On Training

I do not work very much in the fields I studied, so a lot of what I have done since I got my degree is acquire expertise in fields I did not have. I have very broad expertise now and a flexibility in upper division teaching that is nothing short of amazing, and I say … More On Training

On Confidence

I  have very uneven “self esteem” or as I call it, confidence. In high school, I didn’t think the local dime store would hire me. By the end of college, I knew I could work in a dime store or a factory or as a substitute teacher. But I did not think I could be … More On Confidence

On Working

I only recently learned in an overt way that it is legitimate to put work and also your own life first, and to question and perhaps refuse activities and obligations that affect these negatively. Before Reeducation I knew this instinctively, but then I learned that Reeducation itself expected to take first priority. Doing well at … More On Working

On Advice

I do not want yet more discipline, I want to fall apart and sleep for a long time. Then, I want to work on my new life, not grind away at the old one on the theory that if I just motivate myself in the right way everything will be all right. Unfortunately I really … More On Advice

Postscript on Time

So it seems that what people are eternally learning is that you do not need large blocs of time in which to do work, you just need to actually use the time you have. The claim of needing large blocs of time is a delaying technique. I agree, but with one caveat: they do not … More Postscript on Time

José Miguel Wisnik

Years ago I took a class from this interesting professor, on Mário de Andrade and music. Before Reeducation I did a lot of things like that. Reeducation was not able to believe we could have had any kind of rich experience in our past, and yet we did. Axé.

Old School

It is out of fashion to lecture and not to have audiovisual equipment, but I have no media enabled classrooms this semester. I am teaching four different classes, two of which I have never taught before, and I have many other responsibilities. So I take questions, I ask questions designed to foment discussion, I assign … More Old School