Daily Life, 82

Kindergarten  music class today...during which, btw, we did not mention dinosaurs in either conversation or songs....

Laney*   Ms. N, I have to tell you something really important.  Really, really important.

Me         OK.  What?

Laney*   Dinosaurs do NOT live in zoos.

Me         Oh?  Where do they live?

Laney*  In Heaven, silly!

*Laney is, of course, not this budding scientist's real name.

Learning Link, 37

Today's link is to a blog that my friend Paul just launched....filled with short, thoughtful essays on bringing ourselves fully awake to this amazing thing we all call 'life'.

....and how could you not want to read more, when the subheading is: 'because cynicism is exhausting'??

Check it out for yourself, here.

Daily Life, 81

We're working with our school community to help children become enthusiastic learners and  responsible citizens....to help them learn how to negotiate tough social situations with clarity and kindness towards each other and towards themselves.

(Tough social situations? In elementary school? ....oh, yes....think back to what it was really like, to be a grammar school age child....remember?)

The same principles and questions that we ask children could well be asked of ourselves---driving in early rush hour traffic,  waiting in line at the grocery store while someone fumbles with their checkbook and 25 coupons, applying our entire focus to our work each day....

What does it look like ....to be responsible? to do our work to our best ability--and then stretch for more? to act with kindness? with integrity?

What does it sound like.....to treat others as we'd like to be treated? to be honest and straightforward? to challenge what we see as wrong and actively support what we see as right?

The children aren't the only ones who benefit from remembering to ask themselves questions....

Learning Link, 36

Looking for Swing Music charts?

Here's a site that I've found helpful as a starting point....access to a select list of charts,  provided in any key you choose, for free.  Nice.

Check it out further, here.

Learning Link, 35

How to learn something new every day for the next 40 Days...

Over at the blog "Marc and Angel Hack Life", there's a great post: "Top 40 Useful Sites to Learn New things".


Have I gone to every one of the sites mentioned?  No way.  It hasn't been 40 days yet! 

Still, what I've seen thus far has been pretty useful.  Check it out for yourself, here.

See you tomorrow.

--K

Learning Link, 34

Today's link is to a talk by Dr. Tony Wagner, co-director of Harvard's Change Leadership Group.

"Seven Skills Students Need for their future"....skills we all need, as lifelong learners...from critical thinking/problem solving to initiative and an entrepreneurial spirit, this is a lively and engaging talk--peppered with salient examples.

Great stuff.  Hear more, here.

See you tomorrow.

--K

More books

..."What do people really want?.....Educating people is important but not enough--far too many of our most educated people are operating at quarter-speed, unsure of their place in the world, contributing too little to the productive engine of modern civilization, still feeling like observers, like they haven't come close to living up to their potential....We need to encourage people to find their sweet spot.  Productivity explodes when people love what they do."  --Po Bronson, What Should I do with my life?

This is an interested book, packed with stories of people who've either switched professions or who've explored many different careers before finding their 'sweet spot': the work which calls forth all they have to give.   Stories of lawyers-turned-truckers, writers rejecting 'easy money',  people in business and athletes at work....Bronson combines clear interviews with thoughtful commentary.

Even if you, like me, are  already doing work that you utterly love, this is a worthwhile and absorbing book to read.

Great for a rainy weekend afternoon....

See you tomorrow.


--K