Apparently this is Paul Graham week, colleague. Last time, we looked at a pop-up debate about the value of writing, using a Graham essay as catalyst for the arguments. Today, I want to give you a chance to reflect on what Graham argues makes a good teacher. This isn’t a question he gets asked often […]
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A Pop-Up Debate for Helping Students Value Writing
Just the other evening, I was enjoying some (rare) quiet time in my house of four children under twelve by reading from the essays of Paul Graham. I’ve written about Graham’s ideas before (here on procrastination), but as I’ve not brought him up in a couple years, let me say for anyone who’s missed it: […]
EOY Motivation Moves, Part 4: Five Homes, Five Days
Here’s another one that’s worth the labor at the end of the year. It takes 5-10 minutes per day for a week (five days total), and if you don’t finish the intervention feeling at least 1% better about the work you do, then I owe you a cup or a glass the next time I’m […]
EOY Motivation Moves, Part 3: Tell Me Five
Here’s an end-of-the-year motivation move that fits inside of a class warm-up (5 minutes or so) and helps with Credibility (by signaling Care) and Belonging. Tomorrow at the start of class, hand your students a sheet of lined paper and say this: “You know class, I was thinking the other day — wow, the year […]
End of Year Motivation Moves, Part 2 — Work the Roster
Hey there, colleague! Continuing on with the mini-series we started yesterday, let me make a quick announcement and then we’ll get to today’s simple strategy. Announcement/Request: If you’re planning to register yourself or a group for next week’s all-virtual PD day, can you let me know by this weekend? Enrollment is currently low and I […]