Educators are chronically myopic by choice. We also tend to favor the rear view mirror. Let us enlarge our vision to be forward thinking and see learning to read from multiple formats as our desired goal for all children. As … Continue reading
Myopic-Tending Educators Must See Digital Reading Clearly
The Public Gets What It Settles For – Stop Settling Low
Louise Sawyer (Thelma and Louise, 1991) taught us “You get what you settle for.” Hearing Susan Sarandon voice these words many years ago, I found that they apply all too well to the many situations in public education today where we have settled for low … Continue reading
Don’t Choose To Be Your Own Obstacle
In a culture of “we/they”, the issue of “they” can dominate thinking and action to the extent that seldom are things of any common good ever accomplished. When a mind is fixated on oppositional thinking, it is difficult to engage … Continue reading
Us Is The Middle of We and They
Why is finding middle ground difficult? There are reasons. The first is that the generalizations that accompany positions on either side of the middle are easier to articulate and to empassion. The second is that from the middle you must counter … Continue reading
Be Truman-like When Engaging Criticism
We are admonished by President Truman, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” Heat in this context is the hot breath of criticism and the red-faced anger of disagreement inflicted upon those whose decisions are vulnerable … Continue reading
Morale: A Wavering Variable That Can Be Improved
Early in my working career, a venerable mentor told me, “If you think there is a problem, there is a problem until you either resolve it or decide, with new information, that it is not a problem. Your job now … Continue reading
School Choice Is Complicated And Intentional
One should not accept a blatantly generalized statement as Gospel, especially any statement ladened with politico-economic overtones. Parsing a person’s motives and self-interests is an important tool for screening generalizations for truth and untruth, transferability and usability. School choice is … Continue reading
If You Are Lost in the Lesson, Call a Time Out, Kiddo. It’s Okay
“Time out! Stop, take a breather, and let’s take a moment to talk about this.” In many games there are signals a player can make that says “Time out!” Athletes use their hands to make a letter “T” to stop … Continue reading
Give Books, A Gift Full of Rewards
I give books to my grandchildren as Christmas and birthday gifts. At other times of the year, I may gift them with clothing or sports equipment or something that just makes Gramps feel good to give. But, at Christmas and … Continue reading
“I Like My Teacher” Is A Measurement For School Success
Ask a primary school-age child about school and what do you expect to hear? Unlike their older siblings, these bright-eyed cherubs love to talk about school and they talk and talk and talk. Their most common response falls into two … Continue reading