I’m coming off the heels of a marvelous bicycle trip on the George S. Mickelson Trail in South Dakota and preparing for another bike trip on the Constitution Trail in Bloomington/Normal Illinois. Both trips are being taken with wonderful people in terrific settings. Both trips require planning, commitment, and a break from routine. Choosing to … [Read more…]
I’m 50 years old… closer to 51 than 50. And at 50 years old, I’m still figuring out who I want to be. I shared this with my dear friend, Kate, over a delightful lunch the other day. I shared with Kate that I heard a line in my audio book where the main character … [Read more…]
The human brain, the most complex organ in the human body, is amazing in more ways than we could ever imagine. I am used to spending time learning about the reading brain. Reading Rockets has put together an excellent resource for understanding the reading brain: What We Know About Reading and the Brain, including this … [Read more…]
One of the qualities I admire in other people is their ability to show up, consistently, in every situation. They show up with the same mood, same affect, same mode of responding. They remain steady, calm, and predictable. I always aspire to be that consistent, steady, and reassuring presence, but often fall short. I’m feeling … [Read more…]
Over the last several weeks, I have had the opportunity to support special education teachers and students at the 7th through 12th grade level. I have learned a ton, and have a ton more to learn! My colleague and dear friend, Rachella, is retiring soon – just four short school days from now. Yikes! Although … [Read more…]
Reflection is likely the number one tool on the road to improvement. Whether one is wanting to improve their wrestling stance, their pitching performance, their teaching practice, or their instructional coaching practice 😉 the ability to honestly reflect on their current state positions one to improve. This point was driven home in a recent Maxwell … [Read more…]
I’ve discovered another Trifecta. I hold a great deal of admiration for Stacy Hurst, Lindsay Kemeny, and Donell Pons, hosts of Reading Horizons Literacy Talks podcast. That admiration led me to title them, “The Trifecta.” As I continue to learn about the science of learning, I’m recognizing another Trifecta: the science of reading, the science … [Read more…]
In January of this year, George Couros wrote a blog post titled, Decoding Digital Deception: A Journey Into AI and Bias. In the post, Couros raises excellent points about the impact our own mindset has as we navigate all of the information at our fingertips. Our personal bias often influences us to choose the information … [Read more…]
A recent episode of the Progressively Incorrect podcast, hosted by Zach Groshell, featuring guest Richard Mayer inspired today’s blogpost. Richard Mayer is “…a distinguished educational psychologist and researcher known worldwide for his groundbreaking contributions to understanding how we learn. Rich brings a wealth of knowledge and a sharp focus on multimedia learning, generative learning, and … [Read more…]
I avoid conflict like the plague. It is not in my nature to seek conflict; it is in my nature to hold hands and sing “Kumbaya.” That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but perhaps illustrates my point. Conflict brings me great anxiety, so I will tip toe around it, which can invariably lead to trouble. … [Read more…]