Have you been called to give a workshop, a presentation, to teach a colleague and/or informally instruct? As a result, are you feeling scared, overwhelmed, nervous, and/or not sure where to start? Don’t worry, I’ve got your back. Designing and delivering workshops can be a hair raising … [Read more...] about How to Create Workshops that Work
Being embarrassed to ask a question can have disastrous consequences. Think sex ed, health issues, politics or any other hot topic. Not feeling free to ask questions can lead to a flood of misinformation and dangerous behaviour that spreads. Years ago, at a drug and alcohol workshop for … [Read more...] about A primer for creating a safe space for sensitive questions
Last week I talked about a horrible example I took part in where learning was not at all accessible. Butterflies in my stomach were only one of my symptoms I was in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong instructor. Here are 10 examples of how I’ve made learning more accessible and … [Read more...] about 10 examples of how to make learning more accessible for everyone
I was about to experience one of the worst teaching examples of inclusion ever. The auditorium was packed. I was sitting in my seat with my palms sweating and a cage full of butterflies in my stomach, which were threatening to escape. I was nervous and completely out of my element. I’d … [Read more...] about My palms were sweating and the butterflies in my stomach were threatening to escape
Remember that time when your mom or dad or caregiver stood with a ruler between your nose & theirs? You know, that time they said ‘this is how far apart you stand in social conversation.’ Nope? No memory of that? Of course not. You implicitly learned how far apart to stand when talking to … [Read more...] about Remember when you stood with a ruler between your nose & theirs? How culture influences teaching.
My brain screamed at me to not show shock or surprise. While my heart was busy jumping into my throat I focused on being as supportive as I possibly could. We were wayyy over time. I was facilitating a small group of youth at a leadership conference & one by one they shared extremely … [Read more...] about What trainers are missing & why it’s critical you have one (whether you teach or not)
It was 4am. A bunch of sleepy faces looked up at me from their seats. I swear I could feel crusty bits of sleep dust in my eyes though I’d vigorously washed my face to wake up. I was about to deliver a workshop to a group of factory workers. I had to knock it out of the park because the workshop … [Read more...] about How I reacted when a ‘problem student’ asked me how old I was
If you're a regular ready you'll know that I've recently moved to Africa. My learning curve is wonderfully curly and curious. Take ironing underwear for instance. I am fortunate enough to have house help. My clothes are washed, dried and ironed for me. Even my underwear. Ironed. Back home, my … [Read more...] about What ironing underwear can teach you about learning
'How you teach is how you do everything' is the title of a recent blog post written by Jen Louden and Michele Lisenbury Christensen. I started to read it with skepticism as I don't usually find a lot of great writing about what it really means to be a teacher - trainer - leaning and development … [Read more...] about How you teach is how you do everything – part 1: How not to suck on fumes
The other day my 13 year old nonchalantly took my IPhone and placed it in the radio (see above). What was he doing? Using the radio to play the music off my IPhone. Simple? For him, yes. For me, no. I had banded my thinking, which is a creativity killer. Banded thinking is placing … [Read more...] about What is creativity? Making a radio out of a phone
The trick is for the (scissor) blades to learn to work smoothly together, so as not to cut each other.
— Mary Jo Putney
The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward.
— Amelia Earhart
There will always be rocks in the road ahead of us. They will be stumbling blocks or stepping stones; it all depends on how you use them.
— Friedrich Nietzsche
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