There are two ways of pursuing productivity. The first way asks, “How do we produce as much good as possible in our work and in our lives?” The second way asks, “How do we get as much done as possible in our work and in our lives?” I think that most of us start out […]
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How to Build Resilience, Part 1: Acceptance of Reality
Last time, we established some basic insights from the literature on resilience: it’s a thing; it makes our lives better; it’s a lot like the serenity prayer popularized by twelve-step groups like Alcoholics Anonymous. Resilient people are characterized by three tendencies: I. Acceptance of reality (treated below)II. A strong sense of purpose (treated in this […]
The CCPR of Teacher Credibility
Starting out at a new school is hard, whether you’ve got no years of experience or ten. You can bring instructional expertise, nuclear passion, and tomes of knowledge, but when you start at a new school, there’s a big thing you lack: credibility. Is this person a good teacher? That’s the question everyone’s asking, whether […]
The Five Questions Our Students Are Asking, All the Time
All of our students, throughout the school year and especially at the start, are asking five questions. The level of motivation they’ll bring to their work in our rooms isn’t set in stone on Day One, or on Day 100. Instead, student motivation ebbs and flows based on their answers to these five questions. 1. Do I have a good […]
Relationships: Not a Separate Goal, but a Fruit of and a Means to *the* Goal
If you’re trying to decide whether you should spend class time developing relationships with and amongst your students or working on the curriculum toward the longest-term objectives, I think you’re asking the wrong question. When people set off on a Mount Everest trek (says the guy who has, of course, done this many times), they […]