Being a parent is a source of our deepest joys and greatest consternations. It can be a thankless task. Our best efforts can go unnoticed, or worse, can be derided and dismissed by the very people we set out to help. Some parents do the work of parenting flying solo,...
During the term break I took some time to read Judith Locke’s The Bonsai Child, and The Bonsai Student. Both books are written to help parents navigate parenting and avoid inadvertently adopting practices that limit rather than extend their child’s...
There are lots of ways to run a school, and lots of discussions about how education should happen, what learning is, and the best way to help students become confident and capable learners. The phenomenon of schooling is fascinating in itself. In the ancient world,...
Nassim Taleb writes of three categories of things – fragile, resilient, and antifragile. Antifragile things are those like political systems, economies, ecosystems, and the human body, each of which needs stresses to build and maintain strength. We want to be able to...
“Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones.” Phillips Brook This might run contrary to accepted wisdom. It seems counter intuitive. And yet upon reflection, it rings true. All of the little moments are preparations for the...
I love the start of the school year. I know many parents do, too. For me, it’s the combination of all that nervous energy ready to be directed and deployed, and the chance to start afresh. It’s also wonderful to watch students enjoy catching up with their peers,...