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“A complex system, contrary to what people believe, does not require complicated systems and regulations and intricate policies. The simpler, the better. Complications lead to multiplicative chains of unanticipated effects.” Antifragile: Things that Gain from Disorder, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, p. 11 One of my most helpful weaknesses is that I have a simple mind. I’m […]

I recently had my students spend the first ten minutes of class playing a review game on Quizlet. While they were doing this, I used the time to input grades from a writing assessment I had just finished marking that morning. The goal was to go over my feedback on their work during the next […]

The other night my wife and I came home from a date, and our babysitter was up working on an assignment for school. She’s an undergrad studying to be a teacher. Next year, she starts her student teaching. As she chatted with my wife about how the night had gone, I got distracted by the […]

The other night when I came home from work, my children were playing on their bicycles in our driveway. My two youngest daughters, Laura and Marlena, ran up to me as soon as I pulled up. “DadDadDadDadDad! Can you take our training wheels off?” They wanted to learn how to ride their bike on two […]

At this point in the school year, the purpose and practice of great teaching can get foggy. The stress and challenges and changes of the year accumulate, and our minds and hearts grow dim. One thing we do is remind ourselves: it’s not about winning a prize or success as a savior, but instead it’s […]