Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a “list” person. When it comes to birthdays, Christmas, or other special occasions, when people ask me what I want, I intentionally, and thoughtfully, make a list of the things I would like. This list is not a guidepost pointing to other items I want. Rather, it contains the exact gifts I would like. This is the reason I make the list. As harsh as it sounds, I’m not interested in spontaneous, random, or “I thought you’d really like this” gifts. I don’t want an off-lister. If received, the likelihood of me returning it is extremely high...
“With a Little Help from My Friends” is one of my favorite songs. Though John Lennon and Paul McCartney originally wrote it, I prefer Joe Cocker’s version...
Several months ago, I volunteered in my friend's 3rd grade classroom. The morning began with ant colony-like precision as students made their way to their seats, pulled out their books, and started working. Before beginning the first lesson, my friend led his students in a Q & A session of the following classroom rules...
I recently discovered that I don’t know the difference between perfection and excellence. To quote Brene Brown again, this has caused a spiritual awakening...
“Watching great people do what you love is a good way to start learning how to do it yourself.”
—Amy Poehler, Yes Please
The first night of class, I tell my students the following:
“Take ownership of your education. You’re responsible for asking questions if you don’t understand; you’re responsible for reading the syllabus; you’re responsible for submitting your assignments on time. You are very fortunate to be here pursuing higher education. Only 33.5% of Americans have a college degree[1], and only 6.7% of the world’s population holds a college degree[2].”
While this might seem harsh, intense, or a bit soapbox-ish, the goal is to instill responsibility into students, and let them know that education is a privilege...
