Tag Archives: writing

How I Spent My Winter Mornings

They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but this past winter I decided to try to try my hand at solving the New York Times Crossword, something I had avoided doing to this point in my life. Along the way I acquired a little proficiency in solving crosswords, I remembered some important lessons about teaching and learning new skills, in general. Time will spent.

Frankenstein’s Graduate

In releasing the interim report outlining its new graduation Framework, Massachusetts boasts, “no other state will have implemented such a comprehensive approach to setting such high standards in education…” 

My response, as the kids say, Sick brag, bro. 

I’m not exactly sure where having “such high standards” compared to other states fits in the validity argument. I would be much more impressed by claims and evidence of having carefully identified the right graduation standards for the future and having a solid implementation plan for achieving those standards.

Embracing Absurdity In 2025

Thanks to all who joined me in embracing the absurdity of 2025 through my blog, Embrace The Absurd. In this final post of 2025, I recap the most popular posts and issues we discussed in 2025 and offer some words of wisdom (not mine) to guide us into the new year ahead.

Wishing you and yours happiness, health, proficiency, competency, relevance, validity, reliability, fairness, engagement, and purpose in 2026. 

From Homer to Ho: Let’s Talk TACs

Two recent posts by Andrew Ho spurred my thinking about Technical Advisory Committees (TACs); specifically, the role that the committees and their members play in our field. Perhaps even more important than their role as advisors, problem solvers, sounding boards, psychometric therapists, and human guardrails, TAC members are storytellers, passing on through oral tradition the key tenets of our field.