Welcome to TE 818!

We must realize that when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more.

The Earth Charter

Welcome to this course!

As I say in the syllabus, this course explores some of the biggest questions in education: What knowledge is of most worth and who gets to decide this?

But it is also about us as people!

I hope that we can approach this course willing to think about, and write about, our own experiences: as teachers, as students, and as human beings. That, in combination with a keen attention to the course resources, will result in a successful course experience for all of us. If you ever have questions or feel like you need support in this process, just let me know. While we are not meeting face-to-face, in my experience, online courses can develop just as close and intimate relationships as more regular ones.

I am in my thirteenth year, now as an associate professor, at MSU. I love living in East Lansing, especially the amazing people I share a neighborhood with, the incredible schools, coaching my children's sports teams, and my bike ride into campus each day. I also love to garden, hike, and canoe.

I grew up in central Minnesota (Brainerd, for those who have seen Fargo). I went to the University of Chicago, where I was a philosophy major. After that, I taught English for two years in eastern Hungary (see my school here). Subsequently, I taught in northern Minnesota at Indus High School for four years (secondary social studies, k-12 gifted talented, philosophy and cinema courses). I received my PhD in curriculum and instruction from the University of Minnesota in 2007.

I am the proud father of three children, Gus (twelve years old), Teddy (ten years old), and Mary Rose (six years old). My wife, Molly, after five years as an assistant prosecutor for Ingham County, is now a Commissioner for the Michigan Supreme Court.

This blog is part of my TE 818 course (Curriculum in its Social Context), but all are welcome to read and comment. For more information on my work as an educational researcher, teacher educator, Editor of the Journal of School & Society, and President-Elect of the John Dewey Society, please follow me on ResearchGate, Academia.edu, or Twitter.