I have always been deeply concerned about the quality of teaching and learning we provide for our students.

For years, I preached the power and potential of technologies and techniques to transform a classroom.

But technologies and techniques do not always work.

I slipped into a funk.

I felt disconnected from my students.

I didn’t know who they were anymore.

So I decided to get to know them.

Every day after class I would announce to my large lecture, “I’m going to lunch.  Anybody who would like to join is welcome!”

And so, every day, day after day, I had lunch with a different student.

There is just one rule of lunch: No small talk.

And as each student opened up to me I started to see them differently.

And my teaching changed.

Instead of starting with technology and technique, I started with them – getting to know them and their needs.

But what really brought back the joy of teaching was rediscovering the joy of learning.

Watching my own kids reminded me that

I started learning things that were hard and scary for me, like drawing (animation), swimming, and handstands:

And as people helped me learn these things, I remembered that on the journey of learning

This website is a humble exploration of the joy of teaching and learning and how to spread that joy to others.