Apr
15
2013
15
2013
10 Weeks Left of School for the 8th grade class? Think Again…
There are 10 Weeks left of school for our 8th grade class. Wait! Not so fast. Let's do the math. Take our initial timeline of 10 weeks and begin to subtract the end-of-the-year obligations:
Minus one week for some teachers that ...
Mar
28
2013
28
2013
Honors Classes: The Need for More Diversity – Part II
In my recent Edutopia post, I posed a problem that is plaguing many schools today: that of racial inequity in our honors classes. Many of us at the middle school level are wondering what our role is in bridging gaps ...
Mar
15
2013
15
2013
Sir Ken Robinson: live at CUE 2013
I had the privilege of seeing Sir Ken Robinson as the keynote speaker at the CUE conference earlier today. For those who may not know of whom I speak, here is his now famous TED speech on “Do Schools Kill ...
Mar
05
2013
05
2013
“Managing the Hidden Differences in Your Classroom” : Bam Radio
We must embrace our diversity if we are to emerge a country that is a leader in this global community. I would like to think that it starts in our schools. And if it starts in our schools, and is ...
Jan
17
2013
17
2013
BYOD? They Already Do
A short post today on how the debate about bringing your own device to school is superfluous and antiquated. After all, they already do.
Case in point: when a student wants to borrow a pencil, I have them leave collateral in ...
Jan
02
2013
02
2013
A 1st Grader’s iPad Contract: An Acceptable Use Policy for the Home (Updated)
A few weeks ago, my parents called to tell me that my mom was getting the new iPad. They wanted to know if they could give my 6 year-old, Ben, her original one. We hadn’t been planning on getting him ...
Dec
26
2012
26
2012
Ring in the New Year by Remembering the Good
The weekend after Sandy Hook (see my brief thoughts here) I began thinking of ways to access the topic in different and more effective methods for my classes. They had left on that Friday not knowing what had happened. Of ...
Dec
23
2012
23
2012
The Past 3 Months of Education in a Nutshell
It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged for my own site. I’ve been finishing up my masters this semester, and blogging for my own enjoyment fell off my plate in the process. Nevertheless, here I am, back on the horse. In ...
Sep
23
2012
23
2012
New Shakespeare Collaborative Project: Anyone Interested?
Rarely do I hit up my readers for help, but I'm looking for classrooms to participate in, what I believe to be, a cool interdisciplinary Project Based Learning opportunity that combines Shakespeare and the digital era.
I was talking to Nina ...
Sep
22
2012
22
2012
What is the Purpose of School?
At the top of the school year, I showed my students the following video by John Green:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x78PnPd-V-A
I then asked them what they felt was the purpose of school. "Write what you feel," I asked, "not what you assume I want ...
