Have you ever been told a joke that was so good you had to share it? Of course some jokes are hard to retell and some are easy to retell, but some can be retold and some can be retold hilariously.
If a person only told jokes that were retold, that would be gross. It would be a problem. However, is it worthwhile for a teacher to know a surefire way of explaining something?
Is it good for a teacher to know an entertaining way of explaining something?
[Catskills comedy]
[My teaching preparation vs typical teaching preparation]
Why should everyone have to figure it out for him or herself?
Why can't a teacher slip a cover song into a set now and then?
There will always be a unique element. There will always be the individual style and the individual personality. There will always be the individual delivery.
But why not share our best explanations? Why not share our best rhetoric? Why not share the sales pitch for reading and writing?
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Cracked Podcast Notes
Hostage negotiators---
The power of yes primed vs no primed questions
Two examples: "Do you like money?" (an obvious manipulation) vs "Do you like leaving money on the table?" (a less obvious one, that might seem obvious based on pride)
The problematic effect of why questions....
The helpful tactic of how and what questions
Movie Effects on the Real World
Harry Potter---- owl pets
Movie places-------place stereotypes
Foreign movie people------ people stereotypes
The CSI effect---- Juries are demanding lots more evidence than they used to
What a scientist says about science------- automatically taken as true
Slipping on a banana peel--- Has this ever actually happened? People often try to fake b. peel accidents
Why are Versaci and Armani suits so popular? Partially because G. Gecko dressed like that. His wardrobe was completely a random choice.
There is no such thing as an anti-war movie. War looks exciting at all times.
Mario Puzo made up the term "Godfather"
--------------------------------------------------------
Colors-
Baker-Miller pink is connected to drunk tanks. It pacifies us.
The color of pills has an unreasonable effect on us
Impulsive red.
Russian language study of blue
Podcast #22 Bad ideas that control the world
The Structure of English makes it easier to blame people.
The Peltzman Effect-- changes that decrease risk, cause humans to increase risky behavior. Anti lock brakes let to more crashes.
English Language's encoded tendency toward blame
episode 22 36 minutes in
Police Lineups Do not Work
Describing a face increases witness confidence
Confidence from the witness during testimony is one of the most important factor's for a jury.
Having a witness look through a book with a large number of photos of felons is better.
(this relates to the racist "they all look the same to me" effect too)
Speedbumps Kill
There are very few car accidents in neighborhoods at low speeds that hurt/kill people.
There are a number of life or death medical issues that require ambulance rides.
Ambulances must slow down to go over the bumps. Multiplying out the number of medical emergencies which require ambulances, the number where a few minutes are the difference between life or death, and the actual amount an ambulance slows when hitting a speed bump, many many people die.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Real life conspiracies
The conspiracy to kill streetcars
The business plot (smedley butler)
Dropping 300000 mosquitos on Georgia
Releasing bacteria in cali
-----------------------------------------
We have an addiction to competence
The peltzman effect- why safety devices don't work. Humans have a comfortable level of danger. When something gets safer, we push the envelope.
the flynn effect- people are getting smarter
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Health Podcast
Obesity is pretty incurable without surgery. The relapse rate is higher than heroin.
The dairy industry led to government programs to encourage use.
The only time US obesity dipped was the mil rationing years
Taco Salad has "salad" in it
Bran Muffin has "Bran" in it (but it's cake)
Vitamin water has vitamins in it, but it also is worse than a soda
Dual product lines---
Healthy stuff, then you deserve the bad stuff we sell
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
White People and Their Racist Ideas
This American Life episode about teachers and expectations sounds awesome. Look it up.
"School is the absolute worst place to learn about racism."
He interviews some minority podcasters from Denzel Washington is the Best Actor of All Time, The Read, and Is this Racist?
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Why You Have No Idea What You Look Like
Given a set of slightly altered photos of ourselves and one real one, most people fail to pick out their actual face.
Michael Jackson is a good example because he had the power and ability to do whatever he wanted.
Freud has mostly stupid ideas. The one good idea that he had was the idea of therapy, having a total stranger hear the true details about your life and give a response.
We are literally the worst at judging ourselves....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cracked- tipping points
Predictions about the future
tequila
helium
chocolate/cocoa
seafood
car culture in america
------------------------------------------------------------------
The Memory Podcast-
Source Amnesia (the need for works cited pages)
Elizabeth Loftus (she is the source of my red van example)
-------------------------------------------------------------
Actor auteur theory
Tom Cruise runs in all his movies
Brad Pitt eats in all his movies
Tom Hanks pees in all his movies
Gump, Castaway, The Money Pitt, A League of Their Own
Most superstar-focused movie posters show alarming common elements.
----------------------------------------------------
Notes from the Cracked De-Textbook
Cool language facts
Aborigine Super Scouts pxii
Russians with a super sense of blue pxii
Crows hold a grudge p30
Shakespeare was a sick dude p44
Training montages fuck up our expectations
Caffeine, Going green, Magnets, Facial Expressions can turn you into a dick p184
Most people survive plane crashes p198
The Peltzman Effect, why safety improvements don't save lives p206
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unknown podcasts
Movies have a weirdly specific format
Certain things happen at 15 minutes, 60 minutes, et cetera....
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Bad Ideas That Control the World
Police lineups
lineups don't work
photos of felons do
describing the face increases witness conficence
confidence from the witnesses during testimony is one of the most important factors for juries
Speed bumps
the delays they cause kill lots of people each year..... paramedics take too long to get to
hospitals
there are VERY few accidents in neighborhoods of a serious nature. They are seen as much
more tragic, so they get the priority
----------------------------------------------------
LBJ
He was a womanizer. He taped everything. He loved to talk about his balls. He peed on a secret service agent. He really, really wanted to be president
-----------------------------------
7 ways to get free stuff from companies just by lying (this is the title of the video about complaint letters)
The power of yes primed vs no primed questions
Two examples: "Do you like money?" (an obvious manipulation) vs "Do you like leaving money on the table?" (a less obvious one, that might seem obvious based on pride)
The problematic effect of why questions....
The helpful tactic of how and what questions
Movie Effects on the Real World
Harry Potter---- owl pets
Movie places-------place stereotypes
Foreign movie people------ people stereotypes
The CSI effect---- Juries are demanding lots more evidence than they used to
What a scientist says about science------- automatically taken as true
Slipping on a banana peel--- Has this ever actually happened? People often try to fake b. peel accidents
Why are Versaci and Armani suits so popular? Partially because G. Gecko dressed like that. His wardrobe was completely a random choice.
There is no such thing as an anti-war movie. War looks exciting at all times.
Mario Puzo made up the term "Godfather"
--------------------------------------------------------
Colors-
Baker-Miller pink is connected to drunk tanks. It pacifies us.
The color of pills has an unreasonable effect on us
Impulsive red.
Russian language study of blue
Podcast #22 Bad ideas that control the world
The Structure of English makes it easier to blame people.
The Peltzman Effect-- changes that decrease risk, cause humans to increase risky behavior. Anti lock brakes let to more crashes.
English Language's encoded tendency toward blame
episode 22 36 minutes in
Police Lineups Do not Work
Describing a face increases witness confidence
Confidence from the witness during testimony is one of the most important factor's for a jury.
Having a witness look through a book with a large number of photos of felons is better.
(this relates to the racist "they all look the same to me" effect too)
Speedbumps Kill
There are very few car accidents in neighborhoods at low speeds that hurt/kill people.
There are a number of life or death medical issues that require ambulance rides.
Ambulances must slow down to go over the bumps. Multiplying out the number of medical emergencies which require ambulances, the number where a few minutes are the difference between life or death, and the actual amount an ambulance slows when hitting a speed bump, many many people die.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Real life conspiracies
The conspiracy to kill streetcars
The business plot (smedley butler)
Dropping 300000 mosquitos on Georgia
Releasing bacteria in cali
-----------------------------------------
We have an addiction to competence
The peltzman effect- why safety devices don't work. Humans have a comfortable level of danger. When something gets safer, we push the envelope.
the flynn effect- people are getting smarter
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Health Podcast
Obesity is pretty incurable without surgery. The relapse rate is higher than heroin.
The dairy industry led to government programs to encourage use.
The only time US obesity dipped was the mil rationing years
Taco Salad has "salad" in it
Bran Muffin has "Bran" in it (but it's cake)
Vitamin water has vitamins in it, but it also is worse than a soda
Dual product lines---
Healthy stuff, then you deserve the bad stuff we sell
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
White People and Their Racist Ideas
This American Life episode about teachers and expectations sounds awesome. Look it up.
"School is the absolute worst place to learn about racism."
He interviews some minority podcasters from Denzel Washington is the Best Actor of All Time, The Read, and Is this Racist?
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Why You Have No Idea What You Look Like
Given a set of slightly altered photos of ourselves and one real one, most people fail to pick out their actual face.
Michael Jackson is a good example because he had the power and ability to do whatever he wanted.
Freud has mostly stupid ideas. The one good idea that he had was the idea of therapy, having a total stranger hear the true details about your life and give a response.
We are literally the worst at judging ourselves....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cracked- tipping points
Predictions about the future
tequila
helium
chocolate/cocoa
seafood
car culture in america
------------------------------------------------------------------
The Memory Podcast-
Source Amnesia (the need for works cited pages)
Elizabeth Loftus (she is the source of my red van example)
-------------------------------------------------------------
Actor auteur theory
Tom Cruise runs in all his movies
Brad Pitt eats in all his movies
Tom Hanks pees in all his movies
Gump, Castaway, The Money Pitt, A League of Their Own
Most superstar-focused movie posters show alarming common elements.
----------------------------------------------------
Notes from the Cracked De-Textbook
Cool language facts
Aborigine Super Scouts pxii
Russians with a super sense of blue pxii
Crows hold a grudge p30
Shakespeare was a sick dude p44
Training montages fuck up our expectations
Caffeine, Going green, Magnets, Facial Expressions can turn you into a dick p184
Most people survive plane crashes p198
The Peltzman Effect, why safety improvements don't save lives p206
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unknown podcasts
Movies have a weirdly specific format
Certain things happen at 15 minutes, 60 minutes, et cetera....
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Bad Ideas That Control the World
Police lineups
lineups don't work
photos of felons do
describing the face increases witness conficence
confidence from the witnesses during testimony is one of the most important factors for juries
Speed bumps
the delays they cause kill lots of people each year..... paramedics take too long to get to
hospitals
there are VERY few accidents in neighborhoods of a serious nature. They are seen as much
more tragic, so they get the priority
----------------------------------------------------
LBJ
He was a womanizer. He taped everything. He loved to talk about his balls. He peed on a secret service agent. He really, really wanted to be president
-----------------------------------
7 ways to get free stuff from companies just by lying (this is the title of the video about complaint letters)
Hypnosis Podcast
Dr Mike Mandel
youtube.com/user/drmikemandel
Bypass the critical faculty
Confusion as a doorway
embedded commands
stacking negatives
Analog marking (tone or nonverbal marking)
pattern interrupts
presuppositions (loaded questions)
Eps I've Watched and Here are my notes
Ep3-
Calcium turnings
5 water glasses
the "Acid test"
Ep4- Hidden object finding
the hellstrom method
ep5- explains the trick
ep6/7
anchoring states to throat clearing/forgetting
pattern interrupts
handshake inductions
double blind statements
either/or presuppositions
Ep8- Hypnogogic states
Reality tunnels
The power of intentino
Ep14- Hypnotic phenomena
Start with traditional pain reduction methods and gradually wean clients
Ep15- Conversational Hypnosis
Combines priming an embedded commands
Everyone is an "expert"
The example of the forgetful waiter
Ep 20
Clear Your Mind
Imagine a Calm Backdrop
Transmit a thought
one shape
no.... now I want you to think of a second geometric shape
how many did a circle in a triangle?
how many a triangle in a circle?
Two digit number
2 odd numbers
less than 50
different digits
37
youtube.com/user/drmikemandel
Bypass the critical faculty
Confusion as a doorway
embedded commands
stacking negatives
Analog marking (tone or nonverbal marking)
pattern interrupts
presuppositions (loaded questions)
Eps I've Watched and Here are my notes
Ep3-
Calcium turnings
5 water glasses
the "Acid test"
Ep4- Hidden object finding
the hellstrom method
ep5- explains the trick
ep6/7
anchoring states to throat clearing/forgetting
pattern interrupts
handshake inductions
double blind statements
either/or presuppositions
Ep8- Hypnogogic states
Reality tunnels
The power of intentino
Ep14- Hypnotic phenomena
Start with traditional pain reduction methods and gradually wean clients
Ep15- Conversational Hypnosis
Combines priming an embedded commands
Everyone is an "expert"
The example of the forgetful waiter
Ep 20
Clear Your Mind
Imagine a Calm Backdrop
Transmit a thought
one shape
no.... now I want you to think of a second geometric shape
how many did a circle in a triangle?
how many a triangle in a circle?
Two digit number
2 odd numbers
less than 50
different digits
37
Friday, December 5, 2014
Purpose
If you can choose a purpose, a specific purpose, you have power over your life. You can change minds. You can change actions. You can change perceptions.
However
1. What people want is never just one thing. People want lots of things. It is very hard to choose which one is the most important. It is very hard to focus of one thing at a time.
2. Unless the purpose is very clear and specific, it is very hard to know what to do.
For example, if you want directions and your purpose is to go to "a good restaurant," it will be very hard to help you.
If you want directions to my friend John's house in Las Vegas, I can tell you exactly what you need to know.
When reading an assignment for a class, do you wish to be entertained? Do you wish to be prepared for class discussion? Do you wish to complete the homework assignment as quickly as possible? Do you wish to kick ass on the test?
There is different advice for each option.
However
1. What people want is never just one thing. People want lots of things. It is very hard to choose which one is the most important. It is very hard to focus of one thing at a time.
2. Unless the purpose is very clear and specific, it is very hard to know what to do.
For example, if you want directions and your purpose is to go to "a good restaurant," it will be very hard to help you.
If you want directions to my friend John's house in Las Vegas, I can tell you exactly what you need to know.
When reading an assignment for a class, do you wish to be entertained? Do you wish to be prepared for class discussion? Do you wish to complete the homework assignment as quickly as possible? Do you wish to kick ass on the test?
There is different advice for each option.
Master of Memory- Podcast Notes
Teaching Students to Create Mnemonics
Restrict the student options. Memorize this number using this room as a memory palace.
"Name an object."
vs
"Name a reptile"
For most people, the second one is a much easier question to respond to. Why is that?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
158 Improving General Reading Skills (16, 39, 152 are other relevant episodes.)
Don't passively go over the text.
Reading for one of two reasons
1. pleasure or 2. information
For nonfiction books, create a one page mind map.
Speed reading is about 1.focus and 2.the motor skill of not going back up the page
Spreeder.com (speed reading site)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The mind remembers events better than ideas
Emotions are the glue that cements memory
To remember a thing, first put it in a memorable way.
Make it a visual image
-include color, movement, and sound
----------------------------------------------
The suggested repetition schedule is
One day
Three days
One week
Two weeks
four weeks latere
--------------------------------
O'brian (this might be the podcast author or the book writer) says that association and two other factors are key. Those other factors are imagination and sensation
Other Key Memory Resources
Repeat to Remember- Brain Rules Video
Remember to Repeat- Brain Rules Video
Ted Talk- Joshua Foer
Ron White- Superhumans
Dominic O'brian- One of the most popular books on memory
Derren Brown- Tricks of the Mind (memory is the secret behind some of his tricks, i.e. the chess games)
Restrict the student options. Memorize this number using this room as a memory palace.
"Name an object."
vs
"Name a reptile"
For most people, the second one is a much easier question to respond to. Why is that?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
158 Improving General Reading Skills (16, 39, 152 are other relevant episodes.)
Don't passively go over the text.
Reading for one of two reasons
1. pleasure or 2. information
For nonfiction books, create a one page mind map.
Speed reading is about 1.focus and 2.the motor skill of not going back up the page
Spreeder.com (speed reading site)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The mind remembers events better than ideas
Emotions are the glue that cements memory
To remember a thing, first put it in a memorable way.
Make it a visual image
-include color, movement, and sound
----------------------------------------------
The suggested repetition schedule is
One day
Three days
One week
Two weeks
four weeks latere
--------------------------------
O'brian (this might be the podcast author or the book writer) says that association and two other factors are key. Those other factors are imagination and sensation
Other Key Memory Resources
Repeat to Remember- Brain Rules Video
Remember to Repeat- Brain Rules Video
Ted Talk- Joshua Foer
Ron White- Superhumans
Dominic O'brian- One of the most popular books on memory
Derren Brown- Tricks of the Mind (memory is the secret behind some of his tricks, i.e. the chess games)
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Teaching Related Quote Pages
The Laws of Power
The Secret Life of Pronouns
Composition as a Thermostatic activity
Neil Postman
(Teaching as a Subversive Activity)
David Bartholomae
Peter Elbow
Bakhtin
Vygotsky
Ann Berthoff
Louise Rosenblatt- Transactional
Steven Pinker
Noam Chomsky
Idries Shah
John Dewey- Inquiry learning
Paolo Freire- Pedagogy of the Oppressed
Alfred Korzybski
Wired for Story
Tony Silva, ESL Writing
Towards an Interactive Model of Reading By David Rumelhart
The Transactional Theory of Reading and Writing (poorly documented, author unknown)
Reading as a Meaning Construction Process by Robert B Ruddell and Norman Unrau
Social Identity, Investment, and Language Learning by Bonny Peirce
Culture As Context for Adult Education: The Need for Culturally Relevant Adult Education, by Talmadge C Guy
Discourse Analysis, James Gee
National Reading Panel (quotes are about silent reading)
Models for Teaching Writing
Reciprocal Themes in ESL
From a book on Second Language Education
"Cultural Thought Patterns in Inter-Cultural Education" by Robert Kaplan
Essays found in Teaching Developmental Reading: Historical, Theoretical, and Practical Background Readings
Toward the New Literacy, Folk-Ross
Teaching Reading and Writing as Models of Learning in College: A Glance at the Past; a View to the Future by Karen Quinn
St Martin's Sourcebook for Writing Tutors (several diff essays)
Idries Shah, The Sufis
The Secret Life of Pronouns
Composition as a Thermostatic activity
Neil Postman
(Teaching as a Subversive Activity)
David Bartholomae
Peter Elbow
Bakhtin
Vygotsky
Ann Berthoff
Louise Rosenblatt- Transactional
Steven Pinker
Noam Chomsky
Idries Shah
John Dewey- Inquiry learning
Paolo Freire- Pedagogy of the Oppressed
Alfred Korzybski
Wired for Story
Tony Silva, ESL Writing
Towards an Interactive Model of Reading By David Rumelhart
The Transactional Theory of Reading and Writing (poorly documented, author unknown)
Reading as a Meaning Construction Process by Robert B Ruddell and Norman Unrau
Social Identity, Investment, and Language Learning by Bonny Peirce
Culture As Context for Adult Education: The Need for Culturally Relevant Adult Education, by Talmadge C Guy
Discourse Analysis, James Gee
National Reading Panel (quotes are about silent reading)
Models for Teaching Writing
Reciprocal Themes in ESL
From a book on Second Language Education
"Cultural Thought Patterns in Inter-Cultural Education" by Robert Kaplan
Essays found in Teaching Developmental Reading: Historical, Theoretical, and Practical Background Readings
Toward the New Literacy, Folk-Ross
Teaching Reading and Writing as Models of Learning in College: A Glance at the Past; a View to the Future by Karen Quinn
St Martin's Sourcebook for Writing Tutors (several diff essays)
Idries Shah, The Sufis
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Prior Knowledge/ I Swear I did not waste my whole life
I used to think that I read so much to be able to show off. Imagine the world's strongest man competition without the strong men. Basically I'm describing the world's dorkiest dork competition.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
I am very mean to ideas...
The way that dogs fight when they meet is the same way that I explain my ideas. I don't want to humiliate anyone, but I want to win. To an outsider, I look very aggressive, but, like a dog, I just want to see which argument is stronger.
If I am beaten, I'll acknowledge it, and I'll thank you for it, but I will never give up my ideas without putting up a fight. I'll never give up on anything without putting up a fight.
In terms of relationships, I've been at the Alamo several times. Suck on that Davy Crockett. Grin.
If I am beaten, I'll acknowledge it, and I'll thank you for it, but I will never give up my ideas without putting up a fight. I'll never give up on anything without putting up a fight.
In terms of relationships, I've been at the Alamo several times. Suck on that Davy Crockett. Grin.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Maxims
It is harder to believe in probability than it is to believe in a political party
-----------------------------------
.
In a world of 6 billion people, 6000 people have an a million to one coincidence happen every single day.
That makes it hard to believe in randomness.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I've got a bag full of surprises that would make Santa jealous.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm an English teacher and an American person. I have a leather belt that I made with a Leatherman. The first time I talked to a therapist, he said "this is going to be fun."
--------------------------------------------------------
a typical human is not average
not in height
not in weight
not in hair
not in charm
not in anything
average is not typical
average is a black swan
average is a unicorn
average is a hooker with a heart of gold
average is an imaginary friend.
---------------------------
You can either choose to find the beauty in life
or you can expect life
to convince you that it is beautiful
(And before I say what's next,
I need to admit something.
I am dumb.
I am gold medal dumb.
I am Guinness Book of World Records Dumb)
However...
Noone is dumb enough
to argue
that one of those choices
isn't a whole hell of a lot
better than the other.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mankind isn't created
and mankind isn't designed
and mankind hasn't randomly lucked into an evolutionary world
to have things that work forever
Mankind is not made up of those who have never suffered a disaster
or those who gave up
Mankind is made up of survivors.
Mankind is made up of rebuilders
But
Mankind would never have survived without the experimenters.
the kind of men who create disasters,
the lovable fuckups
who aren't afraid of anything
except giving up on their own ideas
even
if those ideas kill them
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------
.
In a world of 6 billion people, 6000 people have an a million to one coincidence happen every single day.
That makes it hard to believe in randomness.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I've got a bag full of surprises that would make Santa jealous.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm an English teacher and an American person. I have a leather belt that I made with a Leatherman. The first time I talked to a therapist, he said "this is going to be fun."
--------------------------------------------------------
a typical human is not average
not in height
not in weight
not in hair
not in charm
not in anything
average is not typical
average is a black swan
average is a unicorn
average is a hooker with a heart of gold
average is an imaginary friend.
---------------------------
You can either choose to find the beauty in life
or you can expect life
to convince you that it is beautiful
(And before I say what's next,
I need to admit something.
I am dumb.
I am gold medal dumb.
I am Guinness Book of World Records Dumb)
However...
Noone is dumb enough
to argue
that one of those choices
isn't a whole hell of a lot
better than the other.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mankind isn't created
and mankind isn't designed
and mankind hasn't randomly lucked into an evolutionary world
to have things that work forever
Mankind is not made up of those who have never suffered a disaster
or those who gave up
Mankind is made up of survivors.
Mankind is made up of rebuilders
But
Mankind would never have survived without the experimenters.
the kind of men who create disasters,
the lovable fuckups
who aren't afraid of anything
except giving up on their own ideas
even
if those ideas kill them
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Grammar Girl- Best Podcasts for Students
grammar girl is an online expert on grammar who gives free instructions and advice.
Her podcasts can be found at itunes or at quick and dirty tips.com.
Check out the podcasts with these numbers
400
399
397
395
390
388
381 participles and gerunds
380 gerunds
377 Royal We
371
367
Her podcasts can be found at itunes or at quick and dirty tips.com.
Check out the podcasts with these numbers
400
399
397
395
390
388
381 participles and gerunds
380 gerunds
377 Royal We
371
367
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Tweets?
Would a roller coaster be fun if it stayed on the same exact level the whole fucking time? All good rides and good writing has ups and downs, changes of speed.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Writers should always try to surprise but not offend. This is far more difficult to do than it is to state.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whatever seems new is what to review.
------------------------------------------------------------------
When nobody's outsides are the same, why do we expect their insides to be the same? Why do we expect their thinking to be? Why do we expect their emotions to be?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
If you can't standardize the students or standardize the teachers, why do you think we can standardize the curriculum?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the words for a trick or a scam is "a con." The source of that is the word "confidence." This is why most writers say "this is true" when they really mean "I believe this."
---------------------------------------------
Stating ideas with total confidence straddles the line between a rhetorical device and a mental illness.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whenever anyone tells me that the world is my oyster I inform them that I have a shellfish allergy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be a successful mechanic you need fine motor skills. #wordplay
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your task is to change minds, not to speak your mind.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"What is easy to read is easy to believe"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
On my first day of kindergarten, I showed up with an eye patch. That proved I was unlucky. In first grade, I read 902 books. That proved I was an idiot.
Later on, I realized that there was no cure for being unlucky, but there was a cure for being an idiot. It turns out that I was wrong about one of those things.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I was born I had needs, but I did not make demands. Life was kind to me, even though I didn't earn it. I realized I had a debt, but I couldn't find the person to pay back. This is why I am a people-pleaser.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Writers should always try to surprise but not offend. This is far more difficult to do than it is to state.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whatever seems new is what to review.
------------------------------------------------------------------
When nobody's outsides are the same, why do we expect their insides to be the same? Why do we expect their thinking to be? Why do we expect their emotions to be?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
If you can't standardize the students or standardize the teachers, why do you think we can standardize the curriculum?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the words for a trick or a scam is "a con." The source of that is the word "confidence." This is why most writers say "this is true" when they really mean "I believe this."
---------------------------------------------
Stating ideas with total confidence straddles the line between a rhetorical device and a mental illness.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whenever anyone tells me that the world is my oyster I inform them that I have a shellfish allergy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be a successful mechanic you need fine motor skills. #wordplay
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your task is to change minds, not to speak your mind.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"What is easy to read is easy to believe"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
On my first day of kindergarten, I showed up with an eye patch. That proved I was unlucky. In first grade, I read 902 books. That proved I was an idiot.
Later on, I realized that there was no cure for being unlucky, but there was a cure for being an idiot. It turns out that I was wrong about one of those things.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I was born I had needs, but I did not make demands. Life was kind to me, even though I didn't earn it. I realized I had a debt, but I couldn't find the person to pay back. This is why I am a people-pleaser.
Suprise your readers, but don't offend them.
A good writer must try to surprise and not offend. This is impossible to learn how to do in general. This skill only works one by one by one.
This is pretty similar to the concept of "go from a to c."
This is pretty similar to the concept of "go from a to c."
Goals For Writing- My paraphrase
A writer wants to write something that seems
CLEAR to the audience
TRUE to the audience
NEW to the audience
Sometimes additional goals are added. Sometimes the goals have different priorities.
Other goals are to write something
HELPFUL to the audience
IMPRESSIVE to the audience
When writing for a course, I suggest this:
Write something
that follows instructions from the teacher
that follows advice from the textbook
that appears to be the result of a lot of hard work
CLEAR to the audience
TRUE to the audience
NEW to the audience
Sometimes additional goals are added. Sometimes the goals have different priorities.
Other goals are to write something
HELPFUL to the audience
IMPRESSIVE to the audience
When writing for a course, I suggest this:
Write something
that follows instructions from the teacher
that follows advice from the textbook
that appears to be the result of a lot of hard work
A Question I Can't Answer- Instruction Manuals
Why did the world give up on writing instruction manuals?
-Ever tried to read one for a device that you have very little understanding of?
-How long would it have to be to cover every question that one might ask?
-How would you phrase each question? What vocab should you use? How much detail would be
necessary?
My guess?
My experience?
Writing instructions is very hard.
My observations:
Frequently asked questions, crowd-sourced answers, and technical support have replaced them.
-Ever tried to read one for a device that you have very little understanding of?
-How long would it have to be to cover every question that one might ask?
-How would you phrase each question? What vocab should you use? How much detail would be
necessary?
My guess?
My experience?
Writing instructions is very hard.
My observations:
Frequently asked questions, crowd-sourced answers, and technical support have replaced them.
Monday, April 21, 2014
The first day of school
Respect by Aretha Franklin
What you want-
To tell good stories
To get people to listen
To get people to remember
To prevent embarrassing mistakes
What you need-
Challenging tasks
Independent working/learning/studying habits
Rapid feedback
High standards
A demanding teacher
A knowledge of what your weaknesses are
"Perhaps at this point you are thinking this: 'I know how to talk. Why do I need to write?'"
The answer isn't a sentence. The answer is a story, and I'll start my story with a thought provoking question. A thought-provoking question is a good way to start a story if you didn't know.
The question is
"How long has mankind been using language to communicate?"
Write down a guess. I'll wait.
(When a question is asked, it is crucial that you try to answer. If you don't have an answer, make a guess. If you don't understand the question, write the question down in your notebook.)
The best scientific estimates are around 100,000 years ago.
Does anyone know when writing was invented? (Notice that I said "invented")
The oldest writing that mankind has ever found (so far) is around 6,000 years old, and it is a small clay tablet that records how much beer was given to workers after completing some project. They wanted to make very certain that noone was drinking more that his or her fair share.
I am not kidding. Google that.
Does anyone want to know how we figured out the date for speech?
[The story of Paul Broca, and the unfortunate man who could only say "Tan"]
[After the story, the reveal]
100,000 years ago humans hadn't accomplished a whole lot.
For the next 95,000 years we didn't improve much.
But, in the last 5,000 years, we have gone from spear fights to space flights.
What you want-
To tell good stories
To get people to listen
To get people to remember
To prevent embarrassing mistakes
What you need-
Challenging tasks
Independent working/learning/studying habits
Rapid feedback
High standards
A demanding teacher
A knowledge of what your weaknesses are
"Perhaps at this point you are thinking this: 'I know how to talk. Why do I need to write?'"
The answer isn't a sentence. The answer is a story, and I'll start my story with a thought provoking question. A thought-provoking question is a good way to start a story if you didn't know.
The question is
"How long has mankind been using language to communicate?"
Write down a guess. I'll wait.
(When a question is asked, it is crucial that you try to answer. If you don't have an answer, make a guess. If you don't understand the question, write the question down in your notebook.)
The best scientific estimates are around 100,000 years ago.
Does anyone know when writing was invented? (Notice that I said "invented")
The oldest writing that mankind has ever found (so far) is around 6,000 years old, and it is a small clay tablet that records how much beer was given to workers after completing some project. They wanted to make very certain that noone was drinking more that his or her fair share.
I am not kidding. Google that.
Does anyone want to know how we figured out the date for speech?
[The story of Paul Broca, and the unfortunate man who could only say "Tan"]
[After the story, the reveal]
100,000 years ago humans hadn't accomplished a whole lot.
For the next 95,000 years we didn't improve much.
But, in the last 5,000 years, we have gone from spear fights to space flights.
Friday, February 14, 2014
What can I do? What I can do? - My thoughts about my abilities
In sixteen weeks, I am expected to change you. The concept is all wrong. It is a stupid goal.
In sixteen weeks, I want you to change yourself. I am willing to trick you, entertain you, mislead you, and impress you. I am willing to be hated. I am willing to be misunderstood. I am willing to try things that I'm not sure will work. I am willing to look stupid. I am willing to act stupid. I am willing to be stupid, as long as I think it will help.
In sixteen weeks, I want you to change yourself. I am willing to trick you, entertain you, mislead you, and impress you. I am willing to be hated. I am willing to be misunderstood. I am willing to try things that I'm not sure will work. I am willing to look stupid. I am willing to act stupid. I am willing to be stupid, as long as I think it will help.
Accidentally Awesome
When stating my thoughts, I am the most arrogant man in the world.
When stating the truth, I am the most cowardly.
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It isn't fun to be awesome on purpose, no matter what. When it is totally clear what you are trying to do, when it is totally clear how you are supposed to do it, there is no joy in getting it right. There is only relief from avoiding failure.
The strange part is this: as far as I can tell, being great by accident only happens when a person spends a lifetime trying to be great on purpose.
I spent years and years trying to train myself to have better instincts about people.
Failure shouldn't be a surprise. Failure is not a shame. Failure is a door. Have the guts to knock. Have the guts to break it down. (I'm giving a pep talk to myself in this paragraph.)
Today I had a fantastic conversation. I have no idea why it worked, but I think I might have made someone's day a whole lot better.
People don't come naturally to me. In fact, it is just the opposite.
When I realized that, I decided to practice conversing with people. Soon after, I decided that I was far worse than I thought.
The question is this: Why was it a great conversation?
1. Because I wasn't trying to have one
2. Because of the context
3. Or because of the years I tried and stunk at it.
If I made that person feel better, I don't give a shit if I ever understand why.
When stating the truth, I am the most cowardly.
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It isn't fun to be awesome on purpose, no matter what. When it is totally clear what you are trying to do, when it is totally clear how you are supposed to do it, there is no joy in getting it right. There is only relief from avoiding failure.
The strange part is this: as far as I can tell, being great by accident only happens when a person spends a lifetime trying to be great on purpose.
I spent years and years trying to train myself to have better instincts about people.
Failure shouldn't be a surprise. Failure is not a shame. Failure is a door. Have the guts to knock. Have the guts to break it down. (I'm giving a pep talk to myself in this paragraph.)
Today I had a fantastic conversation. I have no idea why it worked, but I think I might have made someone's day a whole lot better.
People don't come naturally to me. In fact, it is just the opposite.
When I realized that, I decided to practice conversing with people. Soon after, I decided that I was far worse than I thought.
The question is this: Why was it a great conversation?
1. Because I wasn't trying to have one
2. Because of the context
3. Or because of the years I tried and stunk at it.
If I made that person feel better, I don't give a shit if I ever understand why.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
A Way WIth Words
This podcast is all about words. It has a focus on explaining the history of weird words and expressions.
Have you ever wondered why people describe giving up drinking as "going on the wagon"?
Relevant Episodes:
10-29-07 Dangerous Books
6-28-08 Paper to Pixels
8-11-08 Language Headlines (there are a number of eps with this title)
1-31-09 Riddled with riddles
6-6-09 Falling off the wagon
6-24-09 Serial Comma Usage
9-5-9 Texting, A Language Expert's Perspective
3-5-10 Write it Right (Ambrose Bierce)
1-22-10 Jack Lynch
4-24-10 Self Selected Reading
7-24-10 A Whole' Nother (Style Guide)
7-7-12 Forensic Linguists
10-27 12 FANBOYS and beginnings
9-17-13 Up Goer Five
Have you ever wondered why people describe giving up drinking as "going on the wagon"?
Relevant Episodes:
10-29-07 Dangerous Books
6-28-08 Paper to Pixels
8-11-08 Language Headlines (there are a number of eps with this title)
1-31-09 Riddled with riddles
6-6-09 Falling off the wagon
6-24-09 Serial Comma Usage
9-5-9 Texting, A Language Expert's Perspective
3-5-10 Write it Right (Ambrose Bierce)
1-22-10 Jack Lynch
4-24-10 Self Selected Reading
7-24-10 A Whole' Nother (Style Guide)
7-7-12 Forensic Linguists
10-27 12 FANBOYS and beginnings
9-17-13 Up Goer Five
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