13 things to do before the first day of school A few ideas on what you could do to get ready for the first day of school. Launching a Makerspace: Lessons Learned From a Transformed School Library The maker movement is getting huge! Take a step inside the classroom of tomorrow What will the classroom…
This is article 6 from 13 things to do before the first day of school. Sending home a newsletter on the first day of school is a way to inform parents about how your classroom will work for the upcoming year, and, more importantly, allow you to set up various communication channels for you, your students,…
This is article 5 from 13 things to do before the first day of school. It happens, usually before you’re ready for it. The day you have to prepare for a sub. A sense of dread comes over you as you put together your substitute folder. It’s even worse when you’re sick at home, trying…
Excitement about school makerspaces has been in the air, but many educators eager to create hands-on learning spaces in their schools still aren’t sure how to get started or why it’s worth the effort. New Canaan High School librarian Michelle Luhtala recently jumped headfirst into creating a makerspace in her library and documented what she…
When you cast your mind back to the days of school, you probably think of dusty textbooks, graffiti and chewing gum, lessons that were both boring and unengaging, and many, many chewed pens. But the classroom of tomorrow will look very different. The latest advancements in technology and innovation are paving the way for an…
Ten years ago, communication between teachers and families consisted of newsletters and phone calls. Now, with the proliferation of smartphones and computers, there are several more options for communication. I’m going to focus on more immediate forms of communications, for example sending home time sensitive information. One of the most popular is the Remind. Remind…
I had a brief conversation with a 12 year old boy this month that went as follows: TEACHER: “WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE SUBJECT?” STUDENT: “ART” TEACHER: “WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN ART?” STUDENT: “MAKING CLAY ANIMALS” TEACHER: “WHY ARE YOU MAKING CLAY ANIMALS?” STUDENT: “I DON’T KNOW, IT’S LIKE A MATH TEST. THE TEACHERS GIVE YOU THIS…
From a financial perspective, Twitter’s narrative has been relatively straightforward since it went public in 2013. The company has always struggled with user growth. It couldn’t — and never likely will — grow at the pace or to the magnitude of Facebook, Snapchat, or WhatsApp. But Twitter has in the past been capable of growing…
This is part 3 of 13 things to do before the first day of school. For your students, take the guesswork out of finding your class online by designating your classroom’s default home page. This should be the main site for your classroom to post news, links, assignments, etc. It helps the students know that…
I used to have beautiful handwriting. Growing up in the ’70s and ’80s, when it was assumed writing in cursive was a necessary skill, I actually practiced my letters, trying out different capital “Gs” and inventing fancy swirls to go under my signature. If I ever needed to leave a mysterious letter in an old…