The more I teach and think and write, the closer I get to organizing my work around a central, abiding outcome for all of it — a top-level professional goal. Angela Duckworth provides insight on this topic in her book. From Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance: …[D]ogged perseverance toward a top-level goal requires, paradoxically perhaps, some flexibility […]
simplify
Pouring Ourselves Out
Every year, you and I pour bits of our lives into our students. Every minute spent teaching, conferring, assessing, and All The Things, every minute is gone, poured out, beyond recovery. Problematically, too many teachers in the USA poured too much of themselves out this year. For them, there was a sloppy abandon to the pouring, […]
A Conversation with Mike Schmoker
Four years ago, at the very outset of this blog, I was starting to blog through the Common Core State Standards. Providentially, at about the same time I had decided to re-read Mike Schmoker’s Focus. That re-read bit was new for me. I was at a point in my career where I sensed it was high time I […]
The 300-Word Guide to Long-Term Flourishing
Confused about the term “long-term flourishing?” Let’s clear it up in about 300 words. Long-term flourishing is the real purpose of schooling. It’s what every educator and parent on the planet hopes for their children. Long-term because we love the child not just for today or this year, but also in 20 years; flourishing because we know […]
Defining Everest: A Reflection on the Challenges of Teaching
On May 29, 1953, the two men pictured above became the first human beings to set foot on Mount Everest. During their ascent they battled weather, temperatures, ice, and odds, achieving a victory that many of their contemporaries considered humanly impossible. In this article I seek not to diminish the accomplishments of Hillary (above left) and […]