This post is part one of a two-part series. In it, I reflect on what the science of reading taught us about false choices in education. In the second post, I apply that lesson to New York’s current graduation reforms and the risks of getting the system-level balance wrong. Hello, I am part of the best book club ever.  To be fair, we call ourselves a “book club,” but that label is somewhat generous. Sometimes we read books. Other times we watch a series, listen to a podcast, or discuss a...

Hello, You know the type. The coworker who feels like the only one who is not holding up their end of the bargain. The leader who lacks a backbone. The teammate who seems to think there is an I in TEAM. Naming the person feels productive. It gives us someone to focus on. Someone to fix. But what if the behavior we are frustrated by is not a personal failing at all? What if it is exactly what the system is designed to produce? When Someone Acts Badly, a Good System Does Not Look Away Imagine...

Hello, If you know me, you know I'm an avid audiobook listener. Though that's not the only way I read books, it is the most common. Why? As I've said before, it's the ultimate multi-tasking. I read while driving, exercising, folding laundry, cooking, etc. Because of audiobooks, I read about ninety-eight books this year, a number that still surprises me when I see it written down. Out of those nearly one hundred titles, nineteen rose to the top as books I would genuinely recommend, some of...