Human beings can explore space, cure disease, climb mountains, and compose epics, but one thing they cannot do is force a change in the internal world of another human. You and I cannot force a change in the hearts of the students on our rosters — nor could Gandhi, nor could King. This is an […]
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Consistency Breeds Ability
The biggest gains in our professional lives don’t come from massive, one-time pushes. That weekend getaway to plan out next year’s curricula? It’s not the key. The really late night we plan to spend this Friday to get the stack of papers graded? Only a band-aid. The big gains come from consistency — from showing […]
Occupational Burnout is a Thing, According to the World Health Organization
Note: I wrote this months before the COVID closures, and upon rereading it recently, I found it as relevant today as it was back then. The teacher who works in an undisciplined manner — without boundaries, with no constraints — will experience chronic stress. It’s like a law of human nature. There is no way […]
Flash Feedback: There’s a Way to Tame the Feedback Monster
Here’s a statement that doesn’t need stating: teaching is good, important, pressure-filled work. All the teachers I know got into the work because they wanted to promote the long-term flourishing of young people by way of helping them master the disciplines. Writing teachers like you and me are no different — when we were new, […]
What Star Wars Can Teach Us About Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning: An Attempt at Useful Fun Amidst All This
Last Friday when the first of May arrived, I walked into our kitchen and with all seriousness informed my children that a major holiday was upon us. “Mother’s Day?” they said. “Ooh, good guess. But no, that’s the next major one. First we have something else.” “Aunt Amber’s birthday?” “Okay, yes, that one’s important. But […]