One of my greatest intersests over the last few years has been my growing collection of boardgames. It has grown from a shelf in the closet to a full fledged game closet. I don't dare count how many games I now have for fear of considering the money I have spent. I justify myself by considering others I know who have even more games.
So why can't I stop?
1-I loved playing games as a kid and perhaps this just takes me back
2-The themes of "eurogames" are so unique. I have very few games about war and many with abstract themes or topics ranging from building postal routes, fighting outbreaks of disease, to growing beans. That's just a start.
3-I love the bits....those detailed little plastic and wooden pieces are just cool.
4-Playing games: the strategy, laughs, victories, and other experiences with friends and family are priceless
5-I have to collect something
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Book Review
This a book review. Review in the sense that I am going to rehash, summarize, or simply revisit my briefest thoughts on some of the books I have recently read. As a critical reviewer I am no good. I tend to like things too easily. Hey, if you can write a book, get it published, and have a topic, title, or cover interesting enough to get me to read I am rarely going to give you a hard time. So, here we go.
-The Disciplined Mind.
I know Gardner's multiple intelligences have come under fire a bit in recent years but I still really like the concept of various learning styles and strengths. I can see many people whose educational experiences would have benefited from teachers seeking to teach to the strengths of students, even if they didn't try to define those needs specifically as one of Gardner's eight intelligences. I thought of my father when he briefly mentioned a possible ninth intelligence dealing with existential or "ultimate" issues.
All that being said, this book has almost nothing to do with intelligences. I found his descriptions of the purpose of education very helpful while trying to articulate for myself the value of independent schools. He speaks in depth about education serving to teach children about truth, beauty, and morals. I can identify clear experiences in each of these realms in my own independent school education and hope to provide such at my school in the years ahead.
-Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's
I picked this one up because I have taught a couple of students with Asperger's. I love the way that Robison embraces and loves his condition. His stories made me think of a number of other people in my life with similar behavior and personalities. Is it you?
-Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns
I was prepared to not like this one. My impression going in was that it suggested a future that would devalue the importance of outstanding teachers. That border is slightly breached in a few places but I think many of the ideas in this book are still important. Most significantly, the suggestion that technology placed in education has made very little impact thus far because it's usually just layered onto the existing structure and tradition of our schools. Finding unique and appropriate ways to implement technology that best suits a system that it can provide on its own may be more valuable than forcing it to conform to our existing structures. However, good teaching will always be needed to complete the essential pieces of education listed above in this post.
-The Master and Margarita
Thanks to Bulgakov I will always smile when I see a black cat...and then be a little scared. This is one of those books that could have only been written under the type of unfortunate circumstances that existed in Soviet Russia.
-Proust Was a Neuroscientist
I clearly enjoyed this book as Lehrer's blog is now listed on my own. The link between our discoveries about neuroscience and some of the great "artistic" thinking in modern times is made very clear and I learned a lot about both at the same time. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Cezanne. I look forward to reading "How We Decide."
-Man's Search For Meaning
Rarely do I find myself on the train without something to read. I bought this book one evening when I realized that I had nothing to read and had a train ride home ahead of me. I am sure this will require a rereading at some point but my first round confirmed all the praise I have heard about this book. I hope I never have to work so hard to find meaning in my life. Fortunately my sufferings are not nearly so severe and my blessings are abundant. Frankl helped me feel more grateful for the former and the latter.
-The Disciplined Mind.
I know Gardner's multiple intelligences have come under fire a bit in recent years but I still really like the concept of various learning styles and strengths. I can see many people whose educational experiences would have benefited from teachers seeking to teach to the strengths of students, even if they didn't try to define those needs specifically as one of Gardner's eight intelligences. I thought of my father when he briefly mentioned a possible ninth intelligence dealing with existential or "ultimate" issues.
All that being said, this book has almost nothing to do with intelligences. I found his descriptions of the purpose of education very helpful while trying to articulate for myself the value of independent schools. He speaks in depth about education serving to teach children about truth, beauty, and morals. I can identify clear experiences in each of these realms in my own independent school education and hope to provide such at my school in the years ahead.
-Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's
I picked this one up because I have taught a couple of students with Asperger's. I love the way that Robison embraces and loves his condition. His stories made me think of a number of other people in my life with similar behavior and personalities. Is it you?
-Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns
I was prepared to not like this one. My impression going in was that it suggested a future that would devalue the importance of outstanding teachers. That border is slightly breached in a few places but I think many of the ideas in this book are still important. Most significantly, the suggestion that technology placed in education has made very little impact thus far because it's usually just layered onto the existing structure and tradition of our schools. Finding unique and appropriate ways to implement technology that best suits a system that it can provide on its own may be more valuable than forcing it to conform to our existing structures. However, good teaching will always be needed to complete the essential pieces of education listed above in this post.
-The Master and Margarita
Thanks to Bulgakov I will always smile when I see a black cat...and then be a little scared. This is one of those books that could have only been written under the type of unfortunate circumstances that existed in Soviet Russia.
-Proust Was a Neuroscientist
I clearly enjoyed this book as Lehrer's blog is now listed on my own. The link between our discoveries about neuroscience and some of the great "artistic" thinking in modern times is made very clear and I learned a lot about both at the same time. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Cezanne. I look forward to reading "How We Decide."
-Man's Search For Meaning
Rarely do I find myself on the train without something to read. I bought this book one evening when I realized that I had nothing to read and had a train ride home ahead of me. I am sure this will require a rereading at some point but my first round confirmed all the praise I have heard about this book. I hope I never have to work so hard to find meaning in my life. Fortunately my sufferings are not nearly so severe and my blessings are abundant. Frankl helped me feel more grateful for the former and the latter.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Victory
The Freaky Pandas had a great come from behind victory on Thursday night at the weekly trivia challenge at Brown's Tavern.
After a perfect first round we had dropped a number of spots by the end of the third. The final question asked which U.S. city was the first to host the summer olympics. Logic only took back as for as Los Angeles in '84 and into the 60's when we couldn't name another U.S. host.
But the Freaky Panda tactics kicked in. We knew that if the answer was L.A. we didn't have a chance of catching up because too many people would get it. Instead, we went with a hunch on St. Louis and bet all 33 points.......and won!!! First place with 66 points followed by a second place with only 34; nobody else got the right answer.
We stayed around for autographs after the event but the only thing we were asked to sign was the credit card receipt.
After a perfect first round we had dropped a number of spots by the end of the third. The final question asked which U.S. city was the first to host the summer olympics. Logic only took back as for as Los Angeles in '84 and into the 60's when we couldn't name another U.S. host.
But the Freaky Panda tactics kicked in. We knew that if the answer was L.A. we didn't have a chance of catching up because too many people would get it. Instead, we went with a hunch on St. Louis and bet all 33 points.......and won!!! First place with 66 points followed by a second place with only 34; nobody else got the right answer.
We stayed around for autographs after the event but the only thing we were asked to sign was the credit card receipt.
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