Super Teachers

Today is World Teachers Day, a good day to ponder who was a super teacher in your life and a good day to send them (or their memory) a 'thank you' and 'good on you'. Piece 28 of the Thinking Caps book is tribute to the folk who have planted good seeds and inspired their students to be life long lovers of learning. It is a special 'thank you' to Mr Duncan McNab my Grade 7 teacher at Doubleview Primary School: 'he never wore a cape or flew over tall buildings but he helped develop young minds and he taught us to soar.' Send a good on you to your Super Teachers.

Thinking Caps is available at www.glenncapelli.com

Mates

Maxie Walker is a good mate with a wide mind, a big laugh and delightful writing ability with any of the many fine pens he owns. Known for his good tales; whether they be on television advertisements, the wide world of sports or references to kissing crocodiles, Max personifies what it is to be Australian. Play footy, play cricket, love your folks, be good with your mates, stand up for 'a fair go' and laugh long & well. It was a delight to get a message from Max that summed up his thoughts on the Thinking Caps book: 'Like winding down the car window.... insight back, possibility forward'. Thinking Caps is available from www.glenncapelli.com Thank you Mr Walker.

Thinking Caps Book: A Reader Writes

Received an email from reader Tracey regarding the new Thinking Caps book:

Hi Glenn Fabulous Willy (a reference from Pet Names Piece 22) just a quickie to say thank you so much for the book, I am absolutely loving it. It’s clever, funny and thought provoking and very entertaining. I am racing through it to finish it by tomorrow when we go away, but I will definitely be reading it again when we get home so I can savour every chapter. I took it with me to the hairdressers yesterday and had 3 people asked me what I was reading. Thank you very much for a fantastic read. Cheers,Tracey (Loving, Loyal, Playful & Cuddly………you guessed it, favourite pet was a dog!!!!)

The final sentence being a reference to Piece 16 The Personality Test.

Thinking Caps is available from www.glenncapelli.com

Many thanks Tracey. We are so glad that you - and others - are enjoying, laughing, sharing pieces with others and returning to re-read and re-think.

We Have a School in Bangla Desh

Karen Blixen penned 'I have a farm in Africa' as opening lines for 'Out of Africa'. It is time for our Blixen moment: 'We have a school in Bangla Desh'. Our school is Bangla Pata on Bhola Island, one of the most impoverished areas of Bangla Desh and 300 girls and boys attend daily. In late 2006 Lindy and I approached the CO-ID group (Fred Hyde http://www.fredhyde.org) after seeing their tale on Australian Story. Our school was built by our funds and is maintained each year, including the salaries of four teachers, by our funds. It is a wonderful thing to know that every book, DVD or CD we sell funds our school and helps our 300 kids.

Thinking Caps Book

One way of looking at the Thinking Caps book (available at www.glenncapelli.com) is which parts and pieces do you read out loud to your partner, mates or kids? So far folk are reading Love Puffs to their partners and mates along with grabs from Sea Squirts (the nature of relationship & marriage). One reader wrote in to tell us she had read The Most Influential Book piece to her teens but then had to explain the old Noddy/Big Ears joke to them again and again. My favorite for reading out loud is Calling Australia Home (the kind of values we can pass on) and Paronomasia - the art of good and bad punning. Enjoy!

Mao's Last Dancer

How are Professor Howard Gardner, Edward de Bono, Professor Marian Diamond, Harvey Mackay, (some of) the Doobie Brothers, King Constantine II, Ian Lesley, Christine Anu, Dr Stephen Lundin (author of Fish) and author Bryce Courtney all linked? Through the connectivity of Conference Cards. I have had the joy of speaking at Conferences where these good folk have spoken or performed.

Recently I glanced through my old journals and found notes taken at the Schwarzkopf Conference in Borneo 2005. I had the joy of topping and tailing the card with Li Cunxin (Mao's Last Dancer) and Gregory David Roberts (Shantarma) being the wonderful filling. My notes of the start of Li's presentation are pictured.

Music Zen

'Taint what you do it's the way that you do it... that's what gets results'. Written by jazz artists Sy Oliver and Trummy Young, released by Ella Fitzgerald (and others) in 1939 and re-released by Fun Boy Three and Bananarama in 1982 this is the anthem of Music Zen: the rhythm of design and presentation. This workshop looks at the use of song, music, rhythm and melody in designing and delivering workshops, keynotes and conferences. There are layers to be explored including suggestology, music for mood, meaning, evocation and provocation of learning. It will mean more of a thing when it's (your presentations) got the swing.