As the plant manager of my school walked the campus, I would know he was coming before I saw him. How? His keys. I would hear them from afar and watched how he would go into rooms and spaces that I have never entered. He would have access to places that...
I should have been happy to see this but just I sighed. I sighed because in 2017, I did a TEDx Talk on why our students need creative and financial literacy to increase their success as productive human beings. *crickets* I sighed because in 2006, Sir Ken Robinson challenged America with the...
You are creative but here’s why you think you’re not. I am so passionate about this issue that I just quit my job to take on this quest. The terms ‘creative and ‘creativity have been hijacked. And I’m here to say we are taking it back. It has been misaligned and there...
The knees quiver. The heart quickly beats. The hands palpitate. All of those symptoms can arise when you're about to ask. Whether it's approaching that beautiful girl for a first date, petitioning your boss for a raise or, in this case, requesting funds on behalf of thousands of teachers,...
The CA Charter School Association conference concluded this week and it was an informative experience. I led the session on arts integration and wanted to leave some resources here for those who were unable to attend or wanted to watch the videos I played in the session! I started the...
What is asset framing? Good question! Following a Donorschoose board meeting, I sat down with Trabian Shorters, a fellow board member, to discuss what asset framing is and why educators and community members need to be aware of this concept. Continue reading below but also watch the video above...
I don't know what started it but while I was in Japan and South Korea last summer, I just started taking pictures of random flowers that caught my eye. Since my focus of the trip was to see these cultures through the arts, I guess these beautiful creations didn't...
One of my educational mentors, Scott Bedley, once told me, “Genein, you can’t expect your students to do something you’re not willing to do yourself.” That struck a cord with me and I now make sure that I’m doing what I expect them to do, if not more. 'Be life...
Charlie 'Bird' Parker once said, "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Award-winning educator, Cassie Cox, cleverly connected this statement to the importance of educators "experiencing for ourselves what we hope to inspire." As Cassie headed to New York to study Duke Ellignton's contribution to...
DING! I turned my head to see the email pop up. Heart quickened, eyes focused. My first response letter from the NEH Summer Fellowship is in. I quickly scanned it just to see, ‘We regret to inform you that we cannot offer you a place for this year’s program.’ As my...
