This year, I decided my mantra would be “Be More Greyhound.” This was my reminder to rest and to play and to find joys in things like walks. It was a reminder that I have the permission to be an introvert. For the last month,…
A decade ago, I watched a local school district purchase hundreds of interactive whiteboards. Hailed as the ultimate solution for student achievement, teachers attended flip chart trainings. The school district purchased packaged curriculum promising huge results. Specialists observed classrooms to see if teachers were implementing…
The future is unpredictable. We know that. So, when we try to design learning experiences that “prepare students for the future,” we have to recognize that we don’t always know what they’ll need. In this article, I explore the counterintuitive reality that the best way…
The Astrodome was a modern miracle, a Space Age wonder, with a glass dome, high-tech air-conditioning, and the world’s biggest scoreboard. When it opened in 1965, reporters dubbed it the “8th Wonder of the World.” This was the future. No more bad weather or quirky…
I keep seeing this meme popping up on social media reminding us that we have barely over a month left in this decade and so we better getting working to accomplish that big goal before the decade ends. I suppose it’s helpful for some people….
In a few days, I get to move into my new office. Next to the whiteboard, there’s a large blank area that would be perfect for a painting. I have a concept of what I’d like to paint. It’s a composite of these two pictures…
When I was in the fifth grade, I kept a journal for class. My teacher would give us fifteen minutes to write whatever we wanted. I pretty much only wrote about baseball — and the Giants, in particular. For me, those fifteen minutes felt like…
Before I went to Hong Kong, people would ask me, “What about the protests?” and I almost always answered with “I hear you can avoid those.” And that statement is absolutely true. The beauty of living in a pluralistic democracy is the freedom to avoid…
I’m sitting at my computer right now clenching my fist. I would love to say that the problem is external – that some outside person is getting in the way of my creative work. I’d love to say that I just don’t have enough time…
When we think about creativity and innovation, the words “humor” and “goofiness” don’t typically come to mind. But I’d argue that this is a critical piece of what it means to cultivate a climate of creativity. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy this blog…
