August 21, 2012
By: Amy Connor-Flores
Tuesday’s speakers were Diane T. Martin and Linda V. Thomas, co-authors of the book Education: Roast & Toast: Anecdotes of 60+ years of Teaching. Martin and Thomas shared with us a light-hearted glimpse into their process of pulling together laughable stories and experiences from their years of teaching and ultimately publishing a book.
Martin attended LSU and received her B.A. from Nicholls State University. She studied rhetoric at Purdue University in Lafayette, in and completed a writing seminar in Copper Mountain, CO for Colorado State University. She is certified in English, composition, speech, and ESL. She has taught fourth graders through college freshmen in Louisiana and speech therapy for Onslow School District in North Carolina. She calls Morgan City and Napoleonville, LA home.
Linda V. Thomas received a B.A. from Nicholls State University and is certified to teach English, French, and ESL. She has studied French at UL Lafayette, Université Catholique de L’Ouest in Angers, France, and Université du Québec à Trois-Riviéres in Québec, Canada. She has also taught elementary, high school, and adult French classes. She lives with her husband, Deeda, in Berwick, LA.
For many years Martin and Thomas taught across the hall from each other, meeting at lunch and after school to “cuss” and discuss the backward evolution of education. Long before their retirement they set out to “write the book” on the hilarity that is seen in the world of education.
Over the course of 2 ½ years the two worked diligently (and sometimes not-so-diligently) to compile a book full of anecdotes highlighting the eccentricities, vulnerabilities, and imperfections of educators and students seen over their shared 60-plus years of experience. The book is a tongue-in-cheek exploration of the comical adventures, unpredictable mishaps, and baffling challenges that teachers encounter on a daily basis. 
It reinforces the notion that simple communication really can be stifled by misinterpretation. Education: Roast & Toast: Anecdotes of 60+ years of Teaching can be purchased from local booksellers as well as on Amazon.com.
