Tag: Observation

• Sleeping In: A Universal Law

  Sep 8

  Sleeping in is not a character flaw. It’s not laziness. It’s not poor planning. It is a cosmic law, etched into the fabric of existence—right up there with gravity and… more ›

• Grills, Jerseys, and Armchair Geniuses: Why Fall Rules

  Sep 7

  Fall is my favorite season. The summer heat finally packs up and leaves, and cooler weather slides in like a welcome relief. Hoodies return, pumpkins appear everywhere (sometimes in places… more ›

• The People in Our Lives

  Sep 2

  I got to thinking about friendships recently—not the surface kind, but the ones that quietly (and sometimes loudly) shape who we are. I’m not even sure what sparked it. Maybe… more ›

• The Pause Between Words: How Nothing Becomes Something

  Aug 31

  There are days when I simply cannot think of anything to write. Writer’s block isn’t just the absence of words—it’s a heavy stillness, like standing in a quiet room where… more ›

• On Stage with La Gran Señora

  Aug 24

  Being a mariachi musician, you learn that every gig carries its own rhythm. But this one—this was different. It was more than performing alongside a star.More than shaking the hand… more ›

• First Days Without Cell Phones in School

  Aug 19

  Over the past few years, it’s become obvious: our students were living in two worlds at once—the real world, and the endless scroll. Heads down, thumbs flying, eyes glued to… more ›

• But I Just Wanna Play Catch

  Aug 13

  There was a time when the only thing that mattered was whether you could catch the ball. The sun burned hot on your back, the grass smelled like summer and… more ›

• Storytelling with a Camera

  Aug 3

  Photography is weird. You’ve got the people who treat their cameras like they’re nuclear launch codes—checking every dial, obsessing over ISO like it’s some secret recipe. Then there are those… more ›

• The Paradox of Connection

  Aug 1

  You’d think, as a high school dean, I’d have a crystal-clear picture of youth culture. I mean, I see it all—hallway drama, TikTok choreography in the quad, debates over whose… more ›

• Finding Me

  Jul 31

  There was a time when my creative spirit showed up everywhere—like glitter at an arts and crafts party. It got into everything. Teaching, storytelling, even rearranging the spice rack felt… more ›

• More Me Than You Think: A Creator’s Spirit

  Jul 31

  We all carry worlds inside our heads—some loud, some quiet, some a little strange.This is mine: a peek behind the curtain at the curiosity, the quirks, and the caffeine-fueled chaos… more ›

• Year 26

  Jul 31

  25 years as an educator—and at least a dozen more before that coaching, mentoring, running camps, leading arts programs, and engaging in general kid-centered monkey business (some of which may… more ›

• Designing for Redemption: Rethinking Grading and Growth in the Classroom

  Jul 27

  There’s something profoundly human about allowing a student the chance to redeem themselves—but redemption can’t be accidental or symbolic. It must be deliberately built into how we teach, assess, and… more ›

• What Teaching Used to Be —and What We’ve Lost Along the Way

  Jul 26

  There was a time—not long ago—when teaching was built on short readings and long conversations. Classrooms echoed with curiosity. Students asked questions. Teachers asked even more.And the best days? The… more ›

• What Drives Me

  Jul 24

  Over the course of my life, and career as an educator, I’ve been asked these questions more than once.I remember one time clearly—it was during a workshop on student resilience.… more ›