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 …
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 in these times with a New Year around the corner and reflection creeping in that you need to find people who are with you. People who see what you see. For me, that means I needed to find another teacher marketer. I did! How about joining us (that’s right, I’m not just a lone …
As a technology teacher last year, I was frequently asked the question, “How does Twitter help?” Inherent in my teaching colleagues was a time analysis approach to a new idea for their classroom. They wanted to know how much time it was going to take and if the time was going to be worth investing …
The world of education has changed drastically since the passing of No Child Left Behind. Since that legislation was passed, schools have slowly and systematically shifted to standardization. Teachers were consulted about the legislation or the resulting curriculum purchases to ward against a debilitating “failing” label. My teaching career began just one year after the …
