Affirm, Engage, Invite
How have you found the places and purposes where you flourish? How have you cultivated and grown others? Let’s see how you as a professional — newbie, veteran, everything in between — relate to the following story. I was a first-year French and Spanish teacher. Hadn’t majored in languages. Hadn’t planned on going into education. Three state supervisors show up unannounced, and are now in my room, observing. At the end of the class, these intimidating leaders do three things. Three transformational things. First, they sit down in a…
“I’m glad because you are aware of me.”
I was touched to receive this comment today from the child in Central America when I wrote a personal note to ask about his days and share a bit of my own. “I just want to be seen,” we hear from those who can feel invisible: newcomers to our communities, adults doing essential but often menial tasks, teens who are searching for their roles and identity. As a new school year opens around the Northern Hemisphere, my mind turns to the opportunity repeated millions of times in thousands of…
Through Language We Name Our Worth
Without the words to understand and accept ourselves and others, we spiral into despair and conflict.
Language Down Deep
Memory loss is no match for the power of sharing the language of one’s childhood and youth.
OK, I Can’t Resist: Love
The very sound of the word love, like the human experience, has remained as steady as the human need over millennia.
Focus
How language warns us to find the true focus of our lives & society, in urgent times. Are we distracted by the blurry parts of the picture?
Tuna Challenge Response
A delightful response to my Tuna Salad Challenge from Parthena Draggett prompts more insights for us all.
Tuna Salad Challenge
Here’s an invitation to a tuna salad challenge – lets’ help a world on stand-off mode understand the nature and promise of diversity and culture.
Let’s Talk Birdseed
Let’s use language to scatter nourishing birdseed for all (and not work so hard trying to get our proverbial ducks in rows.)
I love to write about language and culture and the impact of both on the lives, work, and happiness of human beings around the world. Combined with fascinating podcast guests from the worlds of education, business, organizations, and a wide variety of cultural and linguistic communities, it’s an adventure to share together!
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