Blog - Page 6 of 8 - Perspective Shift

The Work Will Always Be There; What Changes Everything is The Lens You Bring to it.

We are in Germany visiting Sabrina, our Exchange Student back when she was in high school, and her family for a wedding. It’s been beautiful weather and a wonderful time visiting and sharing lives with this family. Yet, it’s still August, and the familiar feelings still arise. August always carried a strange rhythm […]

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Seasons of the Soul: How Nature Mirrors Our Inner World

Reflection, Teaching / Dave

I was watching the dog the other morning, coffee in hand, when a breeze carried that faint, unmistakable hint of change in the air. The light was softer, the edges of the leaves just beginning to blush toward autumn. And it struck me: this wasn’t just the season outside shifting — it was my own

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Teaching Through a Fresh Window

Psychology, Teaching / Dave

I know in my current posts I’m focusing a lot on teachers and reframing their thoughts, but it’s August and I know teachers are getting ready. The way a teacher sees their work, their students, and themselves—especially at the start of the school year—shapes their energy, effectiveness, and joy more than the physical preparations they

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What I Wish I Knew Then: Back-to-School Wisdom from a Retired Teacher

Education, Reflection / Dave

A peaceful, morning-lit workspace, inviting reflection and prep—perfect for grounding yourself before the classroom day begins.

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The Wisdom of the River: Listening Before the Year Begins

Education, Psychology / Dave

“A river does not resist. It flows. It yields to what is, and in doing so, carves canyons.” As August ripens, there’s a subtle change in the air—slightly shorter days, the occasional golden leaf, a hush between summer’s brightness and fall’s urgency. For years, this was the time I’d start to turn inward again, anticipating

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Sacred Space on the Highway: What the Road Taught Me About Teaching and Letting Go

Education, Psychology, Teaching / Dave

My wife, Kelli, and nephew, Gavin, and I drove to Florida the other day. We drove the 17 hours switching off and on, the kind of trip that stretches your patience as much as your mileage. The open road always has a way of slowing you down, even when traffic isn’t. There were stretches of

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The best back-to-school prep doesn’t start with a seating chart or classroom theme. It starts in the quiet moments.

Reconnecting to Your Why: Preparing the Heart, Not Just the Classroom

Psychology, Reflection, Teaching / Dave

areI. A Slow Exhale Before the Rush It starts quietly—an aisle at Target filled with bins of crayons and colorful planners. A newsletter in the inbox. A few friends texting about bulletin board ideas. And suddenly, summer begins to tighten into structure. I remember that shift so well. Even in retirement, I still feel

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Aging Gracefully: What It Really Means to Expand Instead of Shrink

Psychology, Reflection / Dave

A recent experience got me thinking about aging. The other morning I went in for a tooth extraction. This is the second one I’ve had. The first went extremely well and healed up very nicely. Still, as I drove in, I noticed I was anxious and worried about the experience. As I prayed for calmness,

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Looking Back to See Ourselves Anew: How Reflection Reframes Identity

Psychology, Reflection / Dave

“We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.”— John Dewey As we grow older, we begin to realize that reflection isn’t just a luxury — it’s a necessity. It’s how we make sense of life’s many chapters. But more than that, it’s how we come to see ourselves with new

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Sweetened and Stalled: How Sugar Shapes Our Children’s Minds

1 Comment / Education / Dave

Exploring the link between breakfast, brain function, and what we overlook in plain sight. Introduction After getting home from the NEA RA in Portland and our relaxing three days in Seaside and Cannon Beach on the coast, we found NO food in the house! Of course, it took us days to deplete the

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