Inventology

It has been some time since I've done a book review on Certainly Candid (but not because I haven't been reading!). With that being said, I'm currently in a nonfiction phase. I go through these phases every so often, reading books that capture my attention on a given topic. For the majority of 2015 it was astronomy: star charts, manuals on various telescopes, astronomical events, etc. This year the tread is engineering, probably because I considered electrical engineering as a career path once upon a time. As such, I've been pouring through books on electrical engineering for the most part, but very recently Inventology: How We Dream Up Things That Change the World caught my eye at Barnes & Noble.

A nonfiction book categorized in the sciences (and surprise, surprise, engineering), the book focuses on innovation and how inventions come to be. I cannot begin to describe how much I learned from just this one book alone. It discusses how inventors have, in the author's terms, a different mindset from the rest of the population. This mindset allows them to see problems in a different way and how to tackle these problems creatively.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the wide range of topics it covers. I learned about 3D printing and its origins, advances in oncology and hematology, how the transistor changed the way we approach building mechanical devices, InnoCentive (a program that allows the general public to tackle invention problems), bioengineering, and so much more. As someone who loved to make things growing up, the creations of the inventions presented in this book challenged me to consider even more out-of-the-box approaches to innovative ideas.

Climb A Little Higher

I have had a lot on my mind lately.

Amidst the grading, the lesson planning, the never-ending to-do list, I spent a good portion of my early morning hours today daydreaming back in the past: the days of living on the farm in the country. I was 12. And I was fearless.

Always Strong, Always Determined

I have been mulling over the topic of this post for weeks now, unsure how to proceed or even if I should write about it at all. Indeed, this post has been collecting dust in Certainly Candid's "drafts" folder, so the examples are not immediately current but nonetheless still relevant. That being said, I chose to publish anyway. Identity is a topic that, in many ways, is so overused. However, I will proceed by stating it simply:

I do not understand why others place one's identity on the hardships he or she have faced.

So Much Of What I Do

I don't write a lot of education posts, because this isn't an education blog. But today, I'd like to try something different.

Today I stumbled across this article entitled 6 Facts People Should Know About Teachers. It couldn't be more true. So much of what I do is for my students, or the students of our state that I have yet to encounter.

More Than Enough

"There is no passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." - Nelson Mandela

I love my job.

And in all honesty, I probably don't say that enough. To have a career that gives me purpose every day is a blessing beyond relief. I know too many people who do not enjoy what they do, and as a result, it seems like an immense burden in their lives. I cannot imagine a life where I dread getting up every morning, where every task seems impossible and difficult. 

Every morning I wake up, I think, what learning is going to take place in my classroom today? It is more than enough. More than enough to motivate me to be at the school at 7:00 some mornings, eagerly planning the day's activities. It is more than enough to keep me awake some nights, thinking of new activities that will inspire my students to think differently, to think creatively, and to question the everyday occurrences in our world. 

New Beginnings

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." -Seneca

From the Old English beginnan meaning "to open," a beginning is defined as an act or circumstance of entering upon an action or state. Example: "It was the beginning of her life."

The formal definition is as important as the informal. Informally speaking, we tend to think of beginnings as the point in time in which something starts. Beginnings, however, result in an end. We need endings to create new beginnings.

Hopefully I have not confused you yet. Stay with me.

Don't Climb Too Far Or Turn Too Sharply

"The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as long as we live." -Mortimer Adler

Let's mix it up today. We'll start with a quiz! I love quizzes, so now you do too. I'll keep it short, I promise. Answer the following questions:

1.  What is the definition of the word learn?
         a. To blindly do something, mess up, and never do it again.

         b. To do something by trial and error.

         c. To acquire new skills you may or may not ever use.

         d. Is this a trick question?

2. Scientifically speaking, at what age do you stop learning?

         a. 22, when you graduate from college. Goodbye, rip-off textbook prices!

         b. 30, after you've finished your Graduate and Ph.D degrees (if you're lucky).

         c. 60, when your kids are done with their degrees that you paid for.

         d. None of the above. 

3. What is the definition of the word grow?

         a. To increase in size and form.

         b. To expand one's horizons.

         c. To arise as a natural development.

         d. Can I select more than one answer?

The end. Told you I'd keep it short. After all, 3 is always the magic number: 3 books in a trilogy, 3 wishes in fairy tales, 3 strikes at the ballgame - you get the idea. As for the answers, you guessed correctly: it is a subjective quiz. That means there is no correct answer to any of the above questions. In retrospect, I probably should have led with that information. Oh well. I'm sure you understand. I'd like to break the "rule of threes" by asking a fourth question. You will need some scratch paper to answer this one. Give yourself 4 minutes (because 3 minutes is breaking the rule). And go: