Uncategorized – Mr. Zerwas Teaches Here

Why Is Change So Hard?

That’s the question at the heart of Switch by Chip and Dan Heath. And to their credit, they don’t answer it with vague ideas or motivational fluff. They answer it with clarity, story, and a framework that actually makes sense. The basic idea is this: if you want change to happen, you must address bothContinue reading “Why Is Change So Hard?”

The Truth Is Not a Luxury

Earlier this summer, I read The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. The novel is historical fiction, but it moves like a courtroom drama, a mystery, and a personal reckoning all at once. Set in 1789 Maine and based on the real-life diary of Martha Ballard, the story revolves around a midwife who becomes entangled inContinue reading “The Truth Is Not a Luxury”

Let’s Mean What We Do

I recently finished All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker, and I keep coming back to one line: “Do something meaningful, or maybe just mean everything you do.” That sentence is sticking with me. It is simple but pointed, and it captures what the book seems to ask of its characters and readersContinue reading “Let’s Mean What We Do”

The Numbers Don’t Lie. But That Doesn’t Mean We Understand Them.

I just finished The Math of Life and Death by Kit Yates. Yates walks the reader through stories where a misunderstanding of math led to bad decisions, dangerous outcomes, or even tragedy. It’s not a book about how to do math. It’s a book about how math already shapes our lives, whether we realize itContinue reading “The Numbers Don’t Lie. But That Doesn’t Mean We Understand Them.”

The Story of Four Graduations

Yesterday was Del Oro’s 64th Graduation, but only my second as principal. For my second commencement address, I chose to tell the story of four graduations. Here’s the bulk of the message: One of the things that’s really special about Del Oro is how many alumni return—whether to work here, raise their families in theContinue reading “The Story of Four Graduations”