The Excellent Conversation (with Wes & Amie)

WATEC is taking a summer break. Looking forward to seeing you next month!

Wes and Ted debate individual vs group instruction. Why is individual instruction so much better? The person you're teaching is always more complicated than the subject you're discussing.https://tutorted.com​ | https://wescarroll.com00:37 Casual introduction of Wes and Ted and what has been going on lately06:15 How can I tell if Ted's class would be the best option for me?09:00 Chaos's role in creativity10:20 Choosing your own methods of organization and learning styles19:50 WC: A teacher's ability to go wherever the student wants is limited only by the teacher's ability to follow20:45 Personal responsibility of the student and the ways in which either encouraged or discouraged at the systemic level22:40 Embodied cognition vs. our reinforced cultural model that all thinking happens in the brain30:44 WC: Individual variation means maybe I use it as my go-to and maybe someone else uses it like once in a blue moon - it exists but used in different frequencies32:05 WC: When the stars align, we learn like sponges.33:35 Advantages of being the only learner in the room34:26 TD: Is an effective teacher essentially the same as an effective pastor/faith leader?38:45 Ineffective teachers47:07 A teacher's role: building the systems and the incentives that lead to good student outcomes51:10 The extreme value of feedback, especially negative55:20 "Narrate your thought process."56:50 Metathinking - awareness of one's own thinking58:25 Jeremy Wolfe (and the McCullough effect)1:02:51 Why did that lecture matter?

"Plato scratched things in the dirt." Wes and Ted unpack that very cryptic quote that's been sitting on our planning spreadsheet since the beginning.https://tutorted.com​ | https://wescarroll.com

Wes and Ted don't parent their students, do they?Tutor Ted knows that he connects with students in a way that a parent typically cannot. Wes, both a tutor and a parent, weighs the similarities between tutoring and parenting... and the differences that everyone can learn from.What can parents do that tutors can't... and vice-versa?https://tutorted.com​  |  https://wescarroll.com

Wes and Ted have been thinking about how changes to the traditional school structure affects students—in bad ways and in good. Today they venture (eventually!) into a chat about what specific aspects of school under pandemic might help us as we exit our quarantine—and hope these changes make education even better.https://tutorted.com​  |  https://wescarroll.com

Wes and Ted answer deeper questions about excellence. If we agree that excellence should not be an end goal, what should be? Does excellence represent craftsmanship rather than artistry? Is Bill Gates excellent? Is Mark Zuckerberg excellent, or something else? If excellence travels along a linear path (from, say, inept-to-adequate-to-good-to-excellent), what does that imply about the flexibility and utility of it? Is excellence an end-state or a waypoint?https://tutorted.com​​  |  https://wescarroll.com​00:01​ Random discussion about excellence and introduction of Wes and Ted03:45​ There's a lot of nuance in the word excellence04:22​ Excellence is an artful juggling of different mental frameworks07:15​ Excellence is being an accomplished or skilled craftsperson10:55​ Comfort being the enemy of fulfillment12:32​ Is excellence built to your psyche a helpful tool?16:53​ We're behaving as though we live in a one-dimensional world21:39​ Excellence is between 2 or 3 standard deviations above the mean24:44​ You shouldn't make excellence your stopping point27:00​ Move into a realm where you are defining what a better direction is35:10​ Attempting to achieve excellence in a certain stage of cultural human development38:00​ What is the thing that you want to get?42:14​ Situated Cognition48:40​ Mark Zuckerberg aimed for excellence and kept going in that direction even after achieving it instead of noting that there's a pivot point50:35​ Excellence is achievable and after achieving it, take a pivot54:30​ Excellence earns you a seat at the table and what you do with the seat at the table is up to you58:36​ Part of what makes it beautiful is that you recognize it's a path along a presumably twisty path

Wes and Ted discuss their old frenemy "excellence," and come to some surprising conclusions. Among them: Ted is not sure he endorses the pursuit of it. Why do we pursue it? What are we really after? Wes and Ted offer practical steps for achieving excellence (in case they haven't talked you out of pursuing it).https://tutorted.com​​  |  https://wescarroll.com​01:20​ Intro06:50​ Topic of the day: Excellence (or burritos?)10:20​ Excellence was part of the set of expectations in general11:10​ Is there a standard for assessing, vetting or judging excellence?13:47​ Framing excellence as being better than someone else18:41​ By focusing on excellence you lose sight of other greater goals23:42​ Regret - feeling a lost opportunity28:16​ Many of success-oriented influencers agree that the most important thing is to be kind30:10​ Kindness is good for your self-actualization. Self-actualization is good for your life span.34:43​ Scientists have an obligation of being morally aware35:54​ Motivation behind pursuing excellence is the rationalization of the energy spent39:47​ Is excellence an end zone?44:15​ Becoming cogs in an extremely powerful and successful innovation and value generation machine46:14​ You are not limited to only pursuing excellence46:44​ Excellent is not the word you use for someone who does something brand new50:21​ If you want to achieve some goal, you have to spend a third of your time and energy51:53​ We forget the part of the work of experts is to help us define the path59:44​ We all ought to strive to be the best we can be1:00:08​ We're getting into the long tail versus winner takes all phenomenon1:02:53​ Pursuing every goal with personal passion1:06:47​ Big part of excelling is knowing what step you're

While Wes mourns the loss of the problem-solving of the Math Level 2 Subject Test, Ted kicks dirt on the grave of the tests he considers completely pointless. https://tutorted.com​​  |  https://wescarroll.com​00:12​ News on this day, January 20, 202101:12​ https://wescarroll.com/poignant/​ 05:00​ Who are Wes and Ted?13:15​ Puzzle hunts15:15​ Getting past brick walls20:37​ Why solve puzzles?22:15​ QAnon as a puzzle hunt24:12​ Humans are natural problem solvers25:20​ SAT Subject Tests are cancelled26:43​ Wes & Ted argue over whether the test was good28:20​ If I'm going to be tested on a thing, it's only fair that I'd be taught the thing29:22​ Why you learn math in high school30:40​ What you learn in one field applies to other fields35:45​ What do the symbols of math really mean?41:02​ What's the "right amount" of abstract thinking?42:50​ Out of what you've learned, what parts do you want to keep?47:53​ What is the ACT really testing?49:09​ What is the SAT really testing?49:55​ Marketing the SAT53:48​ Get good at the game. (*Any* game.)55:15​ But also, get good at making new games!57:36​ The AMC is going to get more important58:06​ How we agree: critical and creative thinking

How come there's such a gap between what we want to do and what we actually do? And how can we close that gap? Wes & Ted get real.https://tutorted.com​​  |  https://wescarroll.com​00:09​ "Have a less unpleasant day!"01:04​ Process - What do you tell yourself to get stuff done?06:48​ Can I program myself (like a computer)? 08:30​ You can't make a perfect thing11:59​ Change your mind all day long13:00​ Study your own brain really carefully14:34​ Are our brains monolithic agents?17:27​ What works for me is not always going to be the same as what works for you18:54​ Estimate proactively21:05​ Vague unexamined anxieties23:10​ Process tool: Competition25:37​ Problem-solving technique: Rubber ducking29:18​ Clear the obstacles by thinking through the "why"34:22​ "Thank you, brain, but I've got this."38:22​ Identify the overlap between productivity and enjoyment40:35​ You have to be honest about what your goals and aims are44:44​ Focus on how you manipulate yourself47:40​ Aim for the middle ground51:24​ Process tool: Set the bar improbably low52:46​ Process tool: The Gym Door Rule55:34​ Do actions come from decisions, or from habits?1:05:40​ Service orientation: don't underweight what needs to get done

We get to witness our students transition from children to young adults. Along the way, they develop self-direction—the means and desire to shape their own learning. We talk about what students need in order to successfully attain this critical quality.https://tutorted.com​  |  https://wescarroll.com​00:10​ Warming up and topic introduction: Self-direction03:26​ Different priorities: what matters to us05:12​ Everything that we do is a reflection of our personhood08:24​ Process your inputs11:08​ Be authentic12:00​ Learning as an obligation vs. a chance at self-discovery15:25​ Control moves from parents to kids18:44​ Within self-direction, there's a huge spectrum19:17​ The degree to which you can manage your own locus of control is a function of which culture and society you're embedded in24:44​ Whatever goal you think you have may be difficult in the time scale you're used to be thinking of29:25​ What's the goal and what are you trying to do34:31​ Motivation and direction47:34​ Focus on winning48:57​ What motivates anyone to win50:14​ Looking out for the best, and using information from other people in order to get there54:10​ There's a certain joy in setting a goal for yourself and then achieving it55:16​ Self-awareness is a vital part58:54​ As professionals, we have to gauge the goals of the students and parents1:02:42​ Inevitably, every person is going to be an outlier in some ways. It's helpful to meet someone and help.1:03:30​ Be aware of your own goals, then be aware of your own abilities1:07:56​ Just asking yourself: where you are headed?1:10:34​ What's a small thing that I can do now?

Every trade requires a trusted toolkit. What tools belong in the kit of a great learner? Wes and Ted weigh in.https://wescarroll.com  |  https://tutorted.com 01:35 Tools - What works best?02:37 Every time I hear about the latest platform, I'm inherently skeptical...04:18 Digital Minimalism08:21 Managing your own dopamine loop10:37 Losing focus on the ultimate goal11:38 Trying to have a comfortable and fulfilling life14:38 Specific tools that can help15:45 Tools for memorization - Quizlet18:58 Tools as a solution to education20:22 Tools that fit the learner22:44 How does my brain work?25:11 Very common needs that students have27:00 Calendars31:10 Commitment to other people and yourself31:43 To-do list34:43 Breaking into bite-sized chunks37:10 Know thyself39:15 Breaks are an important thing41:51 Recreation is super vital42:32 Tools for communication47:42 Feeling unmotivated and confused49:44 Step back and fix your tools51:49 Spaced Repetition54:51 Use the platforms and tools that will help you be yourself57:20 Apps as extension of your brain

What do students need to do in order to make online learning effective? Wes and Ted have strong opinions on the matter—as always.https://tutorted.com  |  https://wescarroll.com00:00 Intro01:05 Brainstorming and Introspection07:00 Learning Under COVID -1908:40 ADHD as a Continuum10:20 Audio Learners and Visual Learners13:45 The Absence of Socialization in COVID Education14:38 The Novelty of the Classroom16:36 What do Want to Accomplish [In Education]?18:50 Administrators21:05 Teachers22:21 Parents & Students26:23 What are the problems and what are the solutions27:39 Stress acknowledgement and management28:26 Self-awareness and Resilience31:35 Formative and constructive experiences32:11 Things to do to help students32:46 Psychological Space36:25 Setting Expectations38:40 Responsibility and Flexibility39:50 Own your own locus of control42:33 Better Creative Solutions46:12 Three Drives - Competent, Autonomous, Connected48:02 Focus and Distraction51:57 Why does COVID threaten the SAT and ACT?55:20 Institutions can't adjust as fast as people can58:03 Why I paid for college before?1:00:21 There are a lot of options1:0

Wes and Ted gripe, gab, and get to work highlighting the problems we've all known were there. Do they solve 'em? Watch and find out!https://wescarroll.com  |  https://tutorted.com 1:07 Digression #1: "Kabuki" & "Inertia"3:53 Ted rocks the SST Korean test5:15 COVID-19 reveals flaws in the education system9:26 Specialization and teachers12:12 Three massive questions15:10 "Our education system isn't perfect..."19:49 Knowledge or tricks? A false dichotomy24:41 The emotional side of learning26:18 Our infamous teachers: Sr. Enriquez & Dr. Chuck Bayless31:25 Tone and emotions in the classroom35:10 Why is tutoring so powerful?36:30 Classroom dynamics and cultural decisions39:40 Unschooling, and learning how to learn41:50 Problem-solving and self-learning44:10 Being lost in a classroom can mean you're doing it right.46:10 What's the motivation?50:20 Digression #2: Let's embarrass Wes about his touring-musician past54:13 What COVID-19 is teaching schools56:30 School's job depends on who you are59:32 W.E.B. DuBois and Jackie Robinson1:00:24 What's the goal of the classroom?1:01:23 What do you want us to field next?