Reclaiming the wonder we once carried so naturally. This weekend our ex-roommate, Ryan, his girlfriend, Ash, and their three kids spent the weekend with us. I spent part of the evening lying on the floor with Way, the preschooler, and Rho, the first grader. We are playing with a massive amount of Legos! I […]
Little Scientists, Big Lessons: What Children Can Teach Us About Curiosity Read More »
…and What I’m Still Learning I was chatting with a past student/teacher/friend the other evening over a scotch (me) and beer (him) about life problems, and he said something that triggered some thoughts. He said, “I don’t know how to let go”, and I realized that “letting go” is a theme that may run
What Teaching Taught Me About Letting Go Read More »
In 1998, psychologists Daniel Simons and Daniel Levin conducted a fascinating experiment now known as The Door Study. A stranger approached someone to ask for directions. Mid-conversation, two people carrying a large door walked between them, momentarily obstructing the view. Behind the door, the original questioner quietly swapped places with someone entirely different. Remarkably, many
Do You See Me? Attention, Encouragement, and the Power of Presence Read More »
It’s Sunday, so I wax a bit spiritually today. It’s okay. I’m a rather strong Christian finding peace and strength in our beliefs. This post may not resonate with you and that’s okay. Take it in and let yourself wonder. For most of my life, I’ve seen spirituality as one part of
More Than a Thread — Letting Spirituality Become the Lens Read More »
In 1999, psychologists Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris conducted a study that’s now legendary in psychology circles—and in every intro psych class I’ve ever taught. In the experiment, participants watch a short video and are asked to count how many times a basketball is passed between players wearing white. Most people focus in, count
What Are We Missing? Lessons from the Invisible Gorilla Read More »
There’s something about water that resets the soul. I recently spent a day in Lewes, Delaware, riding a pontoon boat with friends and family—including five lively children! You’d think it might have been chaotic, but somehow it wasn’t. The rhythm of the waves, the sun glinting off the water, and the laughter drifting across the
On the Water: A Day in Lewes and the Gift of Renewal Read More »
There’s a particular kind of learning that can’t be found in a book or lecture—it happens somewhere between airports and unfamiliar sidewalks, between new languages and different rhythms of daily life. It’s the kind of learning that sneaks up on you, shifts your assumptions, and leaves you seeing everything—including yourself—with new eyes. I recently
Traveling Light: How Movement Changes the Mind Read More »
As this is a season of graduations, retirements, and the closing of another academic year, I’ve been thinking about how these milestones shift our perspective on life. There’s something poetic about the way these transitions land in the middle of spring. The school year wraps up just as the trees are in bloom, gardens
Endings, Growth, and the Seasons of Perspective Read More »
There’s a verse I’ve returned to often in times of change—when life feels uncertain, when the way forward is unclear, and when I’ve felt the weight of responsibility pressing heavily on my shoulders: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”— 2 Chronicles 20:15
The Battle Is Not Yours: On Letting Go and Trusting the Next Chapter Read More »
When I first stepped into the classroom, I was full of energy, armed with lesson plans and an idealistic sense of control. I had a strong grasp of my subject matter and a clear sense of how things should go. Back then, I thought of teaching as primarily delivering content—and managing behavior. With time, and
Teaching through the Decades: How Aging has Impacted my Teaching Read More »
