To grow, I believe one needs to take risks. I recently pushed myself out there and applied to be an Apple Distinguished Educator. To do something like this is not my norm; I would much rather remain behind the scenes producing something or helping someone. But it was time to try a new challenge. To make... Continue Reading →
Culture Cornucopia
Designed as inquiry, investigation, then creation, this learning experience gives learners an opportunity to discover and understand how culture and geography can shape our beliefs as individuals. Students will read and analyze various texts from different cultures, collaboratively identify main ideas and key details to support their understanding, and then create their own cultural narratives. Students... Continue Reading →
Take writing summaries to a whole new level! Consider having your kids produce stop motion summaries, giving them the opportunity to extend their learning to include visual design, visual storytelling, collaboration, and creativity. Depending on your comfort level, you could try white board stop motion, or for the more adventurous, try Lego or just paper. OBJECTIVES... Continue Reading →
Digital Age Skill: Create Video Tutorials
Have your learners be online content creators and contribute to others by teaching them how to write and produce video tutorials. 1 EXPLORATION Curate (or create) examples of tutorials that best reflect what you want your students to produce. Have students explore and analyze the purpose, structure, and style of online tutorials on their own.... Continue Reading →
Students become designers and engineers by trying different design challenges based on STEM subjects of interest. #STEMchallenge OBJECTIVES (3-5) Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. (3-5) Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to... Continue Reading →
What Bugs Me? A Design Thinking Lesson
Design thinking is a buzz word right now in education. It is a creative skill set/mindset that every child should learn and practice. Not long ago, I wrote a lesson flow featuring design thinking and #growthmindset for Graphite, which, by the way, is a fantastic resource for teachers. Thought I would share it here. Maybe something will... Continue Reading →
Engage the Imagination
I'm fairly convinced that all high school students are brilliant in their own unique way. Maybe not in obvious ways like an IQ score, academic achievement, or artistic ability but somewhere deep under all the blank stares (boredom), apathetic attitudes (disengagement), and mighty swagger (just the age), there is a brilliantly creative individual. Sadly, we... Continue Reading →
Interview Your Students
Not long ago, I asked a few students the question, "What do you like about school?" A chair, a camera and a conversation. I was fully prepared for the predictable answers of "Recess!" or "My teachers!" or "Lunch!" or "P.E!" Depending on the learner, I might have heard, "Reading!" or "Math" or "Computers!" Interestingly enough,... Continue Reading →
“Would You Teach Me, Please?
I love those moments in my life when I give pause to reflect, "This is it. This is why I do what I do. This is why I push myself to move beyond comfort into the unknown, embracing challenge, forging through failure, knowing it is best for learners." My morning was typical. Quick meetings, delivering completed items... Continue Reading →
