Author: trevor

#mo365 Day 13

trevor

Although, frankly, there aren’t many times I wouldn’t rather be paddling. The book is The Wood and Canvas Canoe: A Complete Guide to its History, Construction, Restoration, and Maintenance, by Jerry Steelmok and Rollin Thurlow. With names like that, you KNOW they’re authorities. On ANY subject. And hey, if Amazon’s listing is to be believed, it’s something of a pricey item, or a rarity at this point. It really is spectacular. I got it while clearing out part of my late grandfather’s office. I imagine this is what taught him…

#mo365 Day 12

trevor

I’ve been on my own with the kids a lot lately. Particularly this weekend, while my director girlfriend has been off being a director. Now, that’s not a bad thing. A lot of the time I cherish my one-on-one time with the kids. It’s a privelege and a gift to be able to spend quality time on my own with them as someone who came into their lives at a relatively late stage in the game. Still, something about today has been particularly rough. Something in the air. Maybe the…

Gotta Catch All ‘Em Gadgets

trevor

I drew this on my Note 3. The second I heard about the 12.2″ Galaxy Note Pro tablet being shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, I started salivating. I WANT IT. The extra screen real estate makes it an ideal drawing tool, now that I’m used to the S-Pen. As always, folks, paddle your own canoe. -Trevor

#mo365 Day 10

trevor

I came down to the classroom I teach in period 3 to find this new addition waiting for me, next to Marker Liam Neeson. The only thing better than coming up with an idea for a lesson that sticks is seeing that idea resonate with students in other classes. Not only that, but seeing students who I taught last term remembering inside jokes from the beginning of last term and riffing on the inside jokes with my new classes… It’s funny, how little families form. As always, paddle your own canoe, folks. -Trevor

#mo365 Day 9

trevor

There’s something wonderful about teaching, and it’s this: I get to go to my job and play. Fundamentally, I know that if I’m not having fun, my students won’t be having fun. I have no illusions about the fact that, with the kind of students I have, I need to be equal parts educator and entertainer. It would be awfully easy to put the onus on them to pay attention. Some days, I do. It’s their responsibility to be engaged. But it’s my responsibility to do my part to grab their…

#mo365 Day 8

trevor

I’ve mentioned the Note 3 before, but the main thing I love about this phone — and the reason why it makes it into so many of my drawings — is that it totally enables me to doodle wherever and whenever I want. I always have a great drawing tool in my pocket. Man, though, I am zonked. I really did teach my ass off today. Constant motion, constant dialogue, and a healthy dose of reigning in a pile of grade 9 and 10 students. I love teaching. Love love…

#mo365 Day 7

trevor

I’m not going to lie — teaching the OSSLC isn’t the easiest thing I’ve ever done. It’s easy enough when it comes to getting to know my student’s needs and wants. I have the benefit of teaching it as a private course, so establishing a repore is a snap. It’s a little less easy to build a course out of that curriculum, and the one-on-one format means that the teacher needs to do a lot more of the talking, much more heavy lifting. Still, every once in a while you…

How Heroes are Made: a Kerbal Space Program Story

trevor

Orbital flight. Missions to the mountains. Experiments in the water. The Kerbal Science Centre had done everything they could think of short of producing a Kerbal-rated mission to the Mun. To land a Kerbal on the surface of the Mun and to return him safely to Kerbin — that was the goal, said the director, before we leave the office on Friday. Once the engineers picked their jaws up off the floor, they got to work. Progress was slow, mostly because Jebediah was so excited that he wouldn’t get out…