Thrivapy: Live, Learn, Have Fun

Welcome back to another irregularly scheduled blog post. Since last post, a few more episodes of The Thrivapy Show have been made. You can check them out and support then show by visiting the show's anchor.fm page . Now a few thoughts on having an "On" switch. Some teachers and students claim to be able to "turn it on" when needed. However, there really is no such thing as an "on" switch. Every "on" switch is also an "off" switch. Think about it. The same switch that turns something "on" also turns it "off." Perhaps the better option is to not have a switch at all.

Season 2 of The Thrivapy Show has started. I am excited to kick-off this season with the goal being to publish at least one episode a month. Episode 1 discusses 3 learning habits to help students deal with the "reality" of school. You can hear the episode on many popular podcatchers. For more information, including how to help the show with a small donation, please visit the show's homepage .

Greetings all! After taking the summer off to recharge, I am working on new episodes of The Thrivapy Show and updates to the Thrivapy Blog . Here are a few items to share: Multiple platforms! The Thrivapy Show is now available on a number of podcast platforms. This includes: My podcast homepage on Anchor Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Breaker Castbox Google Play Music Overcast Pocket Casts RadioPublic Listener Support The Thrivapy Show is a labor of love. While I have no illusions that podcasting will allow me to start a new career, it is nice to get support from listeners. Therefore, I have enabled listener support on my podcast home page . There are 3 tiers of support. 0.99/month $4.99/month $9.99/month For as little as a dollar and as much as a couple of cups of coffee, your support helps me create updated content and allows me to explore how to make better quality audio. I appreciate your support and consideration. Expected Content

Recorded while on a quick break away from Thrivapy Headquarters (my house), this episode explores how to tell if your school is a "people" place or a "policy" place . As always, please consider subscribing to the show and, if you like what you hear, provide a kind rating and review. If you have comments, questions, or suggestions, email me at  troy.roddy.phd@gmail.com . You can listen to the show on: iTunes Google Play Pocket Casts Overcast Anchor.fm Peace, TPR, Ph.D.

After a break from Easter and moving houses, I am back with episode 15 of The Thrivapy Show . In this episode , I offer two power tips to help you rock your learning lifestyle! These tips work for parents, students, and teachers. As always, please consider subscribing to the show and, if you like what you hear, provide a kind rating and review. If you have comments, questions, or suggestions, email me at  troy.roddy.phd@gmail.com . You can listen to the show on: iTunes Google Play Pocket Casts Overcast Anchor.fm Also, don't forget to subscribe to the show and, if you enjoy it, leave a rating and review. Peace, TPR, Ph.D.

Episode 14 of The Thrivapy Show discusses a phenomena I call "the experiential paradox." Essentially, it is my take on the concept of teachers teaching the way they were taught, the role of reflection in experiential learning, and how our memories of being a student are not the best way to evaluate how to improve instruction. You can listen to the show on: iTunes Google Play Pocket Casts Anchor.fm Also, don't forget to subscribe to the show and, if you enjoy it, leave a rating and review. Peace, TPR, Ph.D.

New logo for The Thrivapy Show ! After getting feedback on s ome options for a new logo for The Thrivapy Show , I have settled on this logo to use for now. Thank you to everyone who provided input! The other options are not going anywhere. So, if you had your heart set on one of the others, don't lose hope. Also, look for episode 14 to drop soon. The topic will be the experiential nature of learning how to teach or, as I call it, "the experiential paradox." Peace, TPR, Ph.D.

Episode 13 of The Thrivapy Show is now available . In this episode, I dive into what it means to be a "weirdo" when I talk about teaching and learning. You can listen to the show on the following platforms: - iTunes - Google Play - Pocket Casts - My anchor.fm station Also, don't forget to take the survey to help me pick the new Thrivapy Show logo .

Greetings, friends! I need your help. The Thrivapy Show  needs a fresh logo and I am looking to you, the Thrivapy community, to help pick one. Below are 7 potential logos. Your assignment is to choose which one is your favorite.  Here is how to submit your favorite. Look at each logo. Which feels best given Thrivapy's mission to create knowledge and bring more joy into the world. Click here to access the survey  or scroll down to take the survey on this page. Fill out the form and submit. If you have a suggestion or comment, you can email me at  troy.roddy.phd@gmail.com . A B C D E F G Loading...

Silliness, Frustration, and Laziness (or at least the perception of laziness). If you have ever taught (as a teacher, parent, or coach), you have had to address these roadblocks to engaged learning. If your goal was to eliminate them, I suspect your efforts were neither long lasting or satisfying. On the other hand, if you took an approach to addressing them that was based on honoring the basic humanity of children, what might happen? In episode 12 of The Thrivapy Show , I explore that question. You can listen to the show through the following platforms. Apple Podcasts (iTunes) Google Podcasts (Google Play Store) Pocket Casts Anchor.fm If you haven't done so already, please consider subscribing, writing a review, and leaving a rating. Doing so helps the show become more visible to others, creates more knowledge, and brings some joy into the world.

Back in 2013, I self-published a very short e-book titled, The Golden Apple Manifesto . One of the chapters is about finding the joy, which serves as an introduction to one of the purposes of Thrivapy (bringing more joy into the world). An episode about joy for The Thrivapy Show is in the planning stage, but until then, here are a few tips for how to find and bring more joy into the world. Boring is not joyful. Find something that you are interested in and engage in that topic. Easy is boring. Thus, easy is not joyful. If you have video games at home, look at your shelf. I bet there are a number of games that haven't been played in quite some time. Why? Probably because they were either mastered or a newer/more challenging version was released. In other words, the "old" game is boring. Find a "new game to play" and engage in the challenge. Joy feels good. Reward yourself for making progress. Find a "win" you had recently (no matter how in

Inspired by the students all over the United States who are working to find and share their voices concerning finding real practical solutions to the issue of violence in schools, I recently did an impromptu Facebook Live! session of  The Thrivapy Show  on the  Thrivapy Facebook Page . The topic was a discussion about advice I have given to students for years, "If it matters, then do something about it." The session was also recorded for use as Episode 11 of The Thrivapy Show podcast. If you haven't already, please consider subscribing to  The Thrivapy Show  on  iTunes ,  Google Play , or  Pocket Casts . For a preview from the  anchor.fm station , check out the clip below.

"Focus cycle" is a term I use for a block of uninterrupted concentration on a task. It is one of the strategies I use for time management and dealing with procrastination . Using focus cycles is based on the Pomodoro Technique . It requires the user to define a set amount of "work time" followed by a set amount of "rest time." I advise learners to experiment with the amount of work time in order to find their "sweet spot." This helps build agency in the learner. Here is how it works. First, set your initial work time. Start with your age and use that number as your work time in minutes. Work time must be uninterrupted focused work. No multi-tasking! No breaks during work time. Do not use more than 25 minutes no matter how old you are. Second, divide your work time by 4 to get your rest time. If needed, round this number up to the nearest minute. Rest time is no stimulation time (i.e. no TV, Video games, etc.). Close

A reflection on this past week cannot ignore the tragedy in Florida. In terms of reflecting on the issue of school shootings, I doubt that anything I write here is groundbreaking. However, I do believe that all human beings share a universal connection. This connection is based on the many things people have in common - starting with the desire to ease pain and experience pleasure. Hopefully, we can move forward as a people with a spirit of support, empathy, solution finding, and action that makes such events less likely to happen. Shifting focus, here is what happened this week on the Thrivapy Blog. February 12 : I love The Learning Scientists ! It is one of my favorite resources for helping break down the science of learning. On 2/12, I shared a video about retrieval practice that explains how this powerful learning strategy works . I also stepped away from "learning stuff" and did a post-North London Derby episode of The Thrivapy Show . #COYG February 13 : I

On February 14, I hosted a Facebook Live! session of The Thrivapy Show  on the Thrivapy Facebook Page . The topics were purpose and partnership in living the learning lifestyle. The session was also recorded for use as Episode 10 of the podcast. If you haven't already, please consider subscribing to The Thrivapy Show on iTunes , Google Play , or Pocket Casts . For a preview from the anchor.fm station , check out the clip below.

Concentration is the ability to focus for an extended period of time. Like many skills, it can be improved with practice. Concentration is also an important skill for learning. Learning is work and work requires effort over time. Concentration is required to sustain effort. So, what can you do to build your ability to concentrate? Here are 3 Thrivapy centered ways to improve concentration. 1. Make reflection a habit. When you take time to reflect on your learning, you can identify how to adjust your process to achieve better results. This type of reflection goes much deeper than a superficial examination of results. Also, this type of metacognition exercise can help you better align your priorities with your greater purpose - your personal mission. Begin by scheduling one focus cycle per week to reflect and provide yourself with useful feedback. One focus cycle is the amount of time (in minutes) equivalent to your age + 2 (up to a maximum of 25). Use that time to concentra

On this Valentine's Day, I want to send a most sincere, "Thank you" to the entire Thrivapy community. In January, when I made the decision to resurrect the blog, start a podcast, and be more active through the Thrivapy Facebook Page ; I never anticipated the level of support I have received in such a short time. For that, I am extremely thankful. Your support helps motivate me to continue to provide additional content. My gift to you is my continued commitment to helping you live a learning lifestyle, create more knowledge, and bring more joy into the world. With gratitude, TPR, Ph.D.

Episode 9 of The Thrivapy Show took a break from the "learning stuff." Instead, I explored one of my personal interests, Arsenal FC. In the wake of an awful 1-0 performance against Tottenham, I decided to offer my own thoughts and observations about the squad, the rest of this season, and what I hope happens in the summer. You can listen to and subscribe the show on iTunes , Google Play , Pocket Casts , and on my anchor.fm station . Here is a preview:

One of my favorite learning resources is The Learning Scientists . If you are looking for a resource that takes somewhat complex learning science and breaks it down into easy to understand concepts, that is the place for you to go. In addition, their podcast is equally awesome ! Here is one of their videos. It explains retrieval practice which is one of a few proven to work learning strategies.

This was quite an active week on the Thrivapy Facebook Page . Here are three of the best shares of the week: 7 Damaging Parenting Behaviors That Keep Children From Growing Into Leaders Do Students Utilize Effective Learning Strategies? The Power of Purpose In addition, check out this wonderful episode of the Mindful Podcast about using the "Yes" brain technique for parenting by Dr. Dan Siegel . Peace, TPR, Ph.D.

Episode 8 of The Thrivapy Show features tips on how to give (and what to look for when receiving) useful feedback on learning. The show is available on the following platforms: iTunes Google Play Music Pocket Casts Anchor.fm Here is a preview clip:

Places do not create value. People create value. The value of an experience is based on memories and emotions; all of which are constructed by the person evaluating the experience. People create experiences. Learning is relational, experiential, and reflective. It is both personal and social as the value of learning benefits both the individual and the community in which the individual chooses to engage. Learning always has both personal and social value. If you take up running, do you not strengthen both legs? People create knowledge. There is no best way to learn. There are, however, unlimited (and yet to be discovered) better ways to learn. However, the common element that runs through all learning is that benefitting people should drive the work.

Learning can be tough. Even though every lesson isn't equally difficult, it still takes work to learn. In Episode 7 of The Thrivapy Show, I discuss how to reflect on your "work" in order to examine your learning process. You can listen to the show on iTunes by clicking here . If you have a suggestion, question, or feedback - please send me an email: troy.roddy.phd@gmail.com Also, please consider subscribing to the show. It can be found by searching for Thrivapy in iTunes podcasts or the Google Play Music Store. Finally, you can help others find the show by sharing the episodes on social media and by leaving a rating and review. Here is a clip to get you started.

Almost every time I ask a student, "What are you going to do to improve your results?" I hear a version of, "I will work harder." as the response. This response is normal because the idea of working harder to achieve is ingrained in our culture. It should also be said that such an attitude is not a bad thing. Certainly, the value of working through challenges and having the grit to see meaningful results is an important lesson. However, simply accepting "work harder" as the answer leaves much to the imagination, especially for teachers and parents who are in position to support the student. Specifics are required. As such, you can try this process to figure out what "work harder" means. Recall the formula for work: Work = Effort x Time. Reflect on your process by answering these questions.  How much time did you spend? Was it enough? Did you feel rushed? Did you sacrifice quality for completion? How was your effort? Did you concentr

Information is simply anything we absorb through experience. It can be facts, context, opinions, anything. Information alone is not much more than a record of what is or what we believe is. Knowledge is created when we share information and elevate the collective awareness. The difference between information and knowledge is the value added by sharing. Wisdom evolves when we responsibly apply knowledge to the challenges we face in life. Information is always available. Knowledge requires social engagement. Wisdom requires time and ethics.

Episode 6 of The Thrivapy Show is now live! In this episode, I tackle procrastination - one of the more common learning obstacles. To hear the podcast and subscribe, click here . You can listen to a clip below. Many thanks, Troy

It sounds like a joke, but I really am working on an episode of The Thrivapy Show to address procrastination. As soon as it is available, I will push it out through the usual formats. Until then, remember to take time to refresh your mind, body, and soul. Here are a few suggestions. Try some yoga Meditate Take a needed nap Go for a walk Volunteer somewhere Contact an old friend just to say, "hello" Pay a stranger a compliment Take a bike ride Read a book Peace, Troy

I have heard a version of the following for years: Person 1: "Schools should be teaching students how to find answers." Person 2: "No, I think schools should be teaching students how to ask better questions." I think this debate makes little sense. Here are a few reasons why. Students need a foundational base of factual knowledge in order to more fluidly navigate deeper topics. So, yes, students need to learn "the answers." Students also need time to reflect on their understanding, identify areas for growth, and chart a logical course to better understand. Therefore, yes, students need to learn how to ask better questions. Focusing only on questions or answers is like teaching the difference between right and left by only focusing on one side. Think about that. It is impossible to fully understand what "left" means without having an equally deep understanding of "right." One makes no sense (and doesn't exist) without the

I appreciated this message that I received after one of my meditation sessions and wanted to pass along. Also, I highly rate the Calm app for anyone looking to explore mindfulness and meditation. Peace, Troy

The latest episode of my podcast, The Thrivapy Show is available. In this one, I offer 3 learning hacks that will help you find better success, satisfaction, and enchantment in your learning experiences. Check out the podcast on iTunes. Consider subscribing. If you inclined, leave a rating and a review. You can also listen to it on my Anchor.fm station . Here is a clip.

From the vault of effective strategies (I have never used that term before. I like it!), here are a couple of quick time management tips: The time to manage your time is before you begin. Not while you are taking. Think: Plan , Act , Reflect . Knowing What to do is only 1/3 of the battle. You should also have an idea of When and Where you will do it (whatever "it" is). Multi-tasking is a myth and is NOT proven to be an effective learning strategy. Schedule rest time into your plan. Add 2 to your age (up to a maximum of 25). That is your target for focused work time. Divide that by 4. That is your scheduled rest time. Use the combination of work and rest time as one work cycle. Poor time management is often linked to procrastination. One way to avoid this is to practice "and/therefore" thinking. For example, instead of: "I have to study for a test BUT I have a game tonight." try "I have to study for a test AND have a game tonight.

Some thoughts on learning, effort, focus, time management, and attention to quality: Learning is a challenge. Challenges take effort and focus to overcome. Therefore, learning takes effort and focus. Work is effort over time. Learning takes time. If learning takes effort and time, then one can conclude that learning is a type of work. Advanced work is effort over time done at a consistently high quality. Therefore, advanced learning also requires a process that includes consistently high quality. Improving learning outcomes happens when one improves the process used to learn. To improve learning, reflect on the process: How can I improve my effort? How can I improve my time management? How can I improve the quality of my work?

When we are joyful, happy, or experiencing a moment of pleasure, we feel it. It is hard to ignore. When we fell pain, sadness, or anxiety, we feel that, too. It is hard to ignore, also. What about the moments in between? Those that are not exactly moments of obvious pleasure or pain? Some may call those normal or usual. However, the act of noticing that you are not feeling obvious pain or pleasure is, in itself, much more than that. It is being present. It is allowing yourself to fully reflect and engage in what is happening now. Being present also exists in moments of obvious pain and pleasure. Presence provides space for awareness. Awareness encourages clarity. Clarity allows for purposeful engagement. Engagement creates knowledge. Peace, Troy

...and so is to learn. Mistakes are often not what defines us. Ultimately, it is how we learn from mistakes and adjust how we move forward that matter. To fixate on what we did wrong is to live in the past. We should not live in the past. Rather, we should learn from the past. We should live in today with awareness of the past and hope for the future. Be well, Troy

  Today's post is all "Roddyverse." Arsenal lost to Nottingham Forest in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday. Shocking? Yes, but not as shocking as it should be. Here are my thoughts: Depth, squad-wide, is not as solid as it should be for a "big club." This club is no closer to being a Premier League Champion today than it was a year ago - even with additions at striker and defense. The road back to being a consistent dominant force is much longer than many, including myself, thought. My thoughts are not based on one game. With distance and reflection, there is an obvious and gradual decline in performance over time. The team will not win anything this year. No FA Cup, Premier League Championship, Top 4 finish, Carabao Cup, or Euro League. If the manager cared as much as he claims about the club, he would resign. The previous point is the saddest. Arsene Wenger is a legend in soccer and will be known, hopefully, for all his outstanding accompl

Teaching and learning are complicated concepts. I say concepts because while tests, homework, assignments, etc. are concrete examples of what teaching and learning looks like to most people, teaching and learning, as entities by themselves, are not concrete. You cannot touch teaching. You cannot fell learning. You can touch a textbook. You can feel the lab equipment. However, texts and labs are not teaching and learning. They are concrete tools used to teach and learn. So, to examine teaching and learning, you could only look at the tools and improve them. We see this all the time with emerging technology and techniques. You have probably heard of some of them: project-based, inquiry-based, flipped classroom, Google classroom, etc. On the other hand, you can examine teaching and learning as concepts by diving deeper into the many forces that affect teaching and learning. By doing so, your evaluation of concrete resources is more likely to reveal what aspects involved in teaching an

A few thoughts about the holiday break that is coming to a close. Starting the blog again was a good idea. I forgot how much I enjoy doing this. I have been kicking around the idea of a podcast for some time. I am happy I decided to explore the Anchor.fm app and start the Thrivapy: Living the Learning Lifestyle show ( now available on iTunes! ). Doing the Daily Calm meditation is going to be transformative for me this year. 1000 piece puzzles are a good way to pass time at home. Podcasts at bedtime are enjoyable. Arsenal disappointed me with their results. As a fan, I love the holiday Premier League schedule. Family movie time needs to remain on our schedule. During the break, we watched: The Last Jedi Spaceballs Rogue One Searching For Bobby Fischer Justice League Justice League was much better than I thought it would be considering the mixed reviews. Star Wars Battlefront 2 is an awesome game. Santa bringing us a basketball goal for the yard helped us get outsid

Episode four of the Thrivapy: Living the Learning Lifestyle show is available . In this one, I discuss how you can increase your satisfaction and success by incorporating learning strategies before a new chapter or unit of study begins. All episodes are now also available on iTunes in the Apple Podcast Store. It would be delightful if you would consider subscribing to the podcast, give it a rating, and leave a review . Here is a part of episode four. If you wish to listen to the entire episode on my Anchor.fm station, click here .

In 2018, one of my intentions is to enhance my daily mindfulness practice. One way I am doing that is by using the Calm app . I have been using the free version for over a year, but this year, I am trying out the premium subscription. So far, I am very happy with the service. Specifically, the Daily Calm has been wonderful. Daily Calm is a 10 minute meditation exercise that focuses on a particular message. Yesterday's (January 3) was about the difference between setting resolutions and intentions. Essentially, the difference is in how you treat yourself when you fall short. With resolutions, failing to follow through usually leads to giving up. However, with intentions, falling short allows you to forgive yourself and move forward without judgment. This is very similar to the advice I offered in my previous post about flexible goals . Daily Calm message for January 3, 2018 Forgiveness is vital. The setting of intentions, or goals with flexibility built in, allows you to foc

Thank you for reading. This is the final part of a 4-part series on goal setting. In this piece, I examine flexibility. When I played college baseball, I set a goal to reach base once each game I played. This could be the result of a hit, walk, error, or hit by pitch. It didn't matter because the goal to reach base was based on a higher purpose: to help my team win. Was I always successful in reaching base every game? No, I wasn't. As a matter of fact, like all baseball players, I failed more than I succeeded. There are many ways to NOT reach base safely, but one situation highlights why I believe that good goals (ones you are more likely to stick with and achieve) are flexible. Let's take as an example the following baseball scenario. I have not reached base yet today. It is my final at bat. I have a teammate on first base. There are no outs and the game is tied. The coach gives me the signal to sacrifice bunt. For those who don't know, a sacrifice bunt is desi

Welcome to part 3 of a 4 part series on goals for the new year. If you missed part 1 and 2, you can read them by clicking here for part 1 and here for part 2 . In this third segment, I want to examine making your goals realistic. Realistic goals are important because the whole point of setting a goal is the idea of actually achieving it. If you aim for something that is not possible or practical, you set yourself up for unnecessary failure. The art of making sure your goals are realistic is relative to your current reality AND your commitment to having the right attitude and making the right effort to progress towards success. For example, let's look at this scenario. I am 5'8" tall. My kids play basketball. I want to be more active with them. I want to use basketball as a way to engage with my kids. Part of that difference between ideal and reality is that I need to improve my own basketball skills in order to have more fun with them. I could decide that I

In my previous post , I wrote about the importance of specific goals and what specific means. In addition to specific, goals need to be challenging. By challenging, I mean the goal much require two things. It must take effort to achieve it. It must require focus. Effort and focus are relative terms. For example, for a first grader, tying shoes might be a good goal because to do so probably requires a great deal of focus and effort. However, to me, tying shoes takes very little effort and focus. When you write your goal, check for these two items by asking yourself, "In order to accomplish this, does it require effort and focus?" If it is something you can do on "auto-pilot" it is probably not challenging enough. Happy New Year! With gratitude, Troy