Search results for: “margin swenson”

  • How are you dealing with TMI? (Too Much Information)

    I facilitated a videoconference this morning on the first five of ten “Powerful Ingredients for Blended Learning” as part of the Tandberg Connections program. The “digital ingredients” we discussed were: Social Bookmarking Collaborative Document Writing Synchronous Conferencing Online Photo Sharing Minimal Click Digital Storytelling I recorded the audio from the session and will try to…

  • Creativity, Interruptions, Boundaries and Leadership

    “The key to getting in a creative state is to avoid interruptions.” So says John Clese in this wonderful, ten minute video from the recent World Creativity Forum in Belgium. My own experiences also validate this statement. My wife heard this excerpt of the video tonight as I was playing it on my laptop and…

  • The joy of chess

    Margin-building simplicity with engaging complexity. Sound like an oxymoron? Perhaps. Those are some of the words that come to my mind as I try to describe what it has been like to play a couple games of chess lately with my eight year old. I had a running joke with one of my professors at…

  • More recess, fewer tests, structured activities, and homework please!

    Today’s Associated Press article “Give kids more free playtime, docs urge” supports ideas I’ve blogged about before in my posts “Curing Nature Deficit Disorder,” “Increase retention and creativity with recess,” and “Let’s fight for recess.” (Thanks for the link, Devin.) According to the article: The American Academy of Pediatrics says what children really need for…

  • Encouraging Creativity

    PBS has an excellent website designed to help parents and children explore and play to develop creativity. The subtitle is: “Nurture and Protect Your Child’s Creative Spirit.” I like the kaleidoscope activity, under “sensory stuff.” This website epitomizes the idea that to learn and be creative, we need TIME TO PLAY! Sadly, most schools provide…

  • We all need more sleep

    The article from the Philadelphia Inquirer, “Just too wired: Why teens don’t get enough sleep,” suggests that technological distractions are at the root of a lack of sleep for teenagers. The reasons for this actually go back a lot further in time before MySpace and instant messaging, to the widespread use of electric light bulbs.…

  • Can you hear me now?

    SITE 2006 keynote by Janet Swenson (3/21/2006 in Orlando, Florida) – Can you hear me now? Composing Connections Between Classrooms and Communities – professor at Michigan State Univ, directs the writing center [This presentation is also available as a podcast, with Janet’s generous permission] Janet came to the attention of SITE leaders because of her…

  • The purpose of life is to love, we show love through our time

    Day 16 of The Purpose Driven Life has one of the most important and timely messages for me to remember concerning the purpose of life and the value of time.  Rick Warren concludes Day 16 of The Purpose Driven Life with the following three summative sentences: The best use of life is love. The best…

  • Snow Days are the Best Days

    Some sage wisdom and advice to put into practice from this morning’s men’s group meeting. If you enjoyed this post and found it useful, subscribe to Wes’ free newsletter. Check out Wes’ video tutorial library, “Playing with Media.” Information about more ways to learn with Dr. Wesley Fryer are available on wesfryer.com/after.

  • Overcoming Overload

    Notes from Richard Swenson and Kevin Miller If you enjoyed this post and found it useful, subscribe to Wes’ free newsletter. Check out Wes’ video tutorial library, “Playing with Media.” Information about more ways to learn with Dr. Wesley Fryer are available on wesfryer.com/after.