I love reading young adult literature. There is so much depth and insight packed into each page. I just finished reading The Skin I’m In by Sharon Flake and I wasn’t disappointed. I have heard so many schools talk about “cyberbullying” and preparing students for defending themselves online or even using “cyberbulling” as a reason …
When schools and classrooms open themselves up to new possibilities, students respond by exceeding our expectations. Case and point: student blogs. What does blogging have to offer that’s so revolutionary? I often remind people who are looking in from outside the district with skepticism, envy (or both) at our technology use, the ultimate goal is not to have …
There’s something about the cold weather that makes me want to… go for a run. Yes, I do realize that for most people the 32 degree weather isn’t an invitation to go running, but there’s something about bundling up that makes me feel strong and ready to take on the world. No matter how long …
It’s hard to imagine a creation rich classroom with the air if standardization that has engulfed our schools; and yet, many teachers and administrators are opening their eyes and classrooms to the wealth of information that is available on the web. They use Google, social media, and other online places to intake great amounts of …
If you had been in my classroom, you would have seen students teaching me, especially in my technology class. My students taught each other and taught me to explore and to never give up. We were co-learners. They were active participants in forming the curriculum determining what we studied and I expected that they used …
If you haven’t ever worked with middle schoolers, then you have never experienced the way that they see what will be. Of course, this isn’t a problem. It’s a huge opportunity. There is that 12 year old that is imagining what we can’t. Another that is combining elements into something new we should have seen, …
Companies who aren’t integrating with other industries can’t innovate. Innovation and technology are dependent on the ability to connect to other industries. In the world of teaching and affiliate marketing, there is an emphasis to specialize, to find your niche, to teach and market through standardization. Although it’s true that you have to find the …
I was never a teacher who covered up the classroom when we had a test. I wanted students to get used to analyzing the context of the classroom. I wanted to provide materials in the classroom that would be constant reference sources, so if a student found an answer to the test from the classroom, …
It’s interesting to me that whenever someone finds you are a teacher, the first question is, “Oh what do you teach?” That always rubbed me the wrong way. It’s not what I teach, it’s who. There’s no one answer to the question what do I teach. Sometimes I teach interpersonal relationship skills. Sometimes I teach …
When I was in the final negotiations of my previous teaching position, I asked if there was a possibility to coach and was a possibility to work as a reading coach. Both of these requests would add hours of planning and bus riding. Both of these requests would decrease the amount of sleep I would …
