Trust yourself. You know more than you think. | |
— Benjamin Spock | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | A Tenacious Cycle |
Once Upon A Time… | |
2020 | Kinda Like Posting To A Blog About My Day |
Just A Different Point Of View | |
You Be The Judge | |
2019 | I Think I’m Repeating Myself |
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like X-mas! | |
2018 | No Reason To Turn |
2017 | Talking Knuth |
Seeing It Through | |
2016 | Hoping For The Best Come January |
2015 | Adaptive Security |
2014 | Wants |
2013 | Side Effects |
2012 | Just Trying To Earn A Living |
2011 | Productive Worry |
Posts Tagged ‘Learning’
Keep Faith, But Also Keep Learning
Posted in Education, Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Benjamin Spock, Education, Knowledge, Learning, Philosophy, Quotes, Thinking, Trust on December 7, 2022| Leave a Comment »
One Of The Problems (Anyway)
Posted in Education, Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Education, Experience, FAQs, Horrible Examples, How Systems Work, Human Rationality, John Gall, Laws Of Nature, Learning, Philosophy, Quotes, Systemantics (3rd Ed.): The Systems Bible on October 9, 2022| Leave a Comment »
A question frequently asked is: does not the persistent occurrence of Horrible Examples of Systems-function (or Malfunction) prove something about human nature? If humans were rational, wouldn’t they act otherwise than they do? We reply: Systems-functions are not the result of human intransigence. We take it as given that people are generally doing the very best they know how. Our point, repeatedly stressed in this text, is that Systems operate according to Laws of Nature, and that Laws of Nature are not suspended to accommodate our human shortcomings. There is no alternative to learning How Systems Work, unless one is willing to continue to run afoul of those Laws. Whoever does not study the Laws of Systemantics and learn them that way, is destined to learn them the hard way, by direct encounter in the world of Experience. That such runnning-afoul continues to occur is simply a reflection of the fact that knowledge of those laws is not yet sufficiently widespread. The problem is one of Education, and this book represents an effort in that direction. | |
― John Gall | |
From his book: “Systemantics: The Systems Bible“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Outside Yet? |
Have You Ever Won? | |
2020 | Choice |
More Rain Forecast | |
2019 | He Claims It’s Fake News And Spies |
2018 | Mine, Too |
2017 | Who’s Turn Is It Now? |
2016 | Before You Vote In November… |
2015 | Two Faithful Thoughts |
2014 | Love Light |
Orange October (III) – Giants Advance To National League Championship Series (NLCS) | |
2013 | Nothing Ridiculous |
2012 | Keeping Faith |
2011 | Summon Us, Don’t Criticize Us |
2010 | Obama’s Wars – Book Review |
Game Two – Hearbreaking Loss | |
Humble Learning
Posted in Education, Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Humility, Learning, Philosophy, Progress, Quotes, Talmud, Tongue, Wisdom on October 3, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Teach your tongue to say I do not know and you will progress. | |
— Talmud | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | What You’ll Find |
I Know I’m One | |
2020 | Voting Has Consequences |
We Will Get There! | |
2019 | Mutually Exclusive |
2018 | Basic Rights |
2017 | Thoughtful Attitudes |
Surprise!! | |
2016 | The Bell Tolls |
2015 | It Is What It Is |
2014 | What Have You Learned (Gently) Lately? |
Orange October (I) | |
2013 | Ignore The Man Behind The Curtain |
For A Time | |
2012 | What Are Your True Measurements |
2011 | What It Is All About |
2010 | The Magnificent Seven |
Giants Fever!! | |
Vive L Différence
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Before The Law, Differences, Dr. Leo F. Buscaglia, Equality, IDIC, Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations, Learning, Philosophy, Quotes, ST:TOS, Time Of Day on September 16, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Biologically and physiologically, we are not equal. Some of us learn better at different times of day. Some learn best visually, some auditorially, some tactilely, by touching. | |
— Dr. Leo F. Buscaglia | |
[IDIC* — But we should ALL be equal before the law. — kmab] | |
[IDIC — Infinite Diversity, Infinite Combinations — ST:TOS] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | At Least Not Until Sunset |
Rain On The Leaves | |
2020 | At Least A Little Less |
Two For The Post | |
2019 | Promises, Promises |
2018 | You Mean There IS Something Else? |
2017 | Be Good |
2016 | Raise Yourself |
2015 | A Kids Movie Rip-Off |
2014 | Ready, Action! |
2013 | Responding To Challenges |
2012 | Abnormal, adj. |
2011 | Large Families |
On The Brink | |
Sort Of
Posted in Education, Health, Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Carl Sagan, Food, Growth, Health, Learning, Nutritional Triage, Philosophy, Quotes, Stupidity, Survival on June 27, 2022| Leave a Comment »
When there isn’t enough food, the body has to make a decision on how to invest the limited foodstuff available to it. Survival comes first, growth comes second. And in this kind of nutritional triage, the body seems obliged to rank learning, last. It sort of it’s better to be stupid and alive, than smart and dead. | |
— Carl Sagan | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Life Finds A Way |
In The Palm Of My Hand | |
2020 | I’m Not Worried |
2019 | Forgiving The Chasm |
2018 | A Sure Sign Of Age |
Before The Fall – Cheat | |
2017 | Distant Goal |
2016 | More Lives |
2015 | Go Shopping More |
2014 | Say What? |
2013 | Accepting Beauty |
2012 | Transitional Choice To Ride The Wave |
2011 | Freedom Isn’t Always Perfect |
Just That Simple | |
Relegated To Study Hall
Posted in Education, Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, Hearing, Learning, Philosophy, Quotes, Study, Teaching on May 4, 2022| 4 Comments »
To study is a good way to learn; to hear it is still a better way; to teach it is the best of all. | |
— Erasmus | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Relegated To Study Hall |
5 – 40hrs | |
2021 | And Initiative Gets You Started |
Here’s My Story | |
2020 | #IncometentDonald Says The Economy Will Rebound Quickly |
A Family Horror Story | |
2019 | A State With No Business |
2018 | Reflections |
2017 | Opposites Attract |
2016 | Completely Unreasonable |
Starting To Be A Reacher | |
2015 | Avengers Assemble II |
But If I Had To Perish Twice… | |
2014 | Turning Pages |
2013 | We Are All Accountable |
2012 | American Sign Language |
2011 | Happy Disproof |
2010 | Book Review – Managing Your Government Career |
Still Trying To Understand
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Eleanor Roosevelt, Learning, Philosophy, Quotes on November 22, 2021| 1 Comment »
If you can develop this ability to see what you look at, to understand its meaning, to readjust your knowledge to this new information, you can continue to learn and to grow as long as you live and you’ll have a wonderful time doing it. | |
— Eleanor Roosevelt | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Still Trying To Understand |
V Memories From Saudi Arabia | |
2020 | Sometimes Just Being There Is Enough |
And I Owe It All To You | |
2019 | Or Live For It |
2018 | Happy Thanksgiving (2018) |
2017 | Grateful Humility |
2016 | Obstacles |
Election + 2 Weeks | |
2015 | Done What You Could |
2014 | Impossible To Other Men |
2013 | Just In Case |
2012 | Isn’t This Just Pleasant? |
2011 | No Void In Sight |
And Speak To Me
Posted in Faith, Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Faith, Learning, Mark Twain, Meaning, Philosophy, Quotes, Scriptural Phrases, Travel on November 3, 2021| Leave a Comment »
One must travel, to learn. Every day, now, old Scriptural phrases that never possessed any significance for me before, take to themselves a meaning. | |
— Mark Twain | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | And Speak To Me |
Coming My Way | |
2020 | If You Haven’t Done It Yet: VOTE!! |
I Agree | |
2019 | I’m Still Looking |
2018 | I Choose Love |
Courage Can Be Contagious | |
2017 | Scary And Wonderful |
2016 | #AmnestyDon Hears The Polls |
2015 | Dare The Improbable |
2014 | All Together Now! |
2013 | This Road |
2012 | Profit |
2011 | God Is Personal |
2010 | Playoff Fever Gets the Best of Me… |
Learning And Teaching
Posted in Career, Disclaimer, Education, Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, Work, tagged Disclaimer, Dr. Richard P. Feynman, Education, Frankfurt, Germany, Great Teachers, Learning, NCO Academy, Performance Oriented Training, Philosophy, POTs Training Technique, Quotes, Teaching, Work on November 1, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Feynman Learning Technique: | |
1) Take a piece of paper and write the concept’s name at the top. | |
2) Explain the concept using simple language (show examples to demonstrate you know how the concept works) | |
3) Identify problem areas in your explanation or examples and then go back to the sources to review the material / concept | |
4) Pinpoint any complicated terms and challenge yourself to simplify them. | |
Several days ago, I posted a quote and made a comment about excellence in teaching. (Why We Have So Few Personal Favorites ) Basically, my proposition was that it is extremely difficult to evaluate the competence and productivity of a teacher because of the number of variables and an inability to control them to a point sufficient to determine what are the tools we could provide the “most effective” teachers to make them better (or any teachers for that matter). | |
I never gave much thought about teaching until I joined the Army and they insisted I learn, participate in and practice “Performance Oriented Training” (POTs training) when I attended the NCO Academy in Frankfurt, Germany. Essentially, POTs stipulates that until the student can perform the task, the training has not been effective. There were three elements: 1) the instructor demonstrates the task to be performed / explaining the objective of the task, the reason for the task, and each step necessary to complete the task; 2) the instructor then walks / talks the student through each step as they (the student) follows along with each step; and, 3) the instructor asks the student to perform the task independently. If the student fails in performance (step 3), the instructor must return to element 2. Re-cycle through elements 2 and 3 until 3 can be accomplished independently. At that point, the student can perform the task and the training has been effective. (Of course long term retention of the knowledge / skill is a different matter.) | |
This training methodology served me very well during my working life / career as I was frequently called upon to instruct on topics in the military, and then as a civilian: from credit card fraud prevention, to correspondent banking, to numerous Information Technology topics (basic trouble-shooting, using spreadsheets, using word processing applications, server and network administration, setting up databases, conducting data analysis and creating web pages to display the analysis / data). | |
Rather late in my career, I “discovered” (i.e. read about) Dr Richard P. Feynman (PhD) and his personal learning methodology. Post-employment (i.e. in retirement), I’ve now watched bits and pieces of Professor Feynman’s lectures (on YouTube) and I believe his methodology is a civilian / academic equivalent of personal POTs training. That is: how we should expect to teach ourselves and verify our own knowledge / competency in a subject. I shudder to think of the number of lectures / classes / training sessions I’ve attended where the instructor either did not have this level of personal expertise or expect the student to demonstrate understanding at the end of the session. Which, (again) is why we remember our few “great” teachers over our lifetimes. | |
Disclaimer: The list of four steps above are available in several books and on the web and the exact wording is neither mine nor exclusive to any specific source so I have not bothered to cite any “original” source. I apologize in advance if anyone reading this feels I have used their exact language describing Dr. Feynman’s technique. | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Learning And Teaching |
Two Loves | |
2020 | Does Anyone Else Look Forward To The Last Lawn Mowing ‘Til Spring? |
Only For You | |
2019 | 10,000 Tries |
2018 | Keep America Great – Vote This Tuesday |
2017 | Old Style Ear Candy |
2016 | Next Tuesday |
2015 | Wanna Trade? |
2014 | Brothers And Friends |
2013 | So Suddenly |
2012 | At The Center |
2011 | Live Long And Thinner |
Got Health? | |
2010 | SF Giants – 2010 World Series Champions!!! |
52 – 54 – 56 – 58 | |
2009 | Diet Update |
Pictures from Chicago Trip… | |
How Learning Infections Begin
Posted in Education, Music, Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Children, Education, Learning, Leonard Bernstein, Music, Philosophy, Quotes, Teaching on August 29, 2021| Leave a Comment »
We destroy our children’s songs of existence by giving them inhibitions, teaching them to be cynical, manipulative, and all the rest of it… You become hardened, but you can find that playfulness again. We’ve got to find a way to get music and kids together, as well as to teach teachers how to discover their own love of learning. Then the infectious process begins. | |
— Leonard Bernstein | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | How Learning Infections Begin |
Stay Young At Heart | |
2020 | Policies Not People |
Just Thinking To Myself | |
2019 | Should I Start With My Religion? |
2018 | Fear And Hope |
Day 33: Good News & Prep | |
2017 | Directions |
2016 | Handle With Care |
2015 | Nothing But Pride |
2014 | Go |
2013 | Well, Does It? |
2012 | Near Misses Aren’t Successes |
2011 | Uncomfortable Feelings |
2010 | San Francisco (favorites)… |
Bullets or Butter? | |
The Correct Answer Will Be In The Form Of A Question
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Albert Einstein, Learning, Philosophy, Questioning, Quotes, Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday on May 20, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning. | |
— Albert Einstein | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | We Are Seeing The Future |
2021 | The Correct Answer Will Be In The Form Of A Question |
Listen Up | |
2020 | Testing To Open The Economy Safely |
2019 | Or Thought I’d Thought |
2018 | Go And Dare |
2017 | And Wealth A Poor Substitute For Ability |
2016 | Neither Darkness Nor Shadows |
2015 | It Took Roots |
2014 | Hard Evidence |
2013 | Full Participation |
2012 | Roving (Again) |
Ooops, Again | |
2011 | Why Not? |
Adding Spice
Posted in Music, Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Learning, Music, Philosophy, Practice, Quotes, Variety on April 24, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Variety in practice is most important. Repeating monotonously over and over again in a treadmill fashion is the very worst kind of practice. It is both stupid and unnecessary… using your brains and your ingenuity, and your practice will not be a bore to you. | |
— Josef Lhévinne | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | The Grand Essentials |
Second 40 | |
2021 | Adding Spice |
Be Who You Must | |
2020 | Mo, Cilla, Mushy Peas And Rain |
No New Wars | |
2019 | An Epitaph For #45 (#LyingDonald) |
2018 | Before And After |
2017 | Verbs |
2016 | Not Too Tidy |
2015 | Little Understanding |
2014 | Open Early |
2013 | Movies And A Lifetime Of Lyrics |
This Truth | |
2012 | Cheaper To Hold |
2011 | Resistance Is Futile |
One Great, One Enjoyable, One Terrible… | |
Unfortunately, No Approval Is Required | |
Dealing With Trumpism, Racism and Fascism In America
Posted in Education, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged American Politics, Difficulty, Education, Fascism, Journey, Lao-Tzu, Learning, Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Miles, Philosophy, Quotes, Racism, Steps, Trumpism on January 22, 2021| Leave a Comment »
The mind unlearns with difficulty what it has long learned. | |
— Lucius Annaeus Seneca | |
A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. | |
— Lao-tzu | |
[We are going to HAVE to be in it for the long haul folks. So, get settled in… There’s lots of work ahead. — kmab] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Enduring Success |
2021 | Dealing With Trumpism, Racism and Fascism In America |
Just Wondering | |
2020 | And So Must Good Government |
2019 | Are You Done Watching? |
2018 | Spineless Capitulation By The Democrats |
Woe Is Me… | |
2017 | Sincerely Yours |
2016 | Only Good To Say |
2015 | A Series Of Temporary Conditions |
2014 | Gaps |
2013 | Duty |
2012 | Cost Not Price |
Superheroes | |
2011 | The Simple Normalcy Of Everyday Life – “Squirrel!” |
Have Republicans Figured Out Biden Won Yet?
Posted in History, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Abba Eban, Alternatives, History, Learning, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, Teaching, Wisdom on January 8, 2021| Leave a Comment »
History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives. | |
— Abba Eban | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Just That Strange Peace |
2021 | Have Republicans Figured Out Biden Won Yet? |
Sleepin’ On Your Doorstep | |
2020 | Careful About Myth Telling |
2019 | My Irish Diet |
Fighting With Oneself | |
2018 | Feeling Both |
2017 | Just Start |
2016 | Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall |
2015 | Restraint At The Inn |
2014 | To Not Discovering |
2013 | I Have Less To Say |
2012 | Not The Best Prediction I’ve Ever Read |