Less, but better. –Dieter Rams “Dieter Rams (born 20 May 1932 in Wiesbaden, Hessen) is a German industrial designer closely associated with the consumer products company Braun and the functionalist school of industrial design. Rams was strongly influenced by the presence of his grandfather, a carpenter. Rams once explained his design approach in the phrase ‘Weniger, …
It happens all the time. I’m sitting at the table with a teacher working on lesson planning or adjusting intervention based on new data. We consider options for instruction and the teacher will at some point say, “I know my principal (or the district, or the team lead) wants me to do _________________, but I …
A couple of years ago, I attended a day-long session facilitated by Jim Knight on using video as a tool for instructional coaching. Jim started the day with his Partnership Principles. I was equally inspired and mortified. I was inspired to learn more about how I can strengthen the partnerships with teachers I support, but …
Lucy: “I’m so excited it’s Valentines Day and we have a party later.” Me: “Wow, you’re dressed up for Valentines Day today with a glittery pink T-shirt and your pink fingernail polish with glitter matches your shirt!” Lucy: “I am. My mom woke me up early this morning and she told me to come to …
Many a parent or guardian has experienced it. The repeated demands from a tiny tyrant to read a beloved book. Beloved by the child. Most likely not so beloved by the adult—after having read it a bazillion times. That one practice alone (repeatedly reading the same book over and over again) does more to promote …
When our daughter, Paige, was five she fell while standing on a chair. She hit her head and was unconscious for what I’m sure was only a few minutes, but to this newb parent it felt like an eternity. We were living in Austria at the time and our pediatrician had practiced in America for …
“I wish I had known that last year,” whispered Imena. Seated between Imena and Adi in the back of their 3rd grade classroom, after listening to their teacher read Rough Face Girl, I asked what life lessons they were considering. Imena said, “The lesson I take from Rough Face Girl is to be strong in …
I’m not one of the those people who possesses the natural ability to learn another language. We lived in Austria for seven years back in the late 80s-early 90s. I’d taken two years of German in high school and two years at the university level and I still embarrassed myself on a fairly regular basis …
I’m dating myself, I know, but years ago when I read Ellin Keene’s Mosaic of Thought (1st edition) and she included Billy Collins poem, First Reader, I had a moment. A really nostalgic moment. A sobering moment. “…forgetting how to look, learning how to read.” First Reader I can see them standing politely on the …
Most of my teacher friends here in Texas are headed back to school sometime this week. There’s a lot of excitement mixed with a little dread. And that’s completely understandable. Before the name tags are printed and the bulletin boards are perfected, please take a few minutes to be as nurturing to yourself as you …
