We are always enacting a story. It is more than just living a life. To say one is enacting a story implies a sense of purpose. To enact a story means that what came before on the journey is connected to the now of the journey, as well as the next footsteps on the journey.Continue reading “The Story We Enact”
Category Archives: Concerned Human
The Need to Create
What I’ve always found most energizing about teaching are two things. First, is that moment when a student “gets it.” Their face lights up with recognition and understanding when they finally achieve a goal—that first “A” on a paper, or maybe simply finally understanding a difficult concept. The second part of teaching that most energizesContinue reading “The Need to Create”
Meeting a Hero
Some years ago I watched a movie titled Mindwalk. I then read a book by the scientist who co-wrote the screenplay titled The Web of Life by Fritjof Capra. His best-selling book before that was titled The Tao of Physics. The movie and the book were a turning point in my career as an educator.Continue reading “Meeting a Hero”
The Creativity High
People who run talk about getting a “runner’s high.” Well I’ve never experienced that. I’ve experienced runner’s dread and runner’s pain, but never a high from it. However, today (Sunday) I spent most of the morning and early afternoon “in the zone” on a writing project. When I finally clicked save and closed the lidContinue reading “The Creativity High”
Reflect, Rebuild, & Recharge
Every spring I re-read the poem, Prayers of a Mad Farmer by Wendell Berry: At the start of spring I open a trench In the ground. I put into it The winter’s accumulation of paper, Pages I do not want to read Again, useless words, fragments, Errors. And I put into it The contents ofContinue reading “Reflect, Rebuild, & Recharge”
Can We End the Science vs. Religion Debate?
Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind. -Albert Einstein Attention has been drawn to teaching of evolution by a debate between Bill Nye (the science guy) and Ken Ham, president of the Creation Museum. This topic usually expands into a general discussion of science vs. religion. I have to say thatContinue reading “Can We End the Science vs. Religion Debate?”
Learning to Teach from the Red-Eyed Vireo
“What day is it?” It’s today squeaked Piglet. “My favorite day,” said Pooh. -A. A. Milne Though, most have heard their call, most probably cannot identify the red-eyed vireo by sight. It has a bold face pattern with a white eyebrow, bordered above and below with black, and a ruby red eye. The bodyContinue reading “Learning to Teach from the Red-Eyed Vireo”
A rising tide raises all boats (or standardizing education to maintain structural racialization and worker bees)
A rising tide raises all boats. This is a Reagan-era phrase referring to trickle-down economics. The idea was that as those with the resources (the biggest boats floating on the economic ocean) poured their capital into the economy, the economy (the tide in this metaphor) would grow and all the boats floating on the water,Continue reading “A rising tide raises all boats (or standardizing education to maintain structural racialization and worker bees)”
Educating in an Age of Fear
A few years ago I was with my family in a national park and we attended one of the presentations by the Park Ranger. I have fond memories of these as a child in the early to mid-seventies. The presentation I saw with my daughter was reminiscent of my childhood experiences. It was mostly informationContinue reading “Educating in an Age of Fear”
