The OODA Loop, developed by military strategist Colonel John Boyd, stands for Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act. Originally conceived as a tool for tactical military decision-making, the OODA Loop has since found applications in various fields, from business and healthcare to education. At its core, the OODA Loop is a framework for navigating dynamic, complex, and uncertain environments, making it particularly valuable for educators, who face constantly shifting landscapes in the classroom....
5 days ago • 4 min read
My friend Ana Amiguet challenged me to write about a time I had to stand up for someone This was over 50 years ago, but I remember it as if it was yesterday. I was in 9th grade, which was the last year of Junior High School. Martha was slightly developmentally disabled. She was in 7th grade, so this was her first year in Junior High. Martha was one of my sister Sue’s friends, a half year and a full grade older. Martha’s parents were very good friends with my parents. And her parents had...
11 days ago • 1 min read
If we or someone else challenges our actions or thoughts, our limbic brains perceive a threat, we disregard the data (confirmation bias), and we resist, releasing cortisol and adrenaline, which means We are focused on defeating or avoiding whatever is threatening us. We revert to a story that rationalizes what we have already decided, and we double down on that story being the truth. The resourcefulness of our prefrontal cortex gets shut down, which means we are not able to empathize,...
18 days ago • 1 min read
In a world that often demands quick solutions, we should spend time to tap into the power of exploration. This involves approaching challenges with a sense of curiosity and wonder, rather than judgment. Exploration is akin to a child turning over rocks on the beach, not to find a specific answer, but simply to satisfy their innate sense of wonder. Similarly, as adults, we can cultivate this mindset to gather valuable information and uncover new possibilities. Access your powers of exploration...
23 days ago • 1 min read
Robert Martellacci of MindshareLearning and I had a chance to talk about The EduTabi confrerence and great schools in Portugal and imagining schools where everyone wants to be there Canadian Edtech Leadership Summit coming up in Toronto October 31 to November 2, 2024, which will demystify technology and AI as tools that teachers and schools can use to help kids learn more faster with more fun Roger Federer and the winner’s attitude Surviving instincts as opposed to thriving instincts Adults...
25 days ago • 1 min read
In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in the binary thinking of "good" or "bad." However, cultivating empathy can be a game-changer. Empathy involves seeking to understand the perspectives of others, as well as having compassion for ourselves. By tapping into this power, we can navigate difficult situations with more grace and find common ground. When our first reaction is to argue or judge, stopping that reaction and refocusing our thoughts and emotions on connecting can...
28 days ago • 1 min read
Life Is Beautiful Graffiti The writer and community leader Christina Hubbard was leading a bunch of us on a writing sprint, an exercise to become unstuck, to write an article for our blogs, newsletters, book, or community. We had 22 minutes to write down our thoughts. The prompt was “Describe a time you experienced delight.” We were told to write without thinking, stopping or editing, and to describe the experience in words, images, sensory details, and how we experienced it. I was making...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Why and how do people deny things that are eminently true? And possibly even more important, how do we go from denial to acknowledgement to possible action? We all deny. It’s a survival reaction that is very related to cognitive dissonance. We oppose low cost housing in our neighborhood, and we articulate very good reasons, although we know that our communities need more low cost housing. We criticize kids for doing things that we know are wrong and that we actually do ourselves. We justify...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
In the first half of the Portuguese Education Summit we visited two schools, which you can read about here. In the second half, we visited two more schools.First a description of each school, and then conclusions after the four visits. The Colégio Novo de Coimbra is located just outside the old city of Coimbra. The facility supports 2 career education schools and an elder care facility in addition to the pre-school and elementary school. Paulo Manuel Henriques Lopes Saraiva Santos and Beatriz...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read