In one characteristically gruesome Greek myth, the enchantress Medea tricks King Pelias’ daughters into killing, dismembering, and boiling him, on a promise that she will add a spell to the stew that will return the aged ruler to his youth. Unfortunately, their actions lead to nothing
Read MoreMissing Our Mr. Miyagi Moment
Think about “Star Wars.” How would the tale have ended if Luke had confronted Darth Vader, but had yet to meet Obi-Wan Kenobi and learn the ways of The Force? Or, consider a storyline where the Karate Kid had never
Read MoreThe Principalship: Noble Attempt, Daffy Model
You know the expression. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck. No matter how many times the duck says it’s a swan, or those around the unnecessarily insecure creature agree with him… It’s still a duck. Not that many
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Everybody Knows
Everybody knows that she’s creative. Everybody knows that she’s got the ideas. Everybody knows. Well, at least the 28 miniature people that surround her know. And, sometimes some colleagues. Sometimes, some parents. But, rarely, policy makers. Rarely, leaders that define her
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Saying Goodbye to Heroes
My eight year stint as principal is coming to an end this month, and I’m finding it hard to say goodbye to my colleagues. To my friends. I am often reticent to use military analogies. Terms like “heroes” and “warriors,”
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How About Just One Standard?
I’ve been thinking – and the current controversy involving our state superintendent only makes it clearer to me – that we should agree on a curriculum of simply one standard. I know it sounds crazy, but hey, Jack Black
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I Went to the Crossroads
I just returned from a road tour of the famous Blues Highway, which stretches from Memphis to New Orleans, with a mandatory stop in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The history was remarkable, the sites stunning, and the eery sense of difficult days
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Common Core and David Beckham
I know what you are thinking. In Arizona, they aren’t called the Common Core Standards, they are called the Arizona College and Career Readiness Standards (ACCRS). The name change was part of an effort to disconnect the standards from conspiracy
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On Warring Dwarves, Common Core, and Terrible Medication
There is a lot riding on this initiative, and if you’re going to take up the sword, know the facts, prepare for the consequences, and be sure to know who is standing beside you.
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