Author Archives: Karen Duffy

My Cowboy is Coming Home

After nine months in Colorado, my son is headed home. This gap year has served its purpose—Ian is more mature, …

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The Right Fit

My son is home for a week. His goal: to find the right fit for next year. Anyone who has …

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Driven [Crazy] By Data

In his Ted Talk on the “Beauty of Data Visualization,” David McCandless maintains that we must visualize data in order …

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On Vulnerability

My son received his first “big envelope” from one of the four colleges he recently applied to. We all know …

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Fearing Failure

“The biggest risk any person can take is risking failure.” This is the first line of the personal narrative my …

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Intentionality

As teachers progress through the six-day Skillful Teacher course in Stafford County, they build a repertoire of strategies for use …

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Someone to Learn From

Several nights ago, I attended a dedication ceremony for a newly-renovated elementary school in Stafford County. As I was leaving …

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Marathon Man

My friend and colleague, Andy Wolfenbarger, ran the Marine Corps Marathon two weeks ago. Running 26.2 miles in a little …

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Leadership Lessons from the Wild West

My son, Ian, is taking some time after high school to figure things out. It’s funny, Ian used to say …

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The Power of Ten

The members of the Fredericksburg Learning Community are making dinner reservations. That’s right. We are planning a big night out …

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