“It teaches the strong to know when they are weak and the brave to face themselves when they are afraid. To be proud and unbowed in defeat yet humble and gentle in victory. And to master ourselves before we attempt to master others. And to learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep. And [...]
Lessons Learned in the Gym
February 20, 2011 — education, family, schools
Leadoff bunt in the first inning? Not this guy.
January 6, 2009 — biology, education, issues & ethics
The goal in baseball is to just get by. Finishing the ninth inning with one more run than your opponent lands you with a win, and in the right game- a title. The goal in teaching should be quite different.* Swing for the fences Teach like you have something to prove. Because, in fact, you [...]
Inspire First, Instruct Later
December 6, 2008 — constructivism, education, schools
Tough connections Me: “Jeeeez Gramps, doesn’t it seem weird to call this job ‘painting’ when we only paint about once in every ten days.” My Grandpa: “You know… some of our competitors just show up to a job with brush in hand.“ This post has been rolling around in my skull for a while now. [...]
The Art & Science of Questioning (ok, mostly the art)
November 10, 2008 — biology, edtech, professional development
Questioning The art and science of teacher questioning is a powerful force in any flavor of direct instruction. Marzano and associates (2001) found a roughly 22 percentile gain in student achievement when skillful questioning was an instructional focus. Furthermore, a focus on maximizing student questioning can be even more powerful. However, when asking teachers to [...]
