As I’ve said in recent articles, I’m intentionally not good at most things related to teaching. To me, this is the key to being a good teacher while having a life. It’s the crux of the two books that represent my core thinking, These 6 Things and The Will to Learn. Both of those books […]
What I’m Trying to Say Is
Dear colleague, I’m grateful to be coming off a needed staycation spring break. Now I’m ready to get back to teaching right beside you as we seek to finish strong. During the break, I took a mini-retreat to a cabin with no wifi, seeking clarity about this blog. What the heck is this blog for? […]
Three Tips for More MEANINGful Parent/Teacher Conferences
As I shared last time, this spring I’m giving Cal Newport’s new book a look. It’s called Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout (emphases mine), and I’m finding it challenging and provocative in just the ways my mind and heart need at this point in the school year. I’d love to have […]
Can Teachers Practice Cal Newport’s “Slow Productivity”?
Dear colleague, In his new book Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout, Georgetown professor Cal Newport argues that the working lives of knowledge workers are filled with pseudo-productivity. Pseudo-productivity, in Newport’s parlance, is a “mood” of busyness that equates visible activity with actual productive effort. In terms of us teachers, pseudo-productivity can […]
How to Resolve Pop-Up Debate Power Struggles Where a Student Refuses to Speak
I’ve written before on what I do for students who have official accommodations that prohibit mandated public speaking. But what about those students who do not have such accommodations but still refuse to speak? Here’s how one reader posed the question: Hey Dave,I agree that your pop up debate format can be a magical tool. […]