Hello, I'm Eric.
Welcome to my site.
I'm an author, researcher, project manager, & independent school head based on Maui.
Creative, energetic, and passionate leader working in public, nonprofit, and international environments for three decades to actively promote the value of communication in relationships and connection.
Presenter and writer lending expertise and ideas to the discourse about human development and welfare resulting in the authoring and publication of editorial articles in local Maui magazines and international magazines, white papers, peer-reviewed articles, multiple self-published books, article features and blog posts, and an invitation to be a podcast guest and speaker.
Books
From the Head: A Resource of Letters to Motivate, Inspire, and Affirm Leaders
From the Head presents a series of ideas as part inspiration and part motivation to better equip any aspiring, new, or accomplished school leader with the tools necessary to achieve success. When tone needs set; mindsets, culture, and community need grown; introductions and goodbyes need to be made; paradigms need shifting; or transparency and responsibility-taking need to be shown, the collection of letters in From the Head can help any leader remain strong, ready for anything, and aware that he or she is not alone. Read now.
dawn in the dark: A FABLE
dawn in the dark is a story of entropy. It depicts the loss of promise, hope, and new horizons at the hands of time and agendas that falter at achieving anything honestly and with good-will. Wind, dust, and darkness influence rhetoric which draws on mood to dampen spirits, alter perspective, push hatred, and encourage deception. All the while, our children are taking note and their societies will assume our assured, gradual decline if we don't adopt new ways of thinking and acting. Read now.
PLAYmodern 2 STORY WITH PORCH: An Addendum to From Play to Person: Making Space for Building Empathic and Morally Conscious Children
PLAYmodern 2 STORY WITH PORCH is an instruction manual for building a 100-square foot playhouse structure. It was written, designed, and fully illustrated so that it can be constructed with the most rudimentary of tools and skill level. These instructions are meant as an illustration of a process rather than an exhuastive set of instructions. Dimensional variations between your construction and the one presented here are acceptable. Read now.
Innervisions: A memoir of perspective
Vivid descriptions of life’s most valuable lessons tell a story of one family’s journey across time and place. Examine the value of experiences seldom had when long-held expectations of adulthood, routine, and family ties remain at the heart of the race so many of us often run. Alongside first-hand, personal reflections of family, travel, and international cultures, Innervisions is guaranteed to offer new perspective and hope for a very different future. Spanning five years, Innervisions is a retrospective that hopes to encourage action that will better each of us and the lives we lead. Read now.
Articles & Professional Work
"A Conversation with Jamil Zaki about Empathy and Perspective"
- Montessori Life Blog of AMS
In anticipation of The Montessori Event 2023, I had an opportunity to speak with Jamil Zaki, author of The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World and Thursday’s keynote speaker. Throughout the conversation, Jamil offered knowledge and thought-provoking ideas related to empathy, kindness, and connection. Continue reading.
"Change Your Perspective, Show More Empathy"
- Maui Family Magazine
Children have all sorts of opportunities to socialize, meet people, and have experiences that help to shape their opinions of others. Encouraging them to remain mindful of how they perceive themselves and others can impact how they relate and the level of empathy they show. Continue reading.
"Supporting Risk-Taking in Three Easy Steps"
- Maui Family Magazine
Each of us would likely be met with little challenge to get our children outside with beaches, volcanoes, and rainforests at our doorstep. We may be more troubled to encourage our children to do something unfamiliar. If so, here are a couple of tips you can try to lessen the fear, empower the hesitant, and embolden the taker in safe risk. Continue reading.
"Building Resilient Children"
- Maui Mama Magazine
A parent's natural inclination to ensure a child's relief from stressors, to help them avoid failure, and to eliminate whatever adversity may hinder their happy development are assured goals of any well-meaning parent. Maintaining a broad focus, communicating and listening actively, and showing resilience yourself are good ways to approach doing so to support resiliency in your own children. Continue reading.
"Supporting a Child’s Social and Emotional Health"
- Maui Family Magazine
The importance of supporting a child’s social and emotional health cannot be overstated. Doing so by showing your child respect, encouraging your child to share with, observe, and support others, and allowing your child age-appropriate and developmentally-appropriate challenges can provide invaluable benefits. Continue reading.
"Technology Kills Meaningful Connection"
- LinkedIn
I anticipate that the idea of technology bringing an end to meaningful connection is something that most people have heard argued before. And while some would claim that technology has afforded us greater capabilities, others would say it has also driven us apart. Continue reading.
"International Mindedness & Art"
- LinkedIn
Schools have the incredible task of educating young people to think, to consider, and to act. Too often burdened by the need for quantitative results, they can settle into routines that encourage little of either one, let alone anything of real qualitative value. Continue reading.
"A Childhood Perspective: The Expressed Understanding of Empathy through Artistic Forms of Meaning Making"
- OhioLINK
This dissertation identifies what children understand about empathy. Utilizing an arts-informed research methodology, the children and I engaged as equal partners in one-on-one semi-structured interviews, focus group sessions and art-making to explore empathy. Evidence in the form of spoken word and artistic representations show that children understand empathy as something inherent, actionable, and learned. Continue reading.
Testimonials
"Essential reading for aspiring leaders in education. Enjoyable, easy read."
"Many of the letters [in From the Head] are written in a relaxed, conversational style, which I like. I liked the organization of the book — the broad categories, the category preview/overview, then a series of letters."
"Just finished Eric’s “Dawn in the Dark” and found it fascinating. It’s as if he created a new art form, blending haiku and metaphor while telling a tale for adults in the style of a children’s book. Not to mention the timeliness and relevance of the subject matter and the maturity of spirit Eric brings to it! Bravo! 👏👏👏"
Contact Me
If you would be so kind as to share your thoughts about my work and my ideas, I would appreciate it. If you think that I could be helpful to you and your own life's work, let me know by completing the small form below. I'd be happy to engage. Thanks again.
Eric Dustman
Maui, Hawaii