The first question people ask me when they find out that my one wrist is basically a disaster at the end of an arm is “are you right or left handed?” I find this question kind of frustrating because there are very few parts of my life which only require one hand. Sure, I can … Continue reading
I went to two concerts by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra this weekend. They both featured the symphony playing jazz music with professional jazz musicians. It was interesting to hear the symphony playing jazz style. No offence to any of the symphony musicians, who are all phenomenal, but it seemed like some of them struggled more … Continue reading
Are you ready for it? My PhD research was not generalizable. I studied a specific group of people about a specific topic. I cannot make claims about how other people might respond or think about the topic, nor can I make assumptions about how the group I worked with would respond to environmental issues other … Continue reading
This is a personal opinion but something I have been thinking about for a while. I have taught a number of different science courses and I’ve taught and researched environmental education. One of my biggest goals in these settings is to teach skills. I believe that people need to a) know to ask questions, b) … Continue reading
When you are learning new skills it makes sense that you learn one before you learn the next, but I find this is rarely how we do things in practice. As a figure skater I was always learning multiple skills: jumps, spins, field moves, and edges were all part of lessons and practice sessions. Learning … Continue reading
As a teacher I’m always on the look out for strategies that can improve learning. Also as a teacher, I’m constantly learning. I have definitely taught some topics that I am not an expert in. But, as I go to learn that topic, I learn it with the idea that I have to teach it. … Continue reading
I once spent an entire day observing pikas for a research course. After a full day of recording whether our particular animal was running, sitting, eating, calling, watching, etc, I was either going to leave despising them or loving them: I don’t think it is possible to despise them. I will still spend hours trying to photograph … Continue reading
Shuffle mode on my iPod creates some interesting juxtapositions where a comedy A Capella group may be followed by some hard rock which is subsequently followed by some swing and jazz. So what is it about music that we can like some styles, and I like a lot of styles, and not enjoy others? So, picking … Continue reading
I used to work with a sulfur crested cockatoo named Sydney. He and I had a great relationship, I would take him travelling to schools. We would sit together in an empty classroom at lunch and share some memories and some peapods. When I walked into the room where he lived he would always come … Continue reading
Ted Talk – Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes who you are In her Ted Talk Cuddy starts by talking about how different students shaped their bodies in the business classroom but as a post secondary instructor for the last several years I think this could be taken further into the classroom. If power poses … Continue reading
