In early January I began the first of 4 “Brain School” courses led by psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Siegel of the Mindsight Institute of UCLA. It’s actually a “Mindsight – Foundations” course, but it’s linked to leading-edge research by Dr. Siegel and colleagues combining neuroscience, psychology and epistemology. So far, I’ve found the course to be […]
Book’s arrived!
Hi, My book Learn Your Way! has just arrived and it looks great.
“Learn Your Way” – coming out this summer!
Hi, in a few weeks time, my book, “Learn Your Way! SelfDesigning the Life You Really Want, Starting Now” is coming out, being published by SelfDesign Learning Systems Inc. The primary audience for the book is youth 15-25 years, though I would suggest additional audiences include parents, fellow educators and counselors. I am dedicating LYW […]
Beyond 21st Century Skills
You can’t have a conversation these days about education without encountering some buzz about 21st Century Skills. It girds any discussion about technology, graduation, career planning and teacher training and educational design. In a nutshell 21CS focus on Information and Media Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Collaboration and Technology Skills (as profiled at www.p21.org ). […]
Back in the Saddle – Book Finished!
Hello! It’s been a while since I posted here though I haven’t exactly been lying in the sun. I’ve been very busy in SelfDesign – which has continued with steady growth to now include a substantial special needs program, several new SD learning centres scattered throughout the province and ‘SelfDesign High’, with which I am […]
Bookin’ the hammock …
Educating for Social Responsibility
• Below is my post to Educational Leadership journal in response to three questions posed about ‘Educating for Social Responsibility’, the theme of its May issue. – MM Educational Leadership journalEL: What role should schools play in helping students develop a sense of social responsibility? My response: Schools, and teachers in particular, need to disavow […]
Society communicates poorly on educational values
I listened raptly to CBC’s ‘Cross Country Checkup’ yesterday afternoon, a 2-hour phone-in show discussing a report released last week in Ontario in which University and College faculty opine that a majority of first-year students are poorly prepared. Specifically, the students are thought to be showing (widespread) declining writing, researching and numeracy skills, and generally […]
FSA Testing Round-Up – improvements still in order!
Whew! For the 4th year in a row I have administered and ‘marked’ FSA tests* for grade 4 and 7-level learners in our SelfDesign program. Given all the kerfuffle by the public and the BCTF before this year’s February testing, our experiences in SelfDesign were generally positive but this reflects our unique approach which downplays […]
‘Learning’ AWOL in schooling discussions
Well it’s Labour Day weekend, and many neurons and conversations are focused on Tuesday’s return to school for many millions of kids across North America. For some kids, tomorrow can’t come soon enough – they enjoy schooling and thrive in its environment. I’m delighted for them. For many more though tomorrow is not a joyful […]