Babe Ruth wants to tell you one thing that could affect what you achieve.

I had a very nice day this past week. After presenting my civics classes detailed pie charts on federal revenue and spending, I formed them into groups to balance the budget. I didn't know how it would go; whether they would "get" it, or think it was dumb, but it went great.

Hearing them argue within their groups, seeing them bust out their calculators to do the math, hearing their frustration over why the real Congress can't just cooperate, hearing their ideas of how they would balance the budget . . .  a very good day for thinking and collaboration here on the shores of Lake Michigan. I'm glad I tried it. I learned some things to do better next year, too.

Here's what Babe Ruth had to say about taking a chance on something new: "Never let the fear of striking out get in your way."

David Lloyd George offers you this, if you're pondering a decision.

I am a cautious person, but several times I have taken a big risk and enjoyed the payoff. One was motivated by hearing our chorus sing Garth Brooks' "The River" at commencement. "I'll never reach my destination if I never try. . . "

So here is a thought that might have some meaning for you this week:

Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated; you can't cross a chasm in two small jumps.

~ David Lloyd George

You're planting seeds. Good job!

If we do not plant knowledge when young, it will give us no shade when we are old.

~ Lord Chesterfield

Have fun, O gardener.

"AARGH -- change!!"

My head is swimming from all the new technology we have, and room changing, and construction, and a new course and, and . . .


(I have three remotes, now, plus my old, beloved wireless mouse!)

Change happens. The cheese gets moved. So you can cry or pull your hair out (I would have, several times, had I any), or try to adapt as well as you can and keep pressing on to the prize of helping young people become more able.  Alan Cohen offered me this anonymous inspiration this morning via email:


Resolve to evolve.


I so resolve. Though I can't totally guarantee you won't see one or two tufts of hair on my classroom floor along the way.

If you feel like collapsing, it's for a good reason . . .

"Ideal teachers are those who use themselves as bridges 
over which they invite their students to cross, 
then having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, 
encouraging them to create bridges of their own." 
~ Nikos Kazantzakis

Whoops! Now ad-free again!

I was experimenting with how ads would look (bad!) on this blog and they got left up longer than I thought, so my apologies for inflicting them on you. I make no money off this here endeavor, and I don't want to mess with that karma. MAYbe you'll see a couple specific ad-links to Amazon in the future, but that would be for specific resources I think are good.

Peace. And enjoy the funny ad at left.

Back to Work! And Some Encouragement.

It has been a very discombobulated start for me, thanks to construction and a new course to teach. It's US Government and Economics; showing news clips of the Occupy Wall Street folks has already resulted in a parent phone call saying his daughter had come home sounding like a miniature Hugo Chavez. Great. I showed news clips of several Republican debates too. She forgot to mention that, I guess.

Teachers of the world, unite.

The school year is well under way, the bloom is off the rose, and perhaps you, like me, need some encouragement now.

You are a torchbearer, an enlightener, attempting to lead people to be more competent adults composing an enlightened society. Often it feels like remediation, trying to undo lack of parenting and a culture of loud stupidity.

Take heart.

"We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own."  ~ Ben Sweetland