Dear J,

So I've been reading about design in Dan Pink's interesting book on creativity.   One of the ways he suggests getting a handle on design is by choosing an item around the house that is annoying in some way, and--after thinking about how to improve it--sketching out ideas for solutions.  (p. 90, "A Whole New Mind")

The other book I just finished is by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk.  He talks a lot about being present, about living each moment fully, about doing the work that's right in front of you, right now.

Seems to me a combination of those two ideas might just be a good way to approach education.  Maybe it's time now to focus on just being present in each moment, on looking at whatever it is that's not working right in front of me--not systemically but right here and now, and listening for solutions.  Rather than putting a focus on what's wrong: instead, listen  and respond--improvise--and see what happens.

I'll try this today.  Let you know tomorrow what happens.