The more you become a connoisseur of gratitude, the less you are a victim of resentment, depression, and despair. Gratitude will act as an elixir that will gradually dissolve the hard shell of your ego--your need to possess and control--and transform you into generous being. The sense of gratitude produces true spiritual alchemy; makes us … Continue reading Gratitude Gets You (almost) Everything
Category: Professional
A Eulogy (of sorts)
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.Dr. Seuss During a recent coaching session, it became clear to me that even though I said 'goodbye' to my old teaching position (choosing not to return after my personal leave), there was still a lingering feeling in my body. And then it landed. While I had … Continue reading A Eulogy (of sorts)
No, It’s Not Depression, It’s Languishing
You’re not depressed; you still have hope. You’re not burned out; you still have energy. But, you feel a little bit aimless and a little bit joyless. It’s that sense of emptiness and stagnation—like you’re in a void or you’re looking at the world through a foggy windshield.Adam Grant Recently, a wise colleague directed me … Continue reading No, It’s Not Depression, It’s Languishing
A Shift: A Personal Mission Statement That I Didn’t Think I Had
Change is hard because people overestimate the value of what they have and underestimate the value of what they may gain by giving that up.James Belasco & Ralph Stayer I am here. Here I am. Here is a point in my professional life when, where, and how I decide to move it forward. A transitional, … Continue reading A Shift: A Personal Mission Statement That I Didn’t Think I Had
Core Practice #2: Courage
Fear will always be triggered by your creativity because creativity asks you to enter into realms of uncertain outcome, and fear hates uncertain outcome.Elizabeth Gilbert My journey of exploring our school core practices continues with reflecting how courage plays an elemental role in my daily professional practice. While the etymology of courage seems quite straightforward: … Continue reading Core Practice #2: Courage
Aspiring Leaders (to the rescue)
If we want people to fully show up, to bring their whole selves including their unarmored, whole hearts—so that we can innovate, solve problems, and serve people—we have to be vigilant about creating a culture in which people feel safe, seen, heard, and respected.Brene Brown, Dare to Lead Admittedly, I have had a rocky relationship … Continue reading Aspiring Leaders (to the rescue)
How Learning Happens: My Summer Learning
Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly—they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.Aldous Huxley A colleague recently showed me a book that landed on her recommended list on Amazon: How Learning Happens: Seminal Works in Educational Psychology and What They Mean in Practice by Paul A. Kirschner, Emeritus Professor of … Continue reading How Learning Happens: My Summer Learning
A ‘Community of Truth’ In a Time of Uncertainty (Part 1)
Well, it looks like the gears are in motion for plans to have staff (and eventually students) return to school buildings this week. Admittedly, the announcement from our school administrator indicated that we should be ready for such an occurrence in "May/June" triggered a deep visceral reaction within. My sudden angst was augmented by the … Continue reading A ‘Community of Truth’ In a Time of Uncertainty (Part 1)
A Healthy Professional Balance
Any political agenda and organization which doesn't begin with personal responsibility is just half the argument. It's just not going to succeed. ~Peter Coyote I have an admission... For years I complained publicly and privately that our school district was not doing enough to support its teachers. Past professional learning opportunities included sponsoring a $10 … Continue reading A Healthy Professional Balance
Cynefin: Learning to Live with/in Complicated/Complexity
We are glorious accidents of an unpredictable process with no drive to complexity, not the expected results of evolutionary principles that yearn to produce a creature capable of understanding the mode of its own necessary construction. ~ Stephen Jay Gould A respected colleague recently introduced me David Snowden's Cynefin (ku-nev-in) model. The framework itself appears holds … Continue reading Cynefin: Learning to Live with/in Complicated/Complexity
GETTING CURIOUS 