Monthly Archives: February 2016

“You won’t find 76 trombones in this poem (that was Iowa)…”

This is the first line in the “Unofficial Missouri Poem” written by William Trowbridge, his state’s Poet Laureate. A recording of his reading of this poem includes laughter from the audience in 15 places. How refreshing! With the exception of … Continue reading

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“It’s interesting, the secrets you decide to reveal at the end of your life.”

Until Randy Pausch got on stage at Carnegie Mellon University to deliver his now-famous “Last Lecture,” he hadn’t told students or colleagues that Carnegie Mellon had initially rejected his application to go to graduate school there; it was only after … Continue reading

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“Looking for goshawks is like looking for grace: it comes, but not often, and you don’t get to say when or how. “

Simultaneously a “breathtaking memoir” and a “small instant classic of nature writing,” this book juggles multiple themes and techniques. One often-used technique is metaphor: we meet a fellow who is as “serene as a mid-ocean wave” and see the deer … Continue reading

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“While methods vary, the best teachers often try to create what we have come to call a ‘natural critical learning environment.’”

Instead of answering the question “What method of teaching works best?” Ken Bain explores “What environment supports deep learning most successfully?” In the best environments, he argues, students try to solve problems they find intriguing, beautiful or important; they feel … Continue reading

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