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”
Category Archives: Educator
Aha Moments. The Joy of Teaching
Teachers teach for the “aha” moment. That’s the real payment for teaching. When that student lights up with understanding and says “I get it!” There isn’t much better than that. It is in that moment when the student finally figures out something he or she has been struggling with, but it is more than that.Continue reading “Aha Moments. The Joy of Teaching”
Vroom Vroom! Speeding up to change…not much!
I heard Ted Kolderie speak once (I think it was him) where he provided this metaphor for the public school system: it is an engine running at maximum RPMs. In our efforts to improve education we have simply stepped on the gas—more testing, more standards, more, more, more. But the engine is already running atContinue reading “Vroom Vroom! Speeding up to change…not much!”
Hamburger Model of Curriculum Planning
Curriculum planning is often thought of as a linear process. First create objectives or (I prefer) guiding questions. Then think up a bunch of activities for those objectives/questions. Then figure out how to assess what students learned through those activities. This can lead to what I call the “activity trap.” Planning in this sequence canContinue reading “Hamburger Model of Curriculum Planning”
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)”
Fast Food Education
Recently I broke down and got lunch at a fast food place. I know, I know. Ick. I won’t say which to protect their identity and to protect my pride. I was struck that when handed my meal in a bag, the cashier didn’t say, “enjoy your meal,” but instead said, “enjoy the rest ofContinue reading “Fast Food Education”
Reflection, Reflection, Reflection!
If you ask a realtor what the most important factor in home sales is, many will say, “location, location, location.” I believe that the most crucial step to learning is reflection. Reflection, reflection, reflection! This is when new skills and knowledge are cemented into place and the learner moves from “renting” the knowledge to “owning”Continue reading “Reflection, Reflection, Reflection!”
Do You Have Homework Tonight?
How many of us as adults have regular assigned homework as part of our jobs? If you do, do you like it? Imagine this pattern: Every night, you sit down and do an hour (or more) of assigned work for the next day after already working 8 – 10 hours during the day. If thisContinue reading “Do You Have Homework Tonight?”
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”
Tim Goodwin Ed.D 