school systems wellbeing
I've always been fascinated by the scale and complexity of institutions and bewildered by their inefficiency. Below is a short essay I wrote two years ago, comparing gun control reform in Australia to that in the United States, while completing a master's degree in public policy. My thinking has evolved quite a bit since then,… Continue reading Reinventing institutions: The case of gun control
Author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s popular TED Talk on ‘the danger of the single story’ is a wonderful reminder to always remain open to diverse perspectives and to practice different ways of seeing and feeling. Most of us take for granted that subjectivity is a constant feature of our complex and interconnected world. But how can… Continue reading An ecosystem of understanding
When we read we cultivate an inner-voice to make meaning, comprehend and engage with the text. The mind of a proficient reader will often fire with connections when reading a text that challenges and engages. At a major climax, their inner voice will be full of excitement. They will sometimes need to pause, re-read and… Continue reading Mindsets, inner-voice and literacy learning
I have been reading lately about positive education and feel pulled to integrate its ideas and theories into my practice. Recently, in my junior English class, we watched the film Inside Out: a spirited Pixar animation that playfully explores the emotional tensions experienced in adolescence. I had a clear plan: introduce the ideas of kindness,… Continue reading Letting go for learning
Listening to NPR’s TED Radio Hour has fast become one of my morning routines during the daily commute to school. This week, Sarah Lewis’ closing remarks during her talk on ‘how near wins motivate us to keep going’ stood out in my mind: Masters are not experts because they take a subject to its conceptual… Continue reading Finding mastery in contribution
I recently came across this excellent read by Courtney Martin on the reductive seduction of other people’s problems. In it, she provides a provocation that at the heart of many failed attempts of ‘doing good’ is the reductive perception that other people’s problems are easily solvable. She urges those interested in pursuing a career that… Continue reading The generative power of teaching
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