Category: The Inner Work of Education
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Artistic Speech
In this post, we will introduce the benefits of artistic speech in education. First, however, let’s understand what we mean by artistic speech. All day long we talk, talk, talk, but how often do we pay attention to how we are talking? How much effort do we put into the formation of our vowels and…
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What Does it Mean to Be Human?
This post is effectively part III in our recent series on AI. We started by talking about AI in education broadly. Then, we talked about AI in teaching. In those posts, I kept hitting at a more central question, “What does it mean to be human?” For, if we want to know the place of…
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AI in Teaching
Last week, we wrote a post on this topic. A week later, I’m feeling like the message about AI in teaching wasn’t strong enough, so here’s essentially part II. The following expressed my own values around this issue, so take it or leave it. The Harm in Using AI in Teaching Regarding the question of…
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How to Work with ADD (Attention-Deficit Disorder)
In our last post, we discussed ADD (Attention-Deficit Disorder) from multiple perspectives. This condition affects an increasing number of youth. Teachers know that neurodivergence is growing, and so our methods need to grow with the need. In this post, I want to give you some practical suggestions for how to work with ADD. A Brief…
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The Inspiration of Youth
What is required for the inspiration of youth? Today more than ever, the youth seem lost in a crisis of meaning. They waste away in an ocean of never ending social media scrolling. They listen to music that, compared with the peace and of Woodstock 1969, sounds full of pain and depression. More of them…
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Taking Refuge in The Good, The True, and The Beautiful
Yesterday, I had a golden moment with my students in a 5th Grade Live Decimals Enrichment Block. The Good, the True, and the Beautiful rang forth from the lesson, and it touched me deeply that I felt I should share it with you. Upon reflecting later that evening, I realized these moments can become a…
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Happy Children
In a recent interview, Dr. Leonard Sax, a long-time family physician and psychologist, explained that the biggest predictor of adult well-being in children is their relationship with their parents. Let that sink in for a minute. Happy children are those who have the best relationships with their caregivers. Does that surprise you as it did…
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The Formative Power of Gratitude
On Thanksgiving each year, many of us practice giving gratitude. Is this just a nice family tradition, or is there a truly formative power of gratitude? Let’s start with words of wisdom from wise people. Eckhart Tolle once said (paraphrased), “If you practice gratitude, life will give you more things to be grateful for.” In…
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Civic Education in Homeschool
In the wake of this 2024 U.S. presidential election, I feel called to write a post about civic education. We have a deeply polarized nation, and that’s not good. For the record I must say that as a teacher, it’s not my place to take sides. Rather, it’s my job to preserve the sacred balance…
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Emotional Intelligence
In this third post of our series on the 6 Basic Exercises, we will discuss “Control of Feeling.” A better title for this exercise would be “cultivating emotional intelligence through mastering the feeling life.” However, the Austrian simplicity of Rudolf Steiner preferred the shorter title, so we’ll go with that. This is probably the hardest…