First word that comes to your mind when you hear the word “school” — Go! What did you come up with? Tests? Desks? Homework? Crowded? If I asked a hundred people, I doubt one of them would answer, “leisure” — but that is, in fact, the original meaning of the Greek word from which we get the word “school”: scholē. … Read More
Small World, Big Life
More choice, more freedom, right? If we’re talking options down the supermarket aisle, choices in peanut butter or spaghetti sauce, yes. I’m creamy for the former, chunky for the latter, and you? Malcolm Gladwell argues there is no perfect sauce, only perfect sauces because it’s a matter of taste, and people vary quite a lot. Choice opens up our world. … Read More
Devil May Care
The Learning Cooperatives specialize in helping teens discover what intrinsically motivates them and what their natural talents are. The priority is building strengths rather than repairing weaknesses. However, we’re realistic and know that external motivation can be a practical and necessary part of life. Even in the pursuit of our passions, the reality is that we all are met with … Read More
Fridays Unplugged
On a typical morning drive to work, I pulled into the local gas station, still holding a conversation on my bluetooth. I turned off the car, transferred the call to speakerphone, and rolled down the window. “Fill ‘er up, please.” Next, purse. But, no…no, no, no, noooo. “I can’t find my purse.” “Cash or card ma’am?” “Are you serious? Do … Read More
Imagine That.
Close your eyes. Imagine a high school, a real high school, one, perhaps, you’ve driven by many times. Picture the building and the grounds. What would you change? Pull up the editing tools in your mind. Cut. Crop. Sketch. What’s different now? Is the parking lot freshly paved? Are there more trees, flowers, benches, a fountain? Have you removed an … Read More
Underrated
In the world of education, somewhere between “lecture” and “group project” is an overlooked, misunderstood, crudely-practiced, and often-omitted wonderful little learning method called “modeling.” It’s as simple as it sounds. A “model” of the work desired (a piece of writing, a performance, a technique, etc.) is presented and the learner observes, contemplates, and seeks to imitate in some meaningful way. … Read More
Stories Worth Repeating
In my last post, I raised a question that has been asked of me many times over, “Why are we learning this?” It’s a question that I’ve had a hard time answering myself, leading me to ask why we study anything at all. After pondering this for many years, I was led to an answer well worth the journey. But … Read More
Why Learn Anything?
I’ve been teaching English-ish classes for eighteen years…and that statement pretty much sums up the sort of English teacher I am: the type who gets a kick out of adding the suffix “ish” to a word that already ends in “ish,” not the type who corrects your grammar at dinner parties. That’s also probably why I had such a hard … Read More
Time Well Spent
I have to be honest. There was a period when my kids were younger that I just didn’t feel like playing with them, ever. I was going through big ordeals in my life and the thought of making slime or playing Barbies didn’t appeal to me in the slightest. In fact, it felt downright torturous, and every time I promised … Read More
The Conveyor Belt to Success
Around this time of year twenty-three years ago, I was a senior in high school fretting about applying to college. The whole process was intimidating, but what plagued me the most was that I didn’t know what I wanted to study. I didn’t know that because I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, and I didn’t … Read More