Tag: Relationships

Circle It Up: All in the Name of Community

It's not foreign for me to be talking about my problems in circles. ~Matthew Perry As a part of our re-visioning for a newly expanded middle years program (grades 7-9), we made it essential that we could have a designated space for a twice-a-day circle to fit 49 students, five staff members, and room for … Continue reading Circle It Up: All in the Name of Community →

Talking Porn With Our Teens Benefits Everyone

Sex education has to do with what's in people's head. ~Donna Shalala I recently came across this TEDxTalk by public health researcher and advocate, Emily Rothman. I watched it a couple of times while fully digesting the power of what she was advocating: use porn as a pretext/context to have discussions with teens about healthy … Continue reading Talking Porn With Our Teens Benefits Everyone →

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 →

The Ideal Parenting Myth…Busted?

I don't know what is more exhausting about parenting: the getting up early or acting like you know what you're doing. ~Jim Gaffigan, actor & comedian Journalist Micheal Brown shared the research of Shannon Pynn of the University of Alberta. Pynn, a PhD student, recently demonstrated how social media might alter what she and her team label … Continue reading The Ideal Parenting Myth…Busted? →

Off And Running: Random Thoughts To Start Another Year

You. Got. This. Three important words that I bring back into my consciousness each and every September. My mantra, of sorts. As a begin the second year in a new assignment I am committed showing up open, clear, and curious for myself, my students, and our learning journey together. A New Adventure! Speaking of a … Continue reading Off And Running: Random Thoughts To Start Another Year →

Parenting A Teenager? Try This One

When your children are teenagers, it's important to have a dog so that someone in the house is happy to see you.   ~Nora Ephron Close family and friends will know that I say often this: My teenager has been, far away, the greatest teacher in my life. I have learned more about myself as a parent, … Continue reading Parenting A Teenager? Try This One →

Hi…Remember Me?

I don't have any sentimental notion about how people are going to remember me. ~Billy Corgan, musician/songwriter Summertime. A time for rest and rejuvenation. A time to be out and about in our small, three-degrees-of-separation community. More time spent in local shops. More time visiting our local nature haunts, camping nooks, and hiking spots. More … Continue reading Hi…Remember Me? →

They?…I Think: The Beauty of Empathy

They? He? She? With the latest round of learning reports (aka report cards) completed and another year in the books, a colleague and I reflected on our reporting of learning to our students this year. A common thing that came flashing back was the use of pronouns in our reports. We started using "They" as … Continue reading They?…I Think: The Beauty of Empathy →

Letting Kids Be…[kids]: Reflections to Responses

With the tent now dried out and put away, I have had an opportunity to reflect back on a recent three-day retreat outing with forty-eight middle school students earlier this month. I know what you are thinking...? My response to that question is for another post. Smack dab in the cross-hairs of my reflections have … Continue reading Letting Kids Be…[kids]: Reflections to Responses →