“In order to teach, you must be able to truly listen.”   M.C. Richards, Centering; in Pottery, Poetry, and the Person.

I Ain’t Drawing Nothin”, Playing Cards in School,” and “Edified by Ellison,” are read by Anthony, Elizabet Morris and Dominic Lomuto. Here, Anthony the nerdy art teacher invites his listeners in to the art room where they can view the lively goings-on there. What does a teacher do when they find themselves in a tough spot? In the tale “I Ain’t Drawing Nothin” a flash of intuition provides a solution.

 While in, “Playing Cards in School,” a tough art room situation is resolved by the  pure luck of an unusual idea…

In “Edified by Ellison,” Anthony feels bad when he disparages a high school student’s opinion; but thankfully, while browsing in the Strand bookstore, the profound words of an author come to the rescue.  

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“A season of life unfolding in an inexorable way.”  (paraphrase ) Carolyn Deeker, North Country, A Pedagogical Almanac.

There’s a magical element in traveling … the way it encourages us to get off the couch and embark on an adventure.

 Dominic Lomuto reads “When Serendipity Touches A Journey,”  about a tripto the Southwest where the Hopi Indian artist Michael Kabotie widens Anthony’s appreciation of Native American Arts.

In the essay “Field Trip,” a group of middle schoolers teach Anthony the true meaning of race and ethnicity by their benevolent action.

In “The Surprise of Serendipity,” a couple travels to a foreign country where they encounter financial hardships. Then one morning, at 5am, in Copenhagen’s central train station, they are touched by the magic of serendipity.  

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“Art strives to awaken the mind and stir the soul.”  Maya Angelou.

Here are Anthony Rubino’s reflections on the creative process, as an artist and art teacher. Each episode delves into a particular facet of  the arts. In Back to Beginnings, Anthony recounts the peculiar way in which he was literally called to become a painter. Then, Elizabeth Morris reads “New Hairdo” where  a troubled teenager is helped by the healing process of making art. This includes a deep yet humorous look at the work of Carl Jung.  

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The feminine element infuses these two stories with a sense of wonder. In our fast paced world, we may miss experiencing life’s treasures which are unfolding right in front of us. In the “Clay Brick Memorandum,” Anthony gets a lesson in “emotional depth” from his friend Jennifer’s sculpture. Then, in a South Bronx high school, he watches Romance Blossom. 

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In the chapter titled, “The Sensible Educator,” Anthony Rubino notes that the negative news about public schools neglects to see the big picture, how truly amazing our schools are. Then, in “Ms. Young’s Girl’s Group,” a wonderful guidance counselor helps guide a group of girls to a richer, more feminine way of viewing themselves and the world.

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While teaching an art class, Anthony looks up and is stunned to see a red scissors dangling from the art room’s ceiling! After probing, he finds that the issue of food scarcity is disturbing his students in a profound way. Then, in “Painting on the High Seas,” we join  Angela, a student, as she engages in the timeless activity of painting.  

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In this episode Anthony Rubino reflects on his nerdy adventures as an art teacher in New York City’s public schools. To begin, Anthony recalls a dream that gave him insight into the healing nature of the writing process. Then, in the story “Crystalline Thinking,” the sparkling crystals of a geode help Mr. Rubino manage an unruly ceramics class.

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