Student Success: Stress, Tests, and Mindfulness

I became a classroom teacher in 2000 and a personal trainer and weightlifting coach in 2007. Through the years, I have worked with adults and children, helping them meet various and multiple goals. It’s always rewarding, and my experiences have informed the way I approach formal instruction. As parents and educators, we want our kids … More Student Success: Stress, Tests, and Mindfulness

Get Lit with Kit – Best of November 2018

This month required me to make some big decisions. One piece of guidance I used was Peter Drucker’s article Managing Oneself. It is an excellent article that demands introspection. If you are in a transition phase, or if you want to improve your current state, read it. An interesting follow-up is this interview discussing Bullshit Jobs. If … More Get Lit with Kit – Best of November 2018

Get Lit with Kit – Best of October 2018

I finally got my hands on a copy of Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. His work echoed some of the epigenetic research. It’s encouraging to think that practice and repetition can free us from unhealthy patterns and facilitate mastery of skill.  I tried to encapsulate the take aways in this Instagram post. Using that knowledge, and relying … More Get Lit with Kit – Best of October 2018

Pretty Little Liars

“Life and death are in the hands of the tongue.” – Proverbs 18:21 Judaism stresses the dangers and destructive nature of Lashon HaRa (evil speech). It is an egregious infraction that, when committed, has the potential to reap irreparable harm. Indeed, once a person has been defamed, it is nearly impossible for him to reclaim … More Pretty Little Liars

Histories

It seems like our world is tearing at the seams. The regression of ideas and behavior, after years of effort and sacrifice, is discouraging. We are losing our ability to connect with others and with ourselves. Yet, “we can’t change a situation if we haven’t taken responsibility for our share of it.” (I lament that … More Histories

Get Lit with Kit #17

I had a great “argument” with a dear friend on Facebook last week. Although we don’t fully agree with each other’s perspectives, we were able to go back and forth addressing one another’s points, respectfully. I think the key point is that we care about each other and are genuinely interested in understanding each other’s … More Get Lit with Kit #17

The Lost Children

Caught between two worlds, the children of refugees seek to reconcile the old and the new. They live in a dichotomy where deep-rooted culture clashes with progressive dynamism. At home are the vestiges of a life left behind; in the streets, novel experiences. I recently met Ify, the daughter of Nigerian refugees (her art is … More The Lost Children

Dead White Men

Dickens. Tolstoy. Twain. Dead white men sit at the helm of literary esteem and their novels have dominated the lists of classics taught in schools around the globe. The merit of these works cannot be overstated, and so it is surprising that they are becoming more frequently (and sadly) dismissed. With the newfound emphasis of celebrating diversity … More Dead White Men