Thoughts and reflections on teaching and learning – Cohort 21 Member Blog
Written by Garth Nichols
I have been deep-diving into Stoicism these past two years through the books and podcast of Ryan Halliday (aka: The Daily Stoic). When I was introduced to Danny Bauer, one of the authors of “Calm in the Chaos”, it was clear that he was a learning-practitioner of Stoicism in the educational context and culture. Chief […]
Written by Garth Nichols
How might we understand the confluence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), Synthetic Biology, and conceive of a habitable future, with ethical considerations of what it means to be human – this books sets out to answer this ambitious question. The coming wave is defined by two core technologies: GAI and synthetic biology. Together they will […]
Written by Garth Nichols
Being a parent of teenagers, and a educator that regularly interacts with teenagers in a high-stress environment (read: school), I found this book to be an incredible resource in the way it brings the neurological science, emotional science and practical tips and examples together. …raising adolscents is even more emotionally demanding than caring for children […]
Written by Garth Nichols
“The Future is Analog” (2022) is David Sax’s follow up to “The Revenge of Analog” (2016). In this very readable, incredibly well researched, with a wide diversity of people referenced and interviewed, David Sax offers a welcome version of the future based on the tough lessons that we’ve learned through our experiences of the pandemic. […]
Written by Garth Nichols
As part of an upcoming PD experience, I am reading this book by Richard Barrett, and thought I would share some of the learnings. The subtitle of this book is “Cultural Health and Employee Well-Being as a Pathway to Sustainable Performance”. This alone makes this book compelling, as a resource to offer some answers / […]
Written by Garth Nichols
Girls on the Brink brings together personal stories of young women, neuroscience and social science to bring an understanding of the biological, societal and personal forces acting on girls. Her thesis is this: I don’t present this research to amplify fear, but rather as a clarion call to change the landscape in which girls come […]
Written by Garth Nichols
Stolen Focus, Why you Can’t Pay Attention – and How to Think Deeply Again, by Johann Hari, is a game-changer for me. It captures the tension, the friction, the challenge, opportunity and hope that faces education in the face of diminishing ability to think deeply, pay mindful attention, and to learn deeply. This book explores […]
Written by Garth Nichols
Jo Chrona is an educator, philosopher and Two-Spirited woman of RTs’msyen and European Heritage, and this book is the latest in her efforts and passion for creating systemic change to build a truly inclusive experience for all learners. In this way, the book focusses on Indigenous Knowlege (IK) through a larger lens of anti-racist education. […]
Written by Garth Nichols
We conclude that if higher education in the United States is to be successful in the twenty-first century, it needs to be sharply REFRAMED. Pervasive issues of mental health and belonging must be addressed; extensive onboarding is needed with respect to the centrality of the academic educational agenda; any goal that is not strictly tied […]
Written by Garth Nichols
“Potlatch as Pedagogy” was recommended to me by Mike Carlson, a teacher at Wandering Spirits school (TDSB) and an Indigenous educational consultant. This book strongly resonates with “The Nordic Secret” and “Ecological Learning“, in that the approaches are student-centred, holistic and reciprocal. What I really enjoyed about this book was the 9 Principles of “Sk’ad’a”, […]
