Inquiry & Reflection for Better Learning
Last week, many of the middle and high school students in my local school district chose to walk out of class to ask for a reconsideration of the way that we handle guns and school safety. They’re a part of a larger national movement, but the schools here are closed for Spring Break during that […]
Read More Bravery is Neither Created Nor DestroyedI’m doing some work that involves a new teacher colleague in Costa Rica, and I took three years of high school German. What little Spanish I know I’ve picked up from my wife and children’s conversations around the house. I’m a crummy listener. Enter Google Translate. For the last week or so, I’ve been dutifully […]
Read More “Seeing My Daughter Dare Was Wonderful”Last month, I took my three daughters skating. They’ve all been to the skating rink plenty of times, and are at different levels of skating expertise. Ani and Teagan both motor along at their own paces, leaving their four-year-old sister, Quinn, and me behind as they skate it up to whatever loudly pulsating track is […]
Read More Skating AlongEarlier today, we celebrated Quinn’s second birthday. My youngest daugher is officially less young than she used to be. And while she’s sleeping off a cupcake-induced late afternoon nap, I had the chance to catch up on today’s paper ((That I only ever read electronically, so it won’t be “the paper” for much longer, I’m […]
Read More On Quinn’s Second BirthdayIt’s skinned knee season in our home, with two girls riding bikes of the two and four-wheeled variety, and a third toddling along just behind – ready for far more than she’s capable of. And I’m not one to stop someone who’s trying to make progress, even if that progress might be dangerous. So we’ve […]
Read More On Skinned Knees & Lessons LearnedThis afternoon, Mary Ann and WIll were talking a bit about Kindergarten standards. I butted in. ((That’s one thing Twitter’s good for – having open conversation – both so that you can model what that might look like as well as allow folks to intrude. And, yeah. I know I just wrote this. And am […]
Read More Connective Children. Nothing New?Dear Teacher/Sunday School/Summer Camp/Person I Trust with my Child: This is a rather embarrassing letter to write. See, I brought my kids to you because I trust you and know that you have something important to offer – your experiences and the things you want my children to be able to know and do when […]
Read More Hey You: Please Stop Bribing (My) ChildrenAni and Teagan are enjoying the start of their summer. I’m enjoying observing as they dig in. Today, they began taking some ice skating lessons, and I was very eager to learn how it went. Teagan mentioned falling and skating and waving to her baby sister, Quinn, who watched from the bleachers. ((First walking. Ice […]
Read More The First Thing Is How to Fall DownRight now, according to Sir Ken Robinson, my children are at the peak of their viagra usa divergent thinking abilities. And those will diminish as they advance in their schooling. Uh oh. So, how do we build schools that amplify, rather than eradicate, divergent thinking? This is not an idle question. Watch the video and […]
Read More The Clock's TickingFirst Day Originally uploaded by Bud the Teacher I asked Ani this morning what she was most excited about on her first day of school. Today, of course, being her first day of Kindergarten. Big Deal. “Learning and recess,” she said. No hesitation. I’m feeling pretty good about her attitude for the first day. That […]
Read More Ani’s First Day