Welcome to Nerdvana. Too often, it is seen as a handicap to be intelligent. Those who are smart and ambitious, those who revel in their ability to think and appreciate nuance, those who crave not merely a bit of slapstick humor, but also enjoy a bit of absurd humor (a la Monty Python) in their slapstick, are marginalized. We are dismissed by those who don’t have our world view as nerds. Such is not the case in our room. Here is a place you can be yourself. Here is a place where your intelligence and your willingness to embrace and explore it are valued beyond all other considerations. Here is a place where it is safe to be smart, participate, challenge yourself, and grow.

Hermione is not only welcome in our room, she is prized.

I welcome you here, and in our room, and invite you to learn and discover who the people around you are, who you are, and who you want to become. I’m lucky to be able to join you on this journey.

For the record, A — a “nerd” is someone intelligent who enjoys being intelligent. I wear this label as a badge of honor, not as the pejorative others feel it to be. B — I will refer to you constantly as nerdlings. You’re not full-fledged nerds — yet. With a bit of hard work and effort, though, maybe you’ll be lucky enough to become one by the end of the year.

Best,

Palise

Google Classroom Link: https://docs.google.com/a/dearbornschools.org/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfCsaBxknvfW42QWfqplu6vjJXncTG_1NKKeuVAdyXSAKuVlQ/viewform