Thinking and Seeing for Better Being
The Great Vine Conundrum (or, Why I’m Just a Stick) Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) This is deeply profound—and also highly inconvenient when I’d rather rely on my own strength. Because... Continue Reading →
Daily writing promptWrite about your dream home.View all responses There is a place I dream of—part homestead, part sanctuary, part Rivendell. It is a home, but more than that, it is a gathering place, a refuge, a place where ideas, stories, and meals are shared in equal abundance. At the heart of this dream is... Continue Reading →
Are there any activities or hobbies you've outgrown or lost interest in over time? Experimental Journies Stage 1: The Collector (Ages 5-12)As a kid, I collected everything. Coins, stamps, comic books, and various other treasures that seemed vitally important at the time. I was convinced my stamp collection would one day fund a life of... Continue Reading →
I have an existential map. It has “You are here” written all over it. – Steven Wright In teaching, as in life, we often find ourselves circling back to the same truths, just seen from different angles. Some students embrace this repetition. Others, like one particularly insightful sixth-grader of mine, simply step out into the... Continue Reading →
Daily writing promptDo you need a break? From what?View all responses Finding Freedom (and Humor) in a System That Loves Boxes Do I need a break? Maybe… but not from work—just from the mindset that tells me to stay in the box, and color inside the lines. Education systems love standardization, yet they claim to... Continue Reading →
The most important invention in your lifetime is... From Rotaries to Thought Transmissions: A Whirlwind History of Communication In 1962, if you wanted to talk to someone, you had two choices: call them on a rotary phone or show up at their door and hope they were home. Long-distance calls cost a fortune, so people... Continue Reading →
Curiosity as the Spark: How Real-World Encounters Transform LearningThere was a moment early in my teaching career when I found myself standing on a chair, passionately preaching to my students about taking ownership of their education. “Don’t be like a dog trained to sit, stay, and shake for a treat,” I told them. “Your education... Continue Reading →
Describe your most ideal day from beginning to end. A Life-Giving Rhythm of Making, Sharing, and Learning There’s a fine line between comfort and complacency. The aggressive pursuit of ease is, I’ve found, a fast track to old age. So an ideal day—one that leaves me feeling alive rather than merely sustained—begins with movement. A... Continue Reading →
Daily writing promptSomething on your "to-do list" that never gets done.View all responses My Bins Will Outlive Me – A Legacy of Stuff No One Asked For I am not a hoarder. I just have…bins. Bins full of things I once deemed important enough to keep but not important enough to actually deal with. Papers,... Continue Reading →
What Do I Have to Do to Get an A? Grading art is absurd. How do you put a letter on creativity? How do you tell a student their work is a B+ when, in reality, it’s either an A for effort or a silent scream for help? And yet, grades must be given, rubrics... Continue Reading →
Forming 2.0 