It is difficult to say exactly when or how ideas originate and if and why they earn acceptance, but this author believes his theories evolved because of his background as an educator and a pragmatist who believes "validating" an idea through practical implementation is as important as the idea itself. For the author, there are considerable advantages of a theory-into-practice approach. The negative side of a combined theoretical/practical approach is the vulnerability of partially or poorly implemented practices. In most cases, it is the implementation rather than the theory that is the object of scrutiny. These considerations about theory development and parallel concerns about practical implementation issues have guided him through this opportunity to reflect on his work. (Contains 1 note.)