I am an emerging freelance writer with a unique voice and varied interests.
This past New Year’s Eve, someone asked me if there was one thing that I’d always wanted to do but never had. I told her that I’ve always wanted to be a writer.
“Do you write now?” she asked. When I told her no, she said, “Well, that’s a problem.”
The next week I started a blog called BoilsDown.com. I chose the name because the term “boils down” means to simplify or reduce to the essentials, and that is what I’m trying to do. I had written a eulogy, love letters, thoughts about my children’s births, worries about life. Now it was time to at least try to follow the secret dream I’d been carrying around since the 4th grade.
I’m starting this game later than many; I’m 38. But I’ve lived a life. I’ve been a teacher, a stay at home parent, I owned an Etsy shop, I taught myself to be a seamstress. I’ve traveled and had great losses (and great victories); I’ve formed a community of friends in a new hometown. I understand people and motivation and passion and fears and what drives people together and apart. I’ve a lot to write about now that I wouldn’t have if I had started out at 21. When I was 21 I may have only written about my struggle to find the perfect fitting jeans and a nice husband. I found the husband; still looking for the jeans.
I find time to write every day, and although not everything I write ends up on Boils Down, I learn more about myself as an author and a person when I spend time with a pen in my hand. As a wise person recently told me, “You’re writing about what you know,” which right now centers on education and the path we are taking with our children. I’m thrilled to have an article published in The Washington Post, and several education journals for parents and educators of gifted children. I also frequently post on The Synapse, an education blog on Medium.
Laura Goodman
lgoodman222@gmail.com
Boils Down to It 
Discovered your blog today and I must say, “I love your blog my dear!” Can’t wait to read more of it.
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Thank you! And I am obsessed with your blog name! Pick must trad more about it!
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My iPad had a temper tantrum. Must read more about it! That was the intended message!!
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Absolutely love this blog and completely agree with the post about elementary school. I have young children in elementary school as well and can’t believe how much it’s changed since we were kids. Speaking of that, I grew up in Maryland, north of Baltimore, and my kindergarten teacher’s name was Mrs Goodman. Any relation? It would have been in the mid 80’s at Martin Boulevard Elementary.
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Hello, and thank you! I grew up in Reisterstown, and Goodman is my married name. But wouldn’t that have been an amazing coincidence!
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I am an American living in the Netherlands, where Montosorri and Waldorf schools are a public school option. My son is a kinesthetic learner, but I am not sure these schools help our kids grow up to be integrated into this world. It is a fast-paced world. I love the creativity and learning by doing foundation of Waldorf, but how else as parents can we help our kids cope with the standards and expectations of this world, so they can be contributors and shapers of this world.
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Hi Betsy,
You have a great perspective being an American living in a different country. The views of education are so different, and it’s always helpful to see what works and what doesn’t! I see your point about Waldorf, and although we have looked at Waldorf (there’s only one school nearby and it is astronomically expensive), I am more partial towards Montessori. My hope with my daughter is that she is able to see her learning style as an asset and not as a deficit. Traditionally, only students who are able to succeed in traditional academics are seen as successful. It’s a hierarchy in our society; if you can get good grades academically, you must be intelligent, therefore you can continue through life more successfully. That’s the stereotype I’m hoping can change. All students have strengths, and if we were able to focus on those, instead of trying to adapt all students to be the same kind of learner, I feel that our society would benefit greatly. I don’t ever see my daughter having a career in which she will need to sit behind a desk for long periods of time. I can see her being a physical therapist though, where she gets to incorporate exercise and movement into her day constantly. I can see her in other successful careers that would see her learning style as a benefit. Teaching students with learning disabilities, I saw so many children that had gifts that were never recognized, simply because they struggled with traditional academics.
Good luck to you, and thank you for reading and commenting!
Take care,
Laura
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