World Sick: Stories by Jason Simon My rating: 5 of 5 stars If it were possible for me to review this objectively, I probably wouldn’t rate it so highly. It’s not perfect. It’s insular and, in some stories, reads like an inside joke that’s tough to understand without context. It’s odd and has no qualms about narrative sacrifices. It’s sometimes wordy and might have benefitted from a professional editor. It engages in contemporary political discourse without making a larger point. I wouldn’t dream of being objective here, though. I wrote this, and I’m happy with how it came out. I … Continue reading World Sick: Stories by Jason Simon (Book Review)

Creating Cultures of Thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools by Ron Ritchhart My rating: 5 of 5 stars For my review of this book, I have chosen to use the thinking routine “I used to think…Now I think…” I used to think it wasn’t so hard to create the right kind of classroom culture. Be kind and caring and clear in expectations and prioritize relationships. Now I think there’s more to it than that, and it’s worth stopping to reflect on the factors that contribute to a culture focused on thinking rather than just … Continue reading Creating Cultures of Thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools (Book Review)