May
05
2009
05
2009
San Gabriel Valley CUE Teacher of the Year!
I won the San Gabriel Valley CUE (Computer Using Educators) Outstanding Teacher Award. Hazzah!
I'm not sure CUE realizes, however, that my enthusiasm for Ed Tech outweighs my knowledge. My daily calls with questions to the computer teacher can attest to ...
Feb
25
2009
25
2009
Top 10: How to Take Control of Your Teaching
Occasionally, I repost this article so that new readers can find it more easily. Based on some very enthusiastic feedback, it has since morphed into a book proposal called The Top Secret New Teachers Handbook. I'll share more as it ...
Feb
18
2009
18
2009
Starting from scratch in teacher training
I recently heard Judy Willis (of "syn-naps" fame) speak at a conference. In her pre-teaching life, she was a neurologist and she brings her knowledge to the classroom and to her lectures. (See my recently published article in Teacher Magazine, "My ...
Jan
28
2009
28
2009
My New Interactive Whiteboard…an update
OK, you know when you get a new puppy and you love it and you couldn't live without it and then you find out it has hip dysplasia?
That's a little of what my relationship is like with my new ...
Jan
25
2009
25
2009
Marketing Metacognition
So I just got the January MindWare catalogue and I realize that here we have a toy catalogue that is solely for metacognitive purchases. So this got me thinking: how can schools market metacognition? I realized, of course, that until ...
Oct
26
2008
26
2008
“Hit a Jew” Day. Um, er…
I'm not sure what one can say about this latest story. AP reports that a number of students at a St Louis middle school are facing suspension for a spirit day gone awry. But how "Hug a Friend Day" de-evolved ...
Oct
13
2008
13
2008
Innovative Learning Conference ‘08
Well, I'm off to San Jose to present at the ILC. I'll be presenting my session, "Podcasting with 50 Middle Schoolers - RU Crazy?!" It isn't just about podcasting. It's also about the evolution of a tech-tentative Language Arts teacher ...
Oct
02
2008
02
2008
The Excitement Graph: Plot and Word Choice
Every year, I do this activity when teaching Narrative Plot. I've used it from 3rd grade to 12th grade. I learned a version of it first in 1993 at a UCLA Extension class on "Teaching Reading to Secondary Students" and ...
Sep
05
2008
05
2008
Find the Fib…First Day Activity (UPDATED)
I learned a version of this activity from Erick Gordon this summer at the UCI institute. Basically, it's a get-to-know activity where the students get to learn a little about me and then learn a little about each other. ...
Aug
24
2008
24
2008
Hurry up & Wait – My New Interactive Whiteboard: Part II
So, I had my online training. I met the Whiteboard sales guy in my classroom to discuss where the board is to be mounted. I talked with my principal to develop an interactive whiteboard presentation during our first staff development ...

