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Determining the health of a classroom ecosystem
Last week, I had the opportunity to go on an overnight field trip with our fifth graders. As part of the trip, we studied the local pond to see if the water was healthy or not. In order to determine … Continue reading Determining the health of a classroom ecosystem
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What isn’t going to change? A reflection on successful, innovative coaching
This week, James Clear posted a short story about Jeff Bezos in his newsletter. “I very frequently get the question: ‘What’s going to change in the next 10 years?’ And that is a very interesting question; it’s a very common … Continue reading What isn’t going to change? A reflection on successful, innovative coaching
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An Unexpected Gift
20 years ago… I received an unexpected gift from a teacher. I could never fully repay her, but this week I realized I could provide at least a small repayment to let her know how meaningful that gift was. I … Continue reading An Unexpected Gift
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Should we treat kids like adults?
Kids want to be treated like adults. I think this is a fact. We can all remember in our childhood wanting to be treated like adults. Whether it was more responsibility, dreaming about our future, being in charge on the … Continue reading Should we treat kids like adults?
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Teaching like Questlove
Quest Love is my favorite drummer. Truthfully, I don’t know a lot about drummers, and I don’t really love his drumming. I don’t even know enough about drumming to love anyone’s drumming. I do like The Roots and I love watching … Continue reading Teaching like Questlove
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Measuring Coaching Success (Part 6): Final Thoughts
At the beginning of each season, our team sets goals together; some have to do with winning – games, conference, playoffs – while others are more abstract – great team chemistry, mastering team defense. The truth is that goals like … Continue reading Measuring Coaching Success (Part 6): Final Thoughts
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Measuring Coaching Success (Part 5): Me, Myself and I
So I saved the hardest for last. Probably because it’s hardest. Maybe because I needed a lot of time to think it through. As you’ve seen from the previous posts, I have obviously questioned whether our team under achieved this … Continue reading Measuring Coaching Success (Part 5): Me, Myself and I
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Measuring Coaching Success (Part 3): Getting better or getting worse?
Measuring Coaching Success (Part 1): Reflections on a season past Measuring Coaching Success (Part 2): Winners and Losers Prior to the season, I listened to John Wooden’s biographer talk about his pyramid and how he measured his team by effort … Continue reading Measuring Coaching Success (Part 3): Getting better or getting worse?
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Measuring Coaching Success (Part 2): Winners and Losers
Read Part 1: Reflections on a season past My high school football coach used to tell us that high school sports weren’t meant to be fun, they were meant to be rewarding. I’ve never fully subscribe to this belief, but … Continue reading Measuring Coaching Success (Part 2): Winners and Losers
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The emotional balance of coaching
While being an assistant head of lower school is my main job, my role as high school coach can become difficult to put to the side at times. We are nearing the end of our basketball season, and this has … Continue reading The emotional balance of coaching
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Ten (or Eleven) books that tell the story of my reading life
As the year closes out and Top Ten lists pop up everywhere, I thought I’d get in on the game, but take a different route. Recently, my friend Danny Bauer shared the first book he remembered reading as a kid … Continue reading Ten (or Eleven) books that tell the story of my reading life
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Wandering Thoughts
After a day of professional development with my colleagues, we sat in Meeting For Worship to end our day, and as usual, what started as a few random thoughts led to some meaningful reflection. First was a zombie apocalypse. Not … Continue reading Wandering Thoughts
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The Art of Teaching
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. – Maya Angelou (or possibly someone else) If there ever was a quote that represented teaching young … Continue reading The Art of Teaching
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Put the politics and burning shoes aside, an important message is getting lost
So, for now, while shoes burn and talking heads discuss the economics of Nike’s ad, I’ll let my son watch these images as many times as he can, and I will believe in the potential power of those words. Continue reading Put the politics and burning shoes aside, an important message is getting lost
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Who am I being? How many eyes are shining around me?
Why can’t 100% of people be excited about education. Who am I being, how do I talk, how do I walk, if I believe that 100% of people love the power of learning, they just don’t know it yet. Continue reading Who am I being? How many eyes are shining around me?
Courage vs Ego: Am I good enough?
Courage: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty Courage is the willingness to put your self on the line knowing that you might fail. Ego: the self especially as contrasted with another self or … Continue reading Courage vs Ego: Am I good enough?
“I love my feelings!” books of 2019
As I completed my yearly self-imposed reading challenge, I thought it made sense to share a few of my favorites with others. Using GoodReads to log my completed books, the 5 star ratings are helpful, but rarely feel right. When I started writing this set of reviews, they had a similarly traditional feel, but still didn’t feel right. I had to look for inspiration elsewhere and luckily, my three-year-old niece provided. This Christmas, while opening her presents, she exclaimed, “I love my feelings! I love my heart!” I think this is the little kid equivalent of tears of joy. Using … Continue reading “I love my feelings!” books of 2019
2019: My Year in Review
Inspired by Daniel Bauer’s blog post A Powerful Way to Close out the Year, I thought I’d give it a try and write my own year in review using his framework. His first tip says to start with what matters most – my family, my school, me – and it felt like a good place to start. My family Just over a year ago, I hit a low point in terms of work-life balance and it affected my family most. I spent the last day before winter break from school stressed about the balance of working, coaching, and trying to … Continue reading 2019: My Year in Review
Somewhere between art and science is wisdom
On Monday, I take another step on a journey as a different type of educational leader in a leadership program. In preparation for the work with our group, we were asked to read a few books, one of which is … Continue reading Somewhere between art and science is wisdom
The Madness of Being Wrong(ed)
In other words, error in extremis – extremely pure, extremely persistent, or extremely peculiar – becomes insanity. Madness is radical wrongness. Like all equations, this one is reversible. If madness is radical wrongness, being wrong is minor madness. Kathryn Schulz, … Continue reading The Madness of Being Wrong(ed)
I am human: practicing empathy
Each school year, I visit each classroom to introduce, or reintroduce myself to every student. As an administrator, I rarely miss the classroom, but I do miss the personal bond you develop spending 5-7 hours a day with a child. … Continue reading I am human: practicing empathy
Patient Learners – A Tale of Two Kids
This is a reflection on two weekends, two kids, and the importance of context. It is a reminder for me that being a patient learner is critical to success as a parent, teacher, and student. The Soccer Tournament and … Continue reading Patient Learners – A Tale of Two Kids
