teacher is to Remember What it is Like to Be a Student
On Learning How to Build a Backyard Hog-Wire Fence
When summertime comes, I try to put myself in situations where I can be in the student role. In the summer of 2019, I joined a CrossFit gym and took a daily "classes" to learn the Crossfit way. For summer 2020, I wanted to learn carpentry skills. I knew I had nearly 2 months off for summer, it was just a matter of finding a setting . . .
Why I Love One Harbor Church: Hospitality from Monday to Saturday
I moved to Morehead City 5 years ago to take a job as a community college English teacher. My move here was a career move. If I wanted to teach English at a community college I had to make the move, because Carteret County is where I got the best job offer. I'd always lived by the motto “I will always live where my closest friends and/or . . .
Why Freshman Composition Teachers Should Encourage Students to Write About Their Anxiety
Freshman Composition As a Space for Self-Reflection
“Hey Mr. Branson. Is it OK if I write my essay about the effects of divorce on children? My parents are divorced, and I want to write about the impact that divorce has on a child."
For my freshman composition class, I let students write about whatever they want to write about as long as they provide me with a realistic outline. . . .
The Excuses That Keep Us From Telling Our Stories
A Reflection on Why You Should Speak Up at the Dinner Table
“Telling stories is not about one-upping. It is about swapping stories. To win the game you tell the right stories to get the better stories out of the other person.” ---my friend Bobby Lane
I have spent the last 2 months teaching freshman English composition classes online because of the coronavirus. The transition from teaching . . .
How To Be Productive When Working From Home: My "One Task Per Hour" Habit
How can I get tasks accomplished when my fridge is nearby? Working from home taps into the symptoms of ADHD that I have.
I learned early on as an English teacher that grading essays in the 2nd half of the semester required a lot of focus at my kitchen table. Every Saturday in the months of April, May, October and November required . . .
