Hello Friends,

I hope you've been finding, making, and/or protecting time for rest, joy, and play this summer. I feel like in higher education we have a bit of nexttermitis thrust upon us, and then we make it a habit of our very own. I've been trying this summer to plan out fall term as needed while still staying very much in the present. We had a very rough start to summer in our household with all of us getting very sick with some sort of evil virus that took over a month to finally kick. It was the worst, and I so hate being sick, but it is also a powerful clarifier about what really matters. Amidst all the chatter and chaos and panic around AI, being that sick and seeing my husband and son that sick reminded me that what matters most is our care for each other. I am really no longer interested in getting my students to do some thing I think they should do or to not do some thing I think they shouldn't do. I want my pedagogy to be able to hold my students on their best AND worst days, of that I am now entirely sure.

I spoke to a reporter at The New York Times about AI and online, asynchronous teaching and learning. I don't read my words after they've gone to print, as it's actually excruciating for me to do so, but I'm trusting that I spoke with honesty and care and that my words will be of value to readers.

You might have seen the puzzle book Murdle in stores, but have you heard about Murdoku? Not to be dramatic, but every day I save lives by solving these murders. Although tbh, as I've been advancing to the more complex puzzles lately, people have been dropping like flies. I don't know how or why exactly, but I find these little mind puzzles super regulating to my nervous system. My son has also been getting into solo board games this summer, and seeing him play them and not be on a screen is dreamy. I, of course, had to get my own, and started with the game A Gentle Rain. Highly recommend.

Also strangely regulating: Widow's Bay on Apple TV. I don't do horror anymore, but somehow this show is both horror and cozy? I was talking to my son about it, and I said it's because there's no cell service on the island. He said it's because they are part of a real community. It's almost as if when we have people who care for us, we can survive anything...

I've also been spending a lot of time in my art studio making collages. I took a live, in-person collage class at Concord Art a few weeks ago and made this. Getting out of my head and into my heart and hands has been much needed.

I will be offering limited workshops and keynotes during the 2026-27 academic year. I have a variety of offerings, but my most requested right now is about teaching through the AI era. My approach is to give educators ways of thinking and feeling about these shifts, ideas for mindsets that they can use as guiding frameworks that honor both faculty/staff and students. From there, I share a bunch of practical tools that folks can start implementing immediately in their "classrooms." And as I just said, the whole shebang, the point of this all, the only thing that ultimately matters is care and community, so if that's your bag, you can email me or reach out via my workshop request form.

Wishing you all good things in August and beyond.

Karen