Skip to main content

The Braden Bin - 3/4/16

What I'm Reading - Election Guide:  5 Education Takeaways From the Presidential Candidates 
  • Juuuuuust in case you are as confused as I am on who to vote for, EdWeek put out a nice election guide for us education minded folks.  When it seems as if the candidates speak about everything other than education, it's nice to know that each has their own version of a "plan".  

What I'm Reading (Bonus)
  • So, Google's up to something again and this one I am VERY excited about.  Think of the implications this could have on education.  On igniting that fire in our kids for reading!  I can't wait to try it!  
What I'm Watching - Plato's Allegory of the Cave by Alex Gendler

  • I think this video draws some very interesting parallels to our current political system.  I particularly like the quote, "Most people are not just comfortable in their ignorance but hostile to anyone who points it out."
  • "As we go about our lives, can we be confident in what we think we know?  Perhaps one day, a glimmer of light will punch a hole in your most basic assumptions."  I hope you find that glimmer of light and I hope you find it soon!  
  • As educators, it is our responsibility to show our students "reality" or the Forms.  That means digging deeper than anything that can possibly be tested on a state mandated standardized test.  That means taking the time to dig much deeper than most textbooks can possibly dig.  That means taking risks and taking time it takes to peel back the layers on seemingly simple concepts.  Facilitating children's exposure to shadows is easy, how are you going to make sure they receive reality?  
Music I'm Jamming To - Fire and the Flood by Vance Joy
  • Sometimes I'm going to get personal on this blog.  Sorry.  I've got something heavy on my heart right now and this song brings it out.  My Avery is going in for her 4th surgery on Monday.  After the previous 3 surgeries and 10 cycles of chemotherapy, the cancer still isn't gone thus our journey continues.  Doc found another spot, this time on her left lung.  This is going to be it, right?  She's 3 and has fought harder for her life than I have ever had to fight for anything, and it's not even close.  Baby girl, I've had your back through all of this.  Anywhere I've gone, there you are and anywhere I go, there you are.  You are the fire and the flood.  #OwlsForAvery 
  • UPDATE:  I wrote this earlier in the week when we were set on surgery.  We have had some reservations and may go with another option.  Such is life when your daughter is fighting cancer.  Surgery is scheduled for Monday morning, it's Friday morning and we don't know what we are going to do.  It doesn't help that the 4 doctors we have reached out to for another opinion are also split.  I'm confident that we will make the right decision.  The best decision we can.  
Just in case you ever wanted a mini donkey, 20 of them are looking for forever  homes
My question for you is, why would anyone NOT want a mini donkey?



Comments

  1. Um, we might have to get a mini donkey for Avery!!! Can she ride it, like a mini horse? 🤔

    ReplyDelete
  2. Will definitely be lifting you all up Monday.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Love is the Answer

 I haven't written a blog in a long time but due to a training I attended this morning, I feel compelled at the moment to do so.  This post was actually written about a year ago with some adjustments made today, here and there.   I am also making a commitment to write on a semi-regular basis.  My thoughts are better organized when I do - I'm a calmer, more balanced person when I write.  Would love if you shared in my experiences with me.  Maybe you can gain something.  Maybe not.  It is my hope that you do.   Ok.  So, here goes...  I had an interaction with a student today. A student whom I don't really know too well. Anyways, I'm speaking with this student whom I had to "discipline" the previous day.  That was the first time we had really had any interaction.  She made a poor choice.  In my communication with her, I made sure that I wasn't here to "judge" her for making said choice.   In my communication with her, I made sure to convey the feeli

Braden Bin - 2/9/18

Back by popular demand (not really), I introduce to you... THE BRADEN BIN!!!! My name is Ben Braden.  Get it?   Ok, so I'm going to start with a blog that came up on my Twitter (@Mr_Braden) timeline recently.  I'm going to do this knowing full well that in doing so, I might rip a hole right through the space time continuum (I never knew that word was spelled like that).  It's a blog, similar to this one here, in which an Assistant Principal, similar to this one here, writes about things that have piqued his interest, similar to this one here.   So, without further ado, here are the things that I'm interested in right now.   Blog I'm Enjoying:    The 1-5-15 Bulletin Love the format of this blog.  It's quick, it's easy and it's educational.   Book I'm Reading: One of my New Year Resolutions, the only one I have actually stuck with, is to read more in 2018.  In an attempt to help me accomplish the resolution, I decided to ta

Creating Authentic Thinkers

I read a tweet the other day by @realscientists that said, "We've raised a generation of people who can DO math, but most don't UNDERSTAND what they're doing..." and if I could have made a standing ovation tweet, I would have.  Perfectly said. Maybe the tweet had such an impact on me because it is something I noticed this year in my classroom.    One example in particular is that my students do a pretty good job with the math but are struggling with the problems.  In other words, they can find a NUMBER but they struggle to find an ANSWER to a problem. I have a few theories as to why this is happening and what we can do to fix it. One, they are terrified of failing.  They've gone through hardcore testing for at least 3 years now and because of the stakes of those tests and their fear of failing them, they have allowed that to bleed into their every day academic lives and are now governed by it. Two, they've never had to.  This isn't a dog on t