About

While working in Japan around the year 2005, I began a blog which I called Kaizen. Kaizen is Japanese for the concept of continuous improvement. I posted sporadic blogs that focussed mainly on building capacity in schools through a commitment to continuous improvement. As I finally retire from education, I remain committed to writing about things that interest me. Being “retired” gives a person the opportunity and liberty to write about personal thoughts and interests. I shall endeavor to write honestly and thoughtfully with a heavy regard for the facts. Opinion and beliefs will be identified or clearly apparent as such.

I am interested in continuing to learn through my writing. Retirement provides the “leisure” that makes learning and continuous improvement not only possible but necessary to keep gray matter gray. Here are some things I would like to write about. Things spiritual are important to me. After all, I spent a good part of my career serving in Catholic schools. Social justice is very close to my heart. I would like to learn and write about ways that politics and economics can improve the quality of life for all, especially by ameliorating the disruptions caused by rapid technological change and structural economic inequities. I hope to be able to do some traveling, so my blog posts may include stories and information about places and peoples visited. I am a grandparent that enjoys time with family. I would like to research and write some stories about my family history and pen some thoughts about family and life. Health continues to play an important part in my life, especially in these golden years. I am interested in foods and habits that maintain good health. Continuing to invest and spend money wisely in retirement is clearly of interest, so learning and writing on finance and frugality will be accorded some space as well.

Above all, these blogs are a personal journal, meant more for me to record my memories, thoughts, learning and experiences. I hope that depth, understanding and substance will improve as I journey through this venture. I therefore foresee returning to old blog posts to update or finesse them as new learning occurs. As such, my blogs may not make good, relevant or interesting reading to the outsider, but all interested are welcome to read.

I  coined the word Educhirp a few years ago to reflect learning through short periodic missives (chirps).

Thanks for joining me!

 

Gerad Carrier

After a 15 year career in general management and industrial marketing, Gerad entered the field of education at a boarding school in upstate NY where he was fully immersed in the lives of 8 to 14 year olds. His educational career then took him overseas to the American Community School in Amman, Jordan where he served for 12 years, the last 5 as school principal. This was followed by 6 years as high school principal at Canadian Academy in Kobe, Japan.

Returning to the United States in June 2009, Gerad joined Christ the King Catholic School in Tampa, Florida as principal. In 2011 Christ the King Catholic School was named a National Blue Ribbon school by the U.S. Department of Education.

Gerad “retired” from Christ the King Catholic School in June 2014. After a short-lived retirement, he served as Academic Dean at Tampa Catholic High School from July 2014 to June 2018 and on educational committees at the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Gerad retired “permanently” from institutional work in June 2018 and hopes to spend most of his time on family, travel, hobbies, learning and writing.