A Teacher’s Life Through Politics, Technology, and Cultural Upheaval

Time, time, time…

During the first thirty-two years that I was a public school teacher, I never had time to write.

Well…maybe that isn’t entirely true.

I wrote constantly—just not for myself.

I wrote sample essays, lessons, tests, instructions, college recommendations, letters to parents, presentations… and miles upon miles of commentary on student work. Usually with purple (not red) pens.**

But I didn’t write anything that belonged to me.

No stories.
No poems.
No songs.
No memoir.

Just the work.

Blog Your Heart Out Kid.

So when I finally retired from full-time teaching, I decided I wanted to write.

And then…it took me another three years to actually begin.

Eventually, I started a blog. At first, it was a mix of everything:
– stories about how I began teaching
– reflections on the classroom
– quite a few pointed pieces about politics and the direction of education
– thoughts on music, movies, and culture

Some of those posts were gentle.
Some…were not.

One post turned into ten. Then twenty. Then sixty.

At that point, I felt I had clearly entered what professionals refer to as “having a lot of opinions.”

Somewhere along the way, I realized:

Well…this is either a collection of loosely organized thoughts…

or it’s the beginning of a book.

And that brings me to now.

In just a few weeks, my memoir will be released:

Red Pens, Blue Screens: A Teacher’s Life through Politics, Technology, and Cultural Upheaval

It reflects on decades in the classroom—on what changed, what was lost, and what still matters.

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I’m putting together a small email list to share:
– early excerpts
– behind-the-scenes moments
– updates as the release approaches

If you’d like to follow along, you can:
👉 Comment “yes”
👉 Message me
👉 Or send your email to: adrsilv323@gmail.com

I’d truly appreciate the support.

** There is a fascinating chapter in my book that describes why I switched to purple pens for grading. Non-teachers will be especially interested.