If politicians consistently fail to protect children, it is because they want to. Yes, it is all over the news here in Germany as well. 18 children and a teacher got shot. There is one reason we see it in the news over here. It is due to the fact…
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Capitalists Keep Supplying Magazines With Antiquated Gender Stereotypes
How many women’s magazines are there exactly? Whenever my parents go on holiday, my mum makes sure she has reading material. This is usually in the form of a stack of women’s magazines, such as the one above. Today, I accompanied my dad, as he was securing a fresh supply…
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Berlin’s Proposed Car Ban Would Be a Step in the Right Direction
But it could never stand alone This week, I stumbled over the news of a proposed car ban in Berlin. Let me backtrack a bit. Some time ago, I wrote a piece where I claimed that Berlin has decent transit systems. This makes owning cars almost obsolete. I understand, that…
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Project-Based Lessons Are Important in Developing Reading Competencies
How good of a reader are you? And how well-developed are the reading competencies of your students? Today I had an epiphany about reading competencies at work. I was doing a creative project with a bunch of 8-graders. The project was not my invention, so I will not take credit…
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Denmark’s Most Elite School Is an Example of Toxic Bullying Culture
Dealing with it was long overdue. It is time for a #MeToo movement when it comes to bullying I have been living in Denmark for 25 years. When you have been living in a foreign country for so long, it inevitably becomes a second home. Even if you, like me…
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I Was Asked to Speak at a Peace Conference
I received a last-minute invitation to give a speech at the Peace Justice Conference. Here is the script I made. Good morning,It is nice to see that so many of you have decided to join this peace conference. These days, one might get a strange impression from an event like this.…
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Why the Narrative About Western Values Has No Merit
There is nothing wrong with values like freedom, democracy, and human rights. I have been fighting and teaching about it for nearly 2 decades now. But there is a difference between values and opportunistic arguments.
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The Pandemic Had a Devastating Effect on Our Children
The lockdowns during the pandemic have proved to be more devastating for education than many realize Since the beginning of the week, I am finally spending time in classrooms again. I missed it. Until now, I have mostly been filling holes at my school. The year is ending soon, after…
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Will I Ever Need a Car Again?
Good public transport systems are key to sustainable transformation. So I started a new job at a school. Which means I have to commute.I am going to let you in on a little secret. I never commuted before. With all the jobs I had, I was living within walking distance.…
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It Is time to let go of Social Media
I haven’t been on Social Media for days. No feelings of loss transpired. I was born in 1982. This makes me a millennial. If you believe these completely arbitrary generation lines. I remember the early Internet. You know, the one with horrid, eye-cancer-inducing colors and cat pictures. I don’t want to…
