Viewing: Educational Policy
Going Paperless: The Digital Binder
I wanted to share a bit of what I’m doing in my various classrooms as a means to go paperless. To me, the need to go paperless is about two things: 1. The reams of paper that are used in
The Work Around
The image in this post is a metaphor for what this year is all about so far: the Work Around. Let me explain: I know that the ideal way to wear a Nike is to wear a sock that is
When Life Turns on a Dime, You Discover Your Family
I want to tell you a little about what happened to me this summer, but I promise that it will come around and relate to school. Cruddy hook, I know, but I wanted you to know there was a method
Classroom Goal: Learn 10 New Things a Week (about them)
I recently checked out a link from a Facebook friend. It is apparently an ongoing list about current science discoveries called “10 Things We Didn’t Know Last Week.” It was interesting, but it really got me thinking about a new
I’m Confused. What Am I Fighting For? Who Am I Supposed to Be Fighting?
I find myself confused about my profession and, as a result, confused about my path within it. I entered teaching with a feeling of pride about my purpose, feeling the system was working with me to help prepare students for
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Middle School Classroom Management Tip: Collaboration and Fluid Grouping Trick
Here’s a little fluid grouping trick I’ve written about in the past. I thought it might be fun to just record something to make it a little more tangible. The basic thought is that you can insert a little content
Edutopia Post: How Can We Make Assessments Meaningful?
My most recent post for Edutopia focuses on Meaningful Assessments. I’m currently working on that chapter for my new book, and it’s been on the brain as of late. In this post, I talk about using the 4Cs (Creativity, Critical-Thinking,
What’s In a Name? – The Questionable Branding of the “Common” Core
Every staff meeting, in every school, is the same. OK, so maybe that’s hyperbolic, but I’m sure we’ve all been there at one time or another: an administrator comes in and declares the new instructional practice du jour. There are
40 Strategies for Teaching ELD Students
I love the teachers in my Language Arts department. Ever since I became department chair, they have been willing to go on so many curricular adventures with me. If I ask to try a collaborative website, they are game. If
The Common Core Tabloid: Truth vs. Hearsay
So much is hearsay right now about the Common Core, it feels like the educational system has become a tabloid in their interpretation of what does not even exist yet. In fact, from this level of speculation has sprouted a
CATE keynote: Project Based Writing
I recently presented at the CATE conference to a great audience of enthusiastic teachers. CATE, the California Association of Teachers of English, is a great organization with an amazingly supportive group whose heart beats with the love of the Writing
New Edutopia post: The Power of Project-Based Writing in the Classroom
It seems like it’s been forever since I wrote an actual post for my beloved Tweenteacher site! But I guess it’s a happy problem as I’ve been writing here and there in the edublogosphere for these past couple of weeks.
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