21 Apr 2018
My Search For Meaning

My Search For Meaning

I started a book club in March!  This was one of the first reads, 'Mans Search For Meaning.' I share the things that made me thing, that I connected to, and the mindsets I hope to also maintain. https://youtu.be/HZWIMRbMrzs For the April book club: Ready Player One - https://amzn.to/2GYy9LL  When - https://amzn.to/2Ikpzq9
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01 Nov 2017

Post 09 – Books That Have Influenced My Teaching

This week's prompt: What books/resources have had the biggest influence on your teaching practice? I talked a little bit about this in a Q&A video I did this summer.  The part on books starts at 3:13 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xEHtlY18nk If you don't want to watch the video, I talked about The First Days of School by Harry Wong (classroom culture and management), Principles To Action by the NCTM (math pedagogy book), and The One World Schoolhouse by Sal Khan (education reform). A month or so after I made this video I realized I hadn't talked about my biggest influence as a teacher,…
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06 Apr 2017
Which Tools of Titans I Plan To Use

Which Tools of Titans I Plan To Use

I recently finished reading Tim Ferriss' Tools of Titans.  Ferriss is known for a lot (books, podcasts, investing, etc) but what I appreciate most about him is that he's mastered the art of learning things in record time.  He even spoke at the SXSW Education conference this year.  I'll admit that I've drank Tim Ferriss kool-aid; listen to just about all his podcasts, have read a few of his books, and dig his weekly newsletters.  He also popularized the slow-carb diet which I started back in 2015 and it has no longer become a 'diet' but just the way I eat now. Tools…
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21 Jan 2017
What I Learned From the Daily Rituals of 161 Inspiring Minds

What I Learned From the Daily Rituals of 161 Inspiring Minds

Recently finished up Daily Rituals by Mason Currey, per Tim Ferriss's recommendation.  The book explores the routines and habits of many great novelists, poets, artists, philosophers, scientists, musicians, and mathematicians.  When did they work?  How did they work?  How did they take their coffee?  What role did 'inspiration' or 'motivation' play?  What did their social lives look like (if they had one)? I have always been fascinated by the process of work, sometimes more so than the final product.  I remember when DVD's were first coming out, I was so into the 'behind-the-scenes' and was usually the only one in…
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03 Aug 2016
A Teacher’s Reflection on ‘Better’ by Atul Gawande

A Teacher’s Reflection on ‘Better’ by Atul Gawande

Our staff summer reading this year is 'Better' by Atul Gawande.  Seemed like an odd choice for summer read for teachers but the general premise of the book is practical for any profession: What does it take to be good at something where failure is so easy? I love books like this AND Sara is a pediatrician so I was excited to get a peek into that world.   Gawande broke the book up into three sections: Diligence, Doing Right, and Ingenuity. DILIGENCE He discussed a situation of malnutrition in Vietnam and the efforts that went into trying to fix it.…
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