Susan Wangen

When Does Learning Become a Delight?

I despised them when I was in college. Sitting there, all fresh (NOT moving slowly this morning as a result of the kegger at Sigma Chi) in the front row of the lecture hall. Raising theirs hands, taking lengthy notes and having the audacity to….well, enjoy learning. They frequently asked long questions in the veryContinue reading “When Does Learning Become a Delight?”

Jerry Maguire Lessons

I’ve always had a thing for movie quotes, tending to spout off a line from a movie- often at odd times when I should instead say something human. I’ve talked before about how I won Scott over on our second date with a line from ‘Dumb and Dumber’. (Clearly he had high standards.) But latelyContinue reading “Jerry Maguire Lessons”

The Troll Hand

It was my senior year of undergrad at the University of Minnesota. My roommate Carrie and I walked to class; we were living off campus then, so we always parked in Dinkytown for free and walked into campus for our elementary education classes. We hurried quickly, running late as always, jumping over piles of late-fallContinue reading “The Troll Hand”

Baby, Don’t Lose Sight

Why “data privacy” is killing our schools. A few weeks ago, I read these word from Bruce Perry and Oprah’s book What Happened to You mentioned in my last post, “The Neurosequential Model allows us to create a version of how the individual’s brain appears to be organized; it is basically like an inspection ofContinue reading “Baby, Don’t Lose Sight”

Leprechaun Day

My son Auggie has asked me nearly every day for over a month, “How many days until Leprechaun Day?”. I’m not sure where the anticipatory hoopla is coming from… we’ve had a couple years involving green footprints and a box of Lucky Charms here and there, but nothing crazy. He is at that fun age,Continue reading “Leprechaun Day”

Cinnamon Applesauce

It was 2009 and I was in the end room of the maternity wing at Fairview Southdale Hospital. I had just had my dear sweet Charly girl, and was required to stay an extra day due to an inconsequential fever. While staying there, I became slightly obsessed with cinnamon applesauce and graham crackers from theContinue reading “Cinnamon Applesauce”

Geriatric Skiing

Auggie and I stood huddled in anticipation around a computer monitor at the photo shop in Big Sky, Montana. Resort photographers had rotated taking pictures on different ski runs for tourists to later view and purchase. I grinned proudly at the shots of my little kindergarten skier. His bright blue jacket contrasting against the whiteContinue reading “Geriatric Skiing”

Past the Point of No Return

Alright. This is starting to get dangerous here. The more I read about play, the more frustrated I am with the current school system expectations. Are there some schools that are doing things with inquiry and play-based learning? YES! And when I have inquired about the process to achieve this, the average situation is yearsContinue reading “Past the Point of No Return”

Helicopters, Snowplows, and Blow-Up Hands

We’ve all heard the term ‘helicopter parents’ (those who hover and swoop and over-protect their kids) and even the newer ‘snowplow parents’ (next level helicopters that plow the easy route for their kids to travel) but today I realized there’s another layer to this when dealing with intense kids. We love our sweet little guyContinue reading “Helicopters, Snowplows, and Blow-Up Hands”

Nudge

We try so hard to hyper-control every aspect of our lives. Those who have struggled with infertility know it is feudal to try and manage the timing of the miracle of life. And while it certainly makes sense to make responsible choices, I’ve been reminded of the power of being at the mercy of just…Continue reading “Nudge”