Published in Politically Speaking·PinnedStop Talking About Olympic Athleticism Like It Is 1922It’s not about the genes — Last week, my wife and I sat down to our quad-annual ritual of watching two hours of sports during the winter Olympics. I was stunned to hear commentators’ references to genes and pedigree. It goes something like this: With Olympians as parents, so and so has the genes to make…Sports5 min read
Published in Age of Awareness·PinnedWhy I’m Ditching Grades This SemesterSaying goodbye to a 120-year-old failed technology — I’m finally doing it this semester. I’m getting rid of grades in my writing classroom. It’s been a long time coming. As with many things, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has pushed it over the edge. Why continue supporting a 20th-century technology that demonstrably does not work? Honestly, I’ve tried to…Education6 min read
Published in Age of Awareness·PinnedDon’t Fear the Writing Hunger GamesUnderstanding cultures of critique — “How dare you? I’m almost twice your age.” I received this response from a student in my early days of teaching. I often taught at a community college where at least half my students were twice my age. Middle-aged adults don’t always take criticism well from a freshly-minted college graduate. …Writing8 min read
Published in Politically Speaking·PinnedCan Math Be Racist?Try subtracting the cats — To many of us, this question seems preposterous. 2+2 = 4. Right? How can that be racist? To be honest, I hadn’t thought much about this myself until a family member shared a quote from a Fox News story about a new teacher training initiative in Oregon. Presumably the link…Mathematics6 min read
7 hours ago3 Things I Should Have Told My Students at My Study Abroad Pre-Departure MeetingDanger and safety are often in the mind — This week I am taking 11 students to Krakow, Poland for the first time. Last week, I sat down with an experienced study abroad professor to discuss how we are preparing students before beforehand. I talked a lot about logistics. I organized the heck out of this thing and made…Education3 min read
1 day agoHow Shipping 30 Essays for 30 Days Has Helped My Academic Writing (even during the busiest schedule of my career)Today I am finishing my 3rd round of Ship30. You may wonder why I’ve taken the time to do this, when I have 3 classes to teach and 3 articles that need to be finished soon. For academics, something more “urgent” will always try to displace those precious hours needed…Education2 min read
Published in The Startup·6 days agoHow Mystery Science Theater 3000 May Have Started the Creator EconomyIt’s about more than just content… — In 1988, when Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) first premiered on a small cable channel in Minneapolis, there was no Web 2.0 or maker culture. Local cable was the closest you could get to your own distribution channel. I remember seeing the first episode of MST3K and being completely blown…Creator Economy3 min read
Published in Wholistique·May 5How to Drink Sober Using Mindfulness So That You Can Truly Enjoy That Craft CocktailA dead-simple system to get the most out of your lovely beverage — To say I’m a ‘beer geek’ would be an understatement. My love for craft beer has been a huge part of my life since I was drinking age. I’ve spent countless hours reading about the history, tasting the beers, and talking to people who have made this amazing beverage what…Life Lessons8 min read
Published in Smart Notes·Mar 225 Questions to Ask Yourself When Choosing an Ethical Creator to ImitateBeing a good creator means being a good person — If imitation of the good is a way of becoming good (and imitating bad makes you more of a bad person), then discernment of what is good and band becomes a key skill for developing ethos. Being in the creator economy isn’t just about making stuff… it’s about being a…Ethics5 min read
Published in Age of Awareness·Mar 14Using Applied Learning to Bridge Theory & Practice in the ClassroomLearning to learn in the workplace — Most likely, the phrase applied learning conjures in your mind practical education for the workplace, especially with our 21st century obsession with professionalizing students (Schroeder, 2019). As universities become more expensive, students (and parents) want to see a tangible return on their investment. This mostly means a well-paying job after…Education6 min read
