Students adrift: Japanese phenomenon offers insights on inertia
Why do some students seem to simply not care? I am not necessarily referring to those that are disrespectful or defiant. As frustrating as such students can be, in many ways, their behaviors are often explicable.
January 27, 2010: SeattlePostIntelligencer.com
Redefining Survival of the Fittest
There are many recognizable phrases that describe our common American experience. United we stand. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Land of the free, home of the brave. You might be hard-pressed, however, to find a single phrase that more succinctly describes our American ethos than "survival of the fittest."
There are many recognizable phrases that describe our common American experience. United we stand. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Land of the free, home of the brave. You might be hard-pressed, however, to find a single phrase that more succinctly describes our American ethos than "survival of the fittest."
January 23, 2010: Oregonlive.com
America's 'three-party system'
My first involvement in grassroots politics occurred almost 20 years ago during the presidential campaign of 1992. My initial allegiance was neither for Bill Clinton or George H.W. Bush -- I chose to organize for Ross Perot. I felt a personal connection with him because only one year earlier, he had thoroughly roused my patriotic spirit in a keynote speech to my college graduating class.
My first involvement in grassroots politics occurred almost 20 years ago during the presidential campaign of 1992. My initial allegiance was neither for Bill Clinton or George H.W. Bush -- I chose to organize for Ross Perot. I felt a personal connection with him because only one year earlier, he had thoroughly roused my patriotic spirit in a keynote speech to my college graduating class.
December 27, 2009: the Oregonian
No grading system nurtures a child
In my teaching career, I've sent home over a thousand report cards. In fact, it didn't take but a handful of years of recording and tabulating grades before the whole process became fairly routine and standard.
In my teaching career, I've sent home over a thousand report cards. In fact, it didn't take but a handful of years of recording and tabulating grades before the whole process became fairly routine and standard.
September 10, 2009: the Portland Tribune
Keep your child headed in the right direction
As much as we love our children, there’s a part of every parent that can’t help but celebrate the end of summer vacation and the return of the school year (parents of kindergarteners excepted). But as we quickly find out, the normalcy of the school year also brings with it its usual perils.
As much as we love our children, there’s a part of every parent that can’t help but celebrate the end of summer vacation and the return of the school year (parents of kindergarteners excepted). But as we quickly find out, the normalcy of the school year also brings with it its usual perils.
August 9, 2009: the Oregonian
School quality depends on societal forces, not teachers
Throughout my 10-year teaching career I have seen districts large and small, urban and suburban, above average and utterly dysfunctional. I have also spent hundreds of hours in other teachers' classrooms, and so I feel I am qualified to say the following: High-performing schools (and districts) get far too much credit for what they do, and low-performing schools get far too much blame.
Throughout my 10-year teaching career I have seen districts large and small, urban and suburban, above average and utterly dysfunctional. I have also spent hundreds of hours in other teachers' classrooms, and so I feel I am qualified to say the following: High-performing schools (and districts) get far too much credit for what they do, and low-performing schools get far too much blame.
June 27, 2008: Institute for International Studies and Training
How a Small Town Taught Me to Dream Big
Since returning home from this year’s IEJ program, I’ve re-dedicated myself to studying Japanese. And so when I came across an award-winning Japanese book, written in Japanese by an American, I thought that it would be a quality piece of Japanese literature that would be readable (given my proficient, but limited reading skills), but also enriching and challenging. In this book, translated into English and published under the title “Lost Japan”, the author Alex Kerr writes that in his travels to the Iya Valley in Shikoku he finally found the answer to the question of whether Japan was the kind of country where he would like to live. In returning to Japan for the first time in 15 years, I too found myself having this exact experience.
Since returning home from this year’s IEJ program, I’ve re-dedicated myself to studying Japanese. And so when I came across an award-winning Japanese book, written in Japanese by an American, I thought that it would be a quality piece of Japanese literature that would be readable (given my proficient, but limited reading skills), but also enriching and challenging. In this book, translated into English and published under the title “Lost Japan”, the author Alex Kerr writes that in his travels to the Iya Valley in Shikoku he finally found the answer to the question of whether Japan was the kind of country where he would like to live. In returning to Japan for the first time in 15 years, I too found myself having this exact experience.
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