My uncle, whom I quote all the time on this blog, has a saying that he shares with those who are uncertain about the future.

He says, “Do the next right thing. And when you don’t know the next right thing, do the next thing right.”

This solves a lot of problems. There are so many times that I’ve been unsettled and listless only to realize that I was making life way more complicated than it needed to be. All I needed to do was drive safely to my destination, slice this tomato evenly, or fold this towel.

Read More

Over the years, some of my students have affectionately called me the “dream crusher.”

I don’t mean to tell kids they can’t do things. As a matter of fact, I believe so strongly in my students’ ability to achieve their dream that I want to help them to separate fantasy from reality and get clear on what’s actually possible.

Read More

People love to tell other people that they need to get out of their comfort zone.

It's all over the content and comments in musicians’ circles online: To get better, you've got to push yourself to constantly play harder stuff, play when you don't want to, challenge yourself to get onstage, play with musicians who are better than you are, and so on.

Read More

The other day, a student, April, came to me in tears.

She had had an unpleasant interaction with another student during Discretionary Time, which is the period in which students can work on the assignments and projects of their choice.

The other student told April to do her work, and April did not like that.

"I just feel so mad!" she said. "I want to go home."

Read More

When I was in fourth grade, a teacher asked me how I felt about writing.

“I don’t like it,” I said. “It makes my hands hurt.”

She went on to explain that what she meant by writing was not the physical act of marking the page, but “making up stories.” This, I liked just fine.

I think of this conversation often for two reasons. First, it reminds me that my students don’t necessarily see the world the way I do. They may even have a different definition of the words we’re using.

And second, it gives me an opportunity to consider a student’s perspective on writing, specifically. Even if they understand that by writing, we mean composition and not transcription, could they still be working from a limited definition?

Read More