The world has moved into the digital realm in almost every facet of our lives. Phones, computers, finance, camera surveillance, dating, medical, autonomous vehicles, etc. The transition to digital use has been ubiquitous and amazing. Of course, the digital age has brought fantastic benefits in information and connectedness and ease. No doubt about it. But, in public education, when it comes to the use of digital resources and student learning, have we thrown the baby out

At first glance, the title of this blog might seem straightforward. However, the reality it describes is far more complex than it appears. Success is rarely a straight line; it is often a mosaic of ‘ hit and miss' moments and the unpredictable hand of luck. To understand how these outcomes take shape, let’s examine three scenarios that are the most common. Scenario 1: Parent/Grandparent Led My parents both graduated high school where indoor plumbing was a luxury they did not

After volunteering to help a colleague with her yard work, I spent three hours mowing in the intense afternoon Texas heat. Despite the extra effort required by the overgrown lawn, her only comment upon completion was a reference to my gym routine, suggesting this was workout enough. "It was tougher with the grass so high," I replied politely. "But if I lived here, I'd only be mowing the lawn every three weeks, hardly enough for a consistent workout." This scenario might seem

Every time I hear the word, PRACTICE , my gut reaction is to mentally recall the 2002 Philadelphia 76ers infamous press conference when Allen Iverson repeatedl y utters, “We are talking about practice, man. Not a game!” The press conference continues for what seems an eternity with Iverson repeating and repeating the word, p ractice until the reporters covering the interview are laughing. Once watched, it is unforgettable. If you have not seen it, check out the video on

I am a retired educator, but I was a civil engineer and financial director before diving into public education in my mid-thirties. So, I...

Over the last 3 decades, my passion has been analyzing the causes of educational inequity as well as dramatically heightening the...

I was listening to a Malcom Gladwell podcast called “Revisionist History.” In season 5, there is a short episode entitled, “Hamlet was Wrong.” This episode focuses on hiring employees and a brief interlude into “The Peter Principle.” It got me thinking about the administration jobs in the public school system. Specifically, it precipitated me to contemplate the following question: Why are taxpayers giving school superintendents so much compensation in annual salaries? Let’

Every elementary classroom teacher will always use a computer keyboarding program to train their children to learn to touch type. Why? ...

Over the course of my life, I have engaged in deep thought about engineering, economic and educational processes; yet analytical thinking...

This blog is very long, but I hope it is helpful to teachers, administrators and educational advocates. Due to its length, I have also...

Let’s begin our short chat with the reality of the professional world. When I was in my sixth year of teaching in 2001, my principal...

Professional frustration occurs in every job to varying degrees; however, I have never experienced the same levels of isolated...

Although I am ‘officially’ retired, I continue to regularly watch the televised local school board meetings. The experience can be both...

Several decades ago, I attended an August meeting with the associate superintendent of elementary schools in a large urban school...

There is a companion white paper to this blog that includes an executive summary. An interested educator may find that short...

On the way back from Iowa last month – after visiting my elderly parents – my wife and I drove to Texas through Oklahoma via IH-35 south....

In 2011, Senate Bill (SB) 6 was signed into law, and it permitted Texas school district administrators the freedom to choose their own...

My mother-in-law has long since retired, but she cleans a small two-story concrete supplier’s office every Friday to supplement her fixed...

If there is one assumed professional trait in public education, it is ‘expertise.’ Now, it is rarely spouted from within the teacher...

Learning - any type of human learning - requires consistent practice and reflection to achieve proficiency at a given task. There must...