Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

If your “lesson planning” isn’t iterative, then it isn’t really planning. It was planned, and had been degrading ever since. #teaching

A post on types of teaching, now with audio:
https://hackscience.education/2019/09/06/the-three-agogos/

Habituation... the idea that one does not attend to situations too familiar... may explain students’ inattentive behavior.

Each child brings their whole self to classrooms.

Yes. Yes, they do.

“School is largely ritualized compliance.”

Yes. Yes, it is.

Speech may be free, but it can have consequences... and imposition of consequences does not impede your freedom.

Do students care about the outcome of the problems you introduce in class?

The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best - and therefore never scrutinize or question. -Stephen Jay Gould

Have you ever noticed when you create with the intent to sell, the product is worthless?... but when motivated by interest and curiosity, the product is priceless.

This Toffler quote still captures reality: “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology. - Carl Sagan

If you want to be a leader, write down your great plans... now cross off all but 5... take 2 away... now you can get to work.

I was called out for using my phone in a faculty meeting. I answered, “I’m tweeting about what we are talking about... a math teacher from England just liked my description of Chris’ idea... but yeah... I’ll put it away and just daydream until we adjourn.”

Your assumptions are directly associated with your misunderstandings.

“Innovation’s advocates rarely question the necessity or the potentially negative consequences of their work.” But I don’t see that as being an argument against innovation. It is an argument for ethical actions.

“Context matters. Truth is a circumstance, not a spot.” -Stephen Jay Gould

"remaining willfully ignorant just isn't a viable, long-term strategy."

"Those who place any faith in intelligence must surely be out of their minds. Out out their minds." Yeah

“Scientific accomplishment is also a communal activity, not a hermit’s achievement.” What Stephen Jay Gould said about science applies to many human endeavors.

Type I and Type II Errors
https://hackscience.education/2025/03/23/type-i-and-type-ii-errors/