Matt’s blog about people, culture, & impact.
The Case for Curiosity
If you have a strong desire to know something, it’s much like any other strong desire humans have – the desire to eat, to drink, to breath. Once that desire takes place, there’s no obstacle that’s too large. It’s curious then, that not one single teacher preparation program has a course on curiosity. It’s curious…
9 Quotes About Discovery
Yesterday’s post with the quote from da Vinci inspired today’s post about discover. Sometimes the best moments, and the best learning, happen as discoveries. So here are 9 quotes about discovery. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” ― Mahatma Gandhi “The real voyage of discovery consists…
Sometimes Learning is Painful, A Quote from da Vinci
“Learning never exhausts the mind.” – Leonardo da Vinci It’s true. Just like an hour of play, learning doesn’t wear us down. It invigorates, it energizes, and it enthralls us. Except for when it doesn’t. Remember that time when you went too fast on your bike and learned a lesson about inertia? That wasn’t energizing. Remember…
When the Wind Blows
When the wind blows, like really blows, and you’re in a boat, you have two options – go back in or head out away land. Option 1 has the dangers of strong currents pushing you into the shore or into structures. Option 2 helps you avoid the danger of land but introduces the danger of…
When Holding Back is a Mistake
Sometimes it’s timidity, sometimes fear. Occasionally it’s lack of skill, and usually it’s just trying to be nice – trying to maintain relationships. Because relationships matter, as you well know. That’s why Dr. TJ Vari and Dr. Joseph Jones are targeting 9 traps of giving feedback – traps that damage professional relationships. In this video…
Masterclass Is Now Open!
This is a limited seating professional learning opportunity. It’s a Masterclass from Principals’ Seminar featuring authors, superintendents, and educational leaders TJ Vari and Joseph Jones. You should consider registering. Here’s why. Compassionate Candor Creates Success You have audacious goals. But the reality is – you’re never going to accomplish them without mastering the craft of…
With Feedback, Less is More
As with most things, less is more. This is especially true with communication, but not less quantity of communication (redundancy is good). Less words is more effective. Think of this. Your communication includes numerous aspects beyond words: Eye contact Body language Attitude The delivery Listening (not just to the positive parts) Tone of voice What…
No One Can Help You
In yesterday’s post we looked at the quote that tied willingness to learn to helplessness. Essentially, without the will to learn, no one can help you. It sounds logical. You know the old saying, you can lead a horse to water… But it’s only half true. Yes, if you’re delivering a mandated curriculum in a…
If you are not willing…
If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you’re determined to learn no one can stop you. ??? I’m not sure who said this originally. Often it’s attributed to Zig Ziglar but can’t verify it. Either way, it’s true. Determination is more valuable than curriculum. Determination is more valuable than…
Characteristics of Evergreen Videos
Whether you’re making your own or trying to find a good evergreen video for to communicate your message, here are 6 characteristics to look for: Scalable. An evergreen video can be made by one person, a YouTuber, a teacher, an author, and be used by thousands of learner each day. Short. Relative to the concept…
9 Tips for Evergreen Videos in Virtual Learning
They seem to be timeless, those videos of some of the world’s best teachers: Bob Ross at the canvas, Sal Khan teaching polynomials on his blackboard, and Bill Nye presenting scientific concepts like the one below. Let’s talk strategic pedagogy for a bit. Here are nine quick tips. When To Use Evergreen Videos Introducing a…
Pitfalls of Asynchronous Learning
Just so we’re on the same page, virtual learning environments and micro schools are the future of learning. That said, we currently face several pitfalls of asynchronous learning: We feel less accountable There is less accountability (this is a distinct from “feeling” accountable) In mandated courses, engagement will waiver and is difficult to assess Teachers…
Why Results Aren’t the End Result
Point A: Teach someone how to do something. Point Z: Expect them to get results. Everything A-Z looks like failure because that’s the learning curve – that’s where growth happens. That’s also where mistakes and failure occur. This is why results aren’t the end result. Instead, the growth and discovery process should be the end…
The Psychology of a Landscape Scale Crisis
In yesterday’s post, I posited that a landscape scale crisis brings us the gift of a compass. But that’s not the whole story. In fact, there’s a psychology behind such a crisis that needs addressing. In the early days of COVID-19, it seemed like the right time for school leaders to put their heads down…
Landscape Scale Crisis
We’ve lived and worked in a landscape scale crisis – COVID 19. No matter where you are in Earth, you’ve been affected. Shutdowns, disinformation, threat of contracting, and unfortunately, human loss. A landscape scale crisis has the effect of changing how we work, create, and lead. It also has a keen way of giving us…
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