Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Cacophony by Dawn Garrett Teeming with confusion; the world called to origins ancient. The roads bustle in one direction by proclamation sent. Tempers flare. Exhaustion trudges at the pace as set in front. Identified as mere possession; selfish aggrandizement. Greeting, welcome, discourse Argument, curse, invective, yelling. Immobility for ass and horse. Impatience revealing. Rivers run…

2019 Word for the Year

2019 Word for the Year

I’m not in love with the word I’ve chosen for my 2019 Word for the Year, but I can’t seem to get away from it. That generally means it’s the right one. There were a lot of contenders: Commit. Pray. Engage. Speak. Interact. All perfectly good words in themselves and a lot to consider over…

Scaffolding is Life

Scaffolding is Life

We ended the last post in the series with, “Good habits matter to the life of ideas.” Mason’s third is tool: “Education is a life. In saying that “education is a life,” the need of intellectual and moral as well as of physical sustenance is implied. The mind feeds on ideas, and therefore children should have…

Scaffolding is Discipline

Scaffolding is Discipline

Scaffolding also utilizes the discipline of habit. Scaffolding is evenly spaced, carefully layered, intentionally constructed. Mason’s habit-building is so done, too. Mason says, By “education is a discipline,” we mean the discipline of habits, formed definitely and thoughtfully, whether habits of mind or body. Physiologists tell us of the adaptation of brain structures to habitual…

Scaffolding as Atmosphere, Discipline, and Life

Scaffolding as Atmosphere, Discipline, and Life

When we think about lesson planning and curricular development, we can easily become overwhelmed by the vast amount of resources and approaches to any given lesson or study. But by using scaffolding in planning both the short- and long-term, we can make a plan that is reasonable and approachable without being overwhelmed. What is scaffolding?…