Gina Barrett Putt
Gina has earned a master s degree in sociology. She possesses a background in housing, gerontology and mental health service delivery, and has worked as a case worker. She has experience in elementary education and has held Indiana and Michigan elementary teaching licenses. She taught college-level sociology and psychology courses.
Gina writes for a variety of online sites. Her personal interests include reading a wide range of literature, writing, and ballroom dance. Follow her on twitter @dance2morn
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Gina writes for a variety of online sites. Her personal interests include reading a wide range of literature, writing, and ballroom dance. Follow her on twitter @dance2morn
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Displaying Results 1 - 66 (of 66) for All Content
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How We Lived Without Cable TVIn the midst of a financial crunch, my sons and I created a new television tradition. -
Hallucinations by Oliver SacksRenowned neurologist Oliver Sacks continues his exploration of the intersection of the mind and reality. -
Returning to School: A Financial MistakeReturning to school sounds like a good career move, but calculate the cost carefully. -
Rolling My Retirement Plans Into IRA AccountsIn my twenties I left a job. When I left, I was told most people my age cashed out their retirement funds. I rolled mine into an IRA. -
Rurally Screwed by Jessie Knadler: A Memoir on Marrying Outside Your SubcultureFormer Manhattan dweller and author Jessie Knadler chronicles her courtship and marriage to a cowboy who serves in the National Guard. This book could be used to discuss subcultures to the sociology classroom. -
Refinancing Gave Us Breathing RoomWe suffered a major financial setback when our home suffered a water loss not covered by insurance. Refinancing made the difference between hotdogs at home and an occasional restaurant meal. -
End-of-January Report on My New Year's ResolutionsMany of us start the new year off with the best of intentions. Here is how I am keeping those resolutions as February knocks at my door bearing a heart-shaped box of chocolates. -
First Person: The Financial Move I'm Glad I Made in My 30s: Gifting to My ChildrenI went through some tough times in my 30s. Right before my divorce, I gifted money to my children using a Uniform Gift to Minors Act account. I'm glad I did.
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Resolving to Connect with My Teenaged SonThey snarl and mumble and leave cupboard doors open. But can I connect with them, and see the world anew? -
First Person: I Bought a Whole Life Insurance Plan in My 20sWhile many financial planners discourage whole life insurance, I'm glad I bought a policy in my twenties.
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Is It Common to Still Have Hypothyroidism Symptoms With Normal TSH Levels?A patient with hypothyroidism asks what symptoms it is usual to have after levels of TSH are in normal range. -
Letter to My 16-Year-Old SelfAt sixteen the world is a frightening place, full of paths to take, and doubts. -
Carl Jung's Dream Symbols and ArchetypesToday, dreams are discussed in terms of neurology. But in an earlier era, symbols reigned. Jung was a protégée of Freud. Jung differed from Freud in his interpretation of dreams, finding universal archetypes. The Red Book mapped Jung's own psyche. -
Jung's SynchronicityPsychology today is grounded in statistical research, but in the beginning, the field contained psychologists such as Carl Jung, who sounded like a mystic. -
Childhood Schizophrenia: January FirstMichael Schofield shares his gripping personal story of living with a child who is diagnosed with childhood schizophrenia. -
The ScoreA haiku is a three line poem written with lines of five, seven, and five syllables. -
Rachel Joyce's the Unlikley Pilgrimage of Harold Fry--Changing Habits in MidlifeBritish author Rachel Joyce's The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is a case study of a man who dares to change. Whether wittingly or by happy accident, Joyce applies much of what is known about changing habits in the tale of this ordinary man. -
Lehrer's Imagine: How Creativity Works--Social Science Talking PointsJonah Lehrer's Imagine: How Creativity Works provides many talking points for the social science classroom, and is an informative read for anyone interested in expanding human ingenuity. From Bob Dylan to Pixar, Lehrer illumines the creative process.
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A Sociological Perspective of Holy Ghost Girl by Donna M. JohnsonJohnson's view from a front seat under a gigantic Holy Roller tent is captured in her memoir, Holy Ghost Girl. Inside the tent she witnessed juxtapositions of sin and holiness; outside of it she struggled to find her place the world.
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A Review of Heft by Liz Moore: Obesity, Alcoholism and LonelinessIn Heft author Liz Moore paints a bigger than life portrait of Arthur Opp, a morbidly obese former English professor and his former student, Charlene Keller, an alcoholic. Moore's work captures the irony of loneliness in the midst of an urban setting.
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The Multi-Cultural ClassroomChildren learn about other cultures while celebrating holidays. Day of the Dead, Children's Day, May Day. and Rara entertain while teaching.
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The Canine Friend: The Comfort of a DogA villanelle is a simple poem 19 line with two repeating lines written in tercets. Originating in France during the middle ages, villanelles were associated with country life.
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A Wishing Well Poem for Earth Day"Wishing Well" poems are often put on invitations to weddings, birthday or anniversary parties to inform guests of needed items, of the need for monetary gifts, or the desire for no gifts at all, but a wish. Here is Mother Earth's wishing well poem.
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The VirusFlash fiction, also called short short, post-card fiction or "micro-fiction" tells a tale in 300 to 1000 words. This disturbing short short explores the question of the balance of power in a marriage.
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The Rules of the Tunnel: My Brief Period of Madness by Ned ZemanNed Zeman's travels through the tunnel of madness and out again make poignant, and instructive, material for the psychology classroom.
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Volunteer Opportunities at No Kill Animal Shelters in Michiana"No kill" shelters have a policy of not euthanizing pets placed in their care. Volunteers are essential to make this commitment to animals feasible. Michiana'a no kill shelters offer a variety of ways you can help save an animal's life.
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AwakeningA free verse poem is based on natural speech patterns.
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Mount Pleasant ChurchWhen I was six, the pastor at Mount Pleasant Church in Silver Lake, Indiana asked children to make crosses for the Easter holiday. It was my first run-in with social class exclusion.
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Shades of Grey: A Sci-Fi Look at Class, Social Structure and IdeologyIn Shades of Grey, Jasper Fforde introduces us to a world where social class is based on the ability to precieve color. This farcical post-apolcalyptic story is a tale of ideology run amok, killer swans, and a lack of spoons.
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The Young Man from IndyA limerick is a five line poem with a rhyming pattern consisting of two sets of rhyming words. Limericks are fun and bawdy. Shakespeare and Edward Lear both wrote limericks.
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False Spring: A SestinaA sestina is a 39 line poem repeating six key words in six stanzas of six lines each. The poem concludes with a tercet, a three line stanza that encapsulates the meaning.
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Catherine Friend's Sheepish: A Boomer Meets the MiddleFriend's Sheepish is a memoir of a woman in the middle--of life, of the country, of relationships, of ambitions. Her exploration of what it means to raise sheep and to re-imagine herself illustrate a number of sociological concepts.
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A Review of Tune in Tokyo: The Gaijin Diaries by Tim AndersonTim Anderson’s humorous memoir of his two-year stint as an English language instructor in Japan includes tales of culture shock, stereotypes, popular culture trends, and the meaning of Karaoke.
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What is an Ego Boundary?Ego boundaries separate the self from others, while separating the real from the unreal. Poor ego boundaries are found in psychosis. Examples of poor boundaries are found in famous literature.
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The St. Patrick's Day SurpriseWhat happens when a holiday-happy mother overdoes St. Patrick's Day?
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Turning FiftyWhat does a divorced woman do when she turns fifty?
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The Visible Man by Chuck Klosterman: A Modern ParableChuck Klosterman's The Visible Man is a disturbing tale about a man who stuggles with the implications of technology that renders him invisible.
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The Silken BondThis poem is an example of a Shakespearian sonnet, composed of fourteen lines with a perscribed rhyming pattern, written in imabic pentameter. Tradional topics are relationships and nature.
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Dating on a Budget: Recession Proof Dating for 2012The traditional date -- dinner and a movie -- will take a bite out of your wallet. Re-think dating this year and not only save money, but meet a financially compatible companion.
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A Review of Bed by David Whitehouse: Obesity, Co-Dependence and Gender StereotypesDavid Whitehouse's Bed is a tragic twenty-first century tale of the harm caused by co-dependency, obesity, depression and gender stereotypes.
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Third to Fifth Grade Students and Word BulidingThird to fifth graders are ready to develop word banks. Present compound words, prefixes, suffixes and spelling changes with engaging activities.
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A New Year's SestinaThe sestina contains thirty-nine lines that repeat six key words in a strict algorithm. The sestina is a form of poetry that can be traced to the troubadours of the twelfth century.
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Christmas EveA villanelle is a poem that depends on the repetition of two key lines and two basic sets of rhymes. It is a casual poetic form.
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Snowsuits, Mittens, and Bread Bags: Tips to Surviving the Winter with Small ChildrenA few items are absolutely necessary if you live in a winter wonderland and have small children. Round them up early and be prepared!
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American Folktales for the Elementary Classroom: Pecos Bill and John HenryPecos Bill and John Henry are folkheros whose tales provide a way to introduce the elements of storytelling and regional understanding to young children.
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Brains Taking the Path of Least ResistanceBrains are wired for short cuts; heuristic devices both help and impair decison making. Heuristic and analytical thought use different parts of the brain.
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Cognitive Surplus, Feedback and Social CapitalYouth spend fewer hours watching television than their elders. Elders are using social networks. Shirky calls time spent creating "cognitive surplus."
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Running a Trouble-free Toy Train Around the Christmas TreeCleaning the track and wheels, checking the battery or capacitor, and not using too much liquid smoke will help your Christmas train bring in the new year.
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Elementary Readers and Western ExpansionUnderstanding the opening of the American West is a key social studies standard. These two books will prove useful for teachers and homeschoolers
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A Biography of Shakespeare for ChildrenBiographies should be included in the library of every teacher and parent. This reviews a biography Shakespeare written for older elementary children.
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Teach Children History-- Visit the Local CemeteryIntroduce children to local history with a visit to a cemetery. The gravestones trigger inquiry. Topics to discuss include war, immigration and disease.
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John Dewey – Founder of ProgressivismJohn Dewey's Progressivism remains one of the most influential forces on education in the United States. His emphasis is on democracy and social change.
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Winter's PaletteWinter paints the world anew with a delicate palatte.
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A Very 60s ChirstmasChristmas tree, Christmas, aluminum tree, 1969,
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The Girl I KnewA villanelle is a simple poem with a strict rhyming structure that was associated with country life. This villanelle sighs over a girl growing up.
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Fall RevelationPoem about the revelations of fall.
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On the Cusp of a FallHaiku about the inevitable coming of cold weather.
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Tabor Hill Winery: Southwest Michigan's Award Winning WineryTabor Hill Winery in the countryside of Buchanan, Michigan, makes use of the cool breezes and sandy soils of the area to produce award winning wine.
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Rise of Planet of the Apes: A Fun-filed Prequel Showcasing New TechnologyPlanet of the Apes features capture technology allowing for amazing effects.
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Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve's Prairie Trail: A Walk Through TimeTo imagine much of America as it was before settled by Europeans requires a walk through a tall-grass prairie. Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve's Prairie Trail provides that unique opportunity.
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Yellowstone SurprisesMy first visit to Yellowstone National Park was full of surprises, and tantalizing opportunities that made me wish I had more time to spend there.
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Anne Rice, Queen of the Damned and Terry Pratchett, King of SatireWhy Anne Rice's vampires and witches make good reading, and why Terry Pratchett will make you feel smug.
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The (Second) Trip Out WestHow traveling with our boys through South Dakota to Yellowstone, and watching baby buffalo play made me more proud of America and of my sons.
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Fourth of July on a Houseboat on Winona Lake, IndianaFriends of my mom and dad owned a houseboat. We went out on the lake to watch the fireworks on the fourth of July, creating memories for a lifetime.
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Abandonment of the ElderlyAbandoning the elderly occurred in nomadic and tribal societies for survival of the group. Increasingly, it occurs in modern societies.
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My 1975 AMC Matador -The Best Car I've Ever OwnedWhy my 1975 AMC Matador was the best car I ever owned despite getting ten miles to the gallon.