Teaching and Learning
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From Zymurgy to Zyzzyvas
Are you a dictionary lover? If so, you enjoy holding the book in your hands while browsing through its pages. You relish the distraction of looking up a word, because you see lots of other cool words along the way. I never mind when students do that; in fact, I encourage it. At their age, I’d visit… Continue reading
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My Mother the Yodeler
“Yodel-ay-hee-hooo!” sang my mother in the car. She had a natural talent for it, learned it as a camp counselor, and once she got going, she’d spin the yodel part like this: Yooooo—de-yo-de-yo-de-yo-de-yo-de-lay-hee-hoooo! After The Sound of Music movie came out, and Julie Andrews sang “The Lonely Goatherd,” it was… Continue reading
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An Education Spring “Why Not?”
Your students take forever to settle down and start the Do Now. Or you wish there was something new to add to that unit on European history. Maybe there’s a certain dullness today that needs a spark. Try an Education Spring Why Not?—a semi-serendipitous drop of shine in your students’ day. They learn something new. It… Continue reading
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Verdi Starts the Day
In one school in which I was principal, I played classical music over the intercom to start every day. It created a happy atmosphere and gave every adult and child something to share. It’s easy to build good connections using pieces from Verdi’s operas, especially when a student says “I know that one!” Integrating music into… Continue reading
Write Away 