When I was thirteen, the term ‘cultural diffusion’ didn’t often come up in conversation, yet sitting in my best friend’s kitchen eating her favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream from Ben and Jerry’s was sort of the same thing. That same summer, another friend introduced ‘Pringles’ potato chips into our bunk at sleep away camp.

Change.

Never ever ever ever do you, as a teacher, want to stop learning. It influences the newness of your approach, which influences the receptivity of your students and makes them as excited as you are.

It’s begun. In the northern hemisphere, it’s the start of autumn and more than a month of traditional schooling is underway. In the southern hemisphere, it’s officially spring and for some, the traditional school year is one quarter from its close. Regardless of location, a lot of the world’s students are in the midst of the official learning process. What about all that goes on outside of that traditional schooling scenario? What else actually transpires amidst that process that the quantitative testing of the data centered educational universe misses?

I’m an avid art museum traveler. Wherever we go, we make sure to visit as many art museums as possible (this is the second priority in our travel planning – the first being great food). When we had a child, I wasn’t concerned that she’d love art museums, too.

June. The month where school kids get antsy, educators are doing their best to get it all in, parents are getting stuff ready for camp, and many are planning adventures near and far. It’s a change of season, the shedding of layers, an infusion of vitamin D, and a time when one door closes and another opens. Teachers in the United States are either counting the days or already out enjoying some well-deserved time away from school.