Dear Reader, I ran into a neighbor I hadn’t seen for a long time at the dog park Saturday morning. When I learned that she has been taking writing classes, I asked what’s been capturing her writerly attention. “Nonfiction,” she tells me. “I want to write something to help teachers and parents stop being so anxious.” You and me both, Neighbor. When Susan and I proposed refuge as our September 2024 Studio focus, we thought that it might resonate for people at this moment. It didn’t take a...

Studio for Playful Inquiry Thinking About Curiosity through the Language of Chalk Pastels Join Us! Join us in the month of October for dialogue in community about the value and practice of curiosity as well as experiences with chalk pastels lead by artist and educator, Kathryn Ann Myers. We are thrilled to host Shawna Coppola live in conversation on October 1. This event will serve as a guide and touchstone for our month of thinking and connecting around the topic of curiosity. Alongside our...

Dear Reader, Who was it that said that the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over again and expecting something different to happen? The source is debatable. But wow is it true that we tend towards loops that fit that definition. Perhaps that’s why we deny that we’re stuck inside them, or perhaps because we’re hopeful, thinking that if we just try a little harder to do the thing, someday it will work out. In schools, for example, our pre-packaged curriculum is...