I was awoken this morning by the howling of roosters all over town. Did I mention the walls have absolutely no sound proofing here? With four concrete walls and a concrete floor, no alarm clock is needed. Amidst the din of rooster calls, I faintly discerned a man’s voice over a loudspeaker in the distance. […]
Author: Grant
How to Write Songs: Notes on Creativity from Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman
Here are some practical tips from Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman on songwriting: Write from your own need for God. Others engage your song if they are able to relate to it. Give yourself a deadline. You’re never really finished with a song, and it’ll remain in a nebulous state until forced out. Perfectionists will […]
How to Write Songs: Notes on Collaboration from Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman
• Write around others. If you’ve ever walked into a Starbucks, you’ve probably seen at least one or two people with a Macbook open, earbuds in, sipping a soy latte, and studying or writing on something. I used to scoff at such individuals. “You really mean to tell me you get up, drive to a […]
Teaching: Whose Job is it Anyway?
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. You can lead a child to knowledge, but you can’t make him think. I’ve been thinking about the role of the school versus the role of parenting in the education of a child. For what it’s worth, I have a few *ahem* […]
Teaching: Confronting my American Idols
Step into my classroom on any given morning, and you’ll see a kaleidoscope of humanity. About half my class was born outside the United States. I have students from Eastern Africa, the Middle East, India, Burma, and more. My American-born students range from platinum blonde to black, and all in between. They are Muslims, Christians, […]
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Millennials (Pt. 4): The Happiness Equation
Happiness = Reality – Expectations. Let’s talk a little more about the “Why Millennials are Unhappy” article by Tim Urban, which starts out with this premise. You read the article and accept it at first, but I’m going to critique it and say that’s not QUITE true. Let’s look at this equation. Like I said in […]
Millennials (Pt. 3): Passion Tea and Passing Trains
This generation—we’re all on a train, really. The conductor on the intercom said the next stop is Destiny . . . but mile after aimless mile meander by the window, and the passing grass looks browner every minute. Well, while we’re both seated here, let’s talk. Okay, barista, I know working at Starbucks is not […]
Millennials (Pt. 2): Take a Step Way Back
Life in the 21st century is hard. Meet Grant (no, not the guy in the picture). Grant is a 25 year-old millennial. Six years ago, he turned away from an engineering career to follow his heart and work with children. Now after two years of teaching in a public school district, he’s struggling hard to […]
Millennials and “Why Generation Y Yuppies Are Unhappy”
A recent CBS article reported millennials are more educated but less skilled than their predecessors. Last year, I read a poignant yet hilarious article on WaitButWhy.com called “Why Generation Y Yuppies Are Unhappy.” Thinking of the trajectory of my career as an educator and my personal journey as a young millennial, it’s prompted me to do […]
4 Tips from Veteran Teachers on Finishing Well
The hallway was misty dark. A lone security light shone. I walked into the front office of my school to clock in. It was quiet, too quiet. It’s odd how empty a school can feel without the familiar, raucous noise of children. On this teacher workday, though, what needed cleaning more than the walls of my […]
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Madman or American Hero? (Part 2)
Continued . . . A man who attacked Harpers Ferry? Yes. A madman? Perhaps. A radical, Violet abolitionist? Yes. It’s easy to see where this man’s reputation comes from—first, the part you’ve heard. John Brown felt the federal government wasn’t doing enough to in slavery, so he decided to take matters into his own hands. […]
Madman or American Hero? (part 1)
Sitting in Mrs. Tuggle’s 5th grade classroom as a 10 year-old, with U.S. maps and Gettysburg Address posters on the walls, I remember a few things. When I wasn’t presenting about the great locomotive chase of Kennesaw Mountain or staring blankly down my t-shirt in my desk, we learned about U.S. History since the Civil […]