Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

"Why are we doing this?" If we can't answer this, then why are we bothering?

Vacuous praise in public is not the same as building culture.

I’m a Talking Heads fan, except when the term describes one’s approach to education.

“Educational determinism” (the idea that one can know with certainty how to teach anything and everything) eludes all who seek it... those who are the best teachers relish the fact such a thing does not exist.

People are clever, but almost no one ever devised an optimal quip precisely at the needed moment. -Stephen Jay Gould

Correlation and causation are not the same. Seriously folks, your “ed research” instructor taught you this.

Here is your regular reminder... if your answer begins with “it is simple...” then you are wrong.

Here is your regular reminder to state the opinions upon which you base your facts.

Yeah... It your organization is partnering with one of the test proctoring platforms... I'm approaching it with the same incredulity as I do advocates for learning styles.

“Right sizing” is the most disingenuous phrase in existence. If you hear it... run. Not because of the fact programs etc. will be cut but the fact that leadership chooses to use it.

Yeah... IT... can be stop using colors to label acceptable and unacceptable domains? Like right now.

When you keep asking questions, you find out “facts” are usually interpretations of events and observations.

I have a weird sense of satisfaction when I watch narcissists turn on each other (which they almost always do).

When self-described "data-driven leaders" are called out on their weak use of data... I gotta say... I kinda enjoy watching them squirm.

Great vision... glad you spent lots of time crafting it, but how are you going to get there?

“But, how will they learn if I don’t?” is a sure sign that 1) the person misunderstands learning, 2) whatever they are try to teach is not worth knowing, 3) they really really like power. #teaching #edchat #learning #parenting

Was your sample random?

That question should not cause a "data-driven leader" to ask "what do you mean?"

My father had only brothers (5 total). I had only a brother. My kids have only brothers. Today the fifth grandnephew arrive (all boys at birth in that generation). My two nieces ruin a perfectly anomalous family probability case.

Please don’t be that person who starts the meeting with “we want to hear from you,” and proceeds to yammer on and on. Did you see how polite I was there? I wanted to use a word other than “yammer.”

"Career and college ready" isn't a thing... never was... never will be.