About a month ago, someone placed a pair of hipsterish glasses on a museum floor as a prank. Within minutes, a crowd gathered to take pictures of the new “work of art.” You could read this as a throwback to the Dada movement or you could view it as yet another ironic, cynical, postmodern statement…
This is part 9 of 13 things to do before the first day of school. I don’t store things in a lot of folders, I try to use search as much as possible. But, I do like storing the files and folders for the current year in a named folder. So, at the start of…
As you probably know, Google Drive is far more than a place to store files online. It also includes a suite of versatile creation tools, many of which perform the same functions as the ones we use in other spaces. These include Google Docs, a word processing program that behaves similarly to Microsoft Word, Google Slides, a presentation program similar…
While some outdated educators are hung up on making students sit, stare, and copy down their every word (by hand!), innovative educators know there is a better way. At this year’s #NYCSchoolsTech Summit teachers came together to learn about innovative ways to support teaching and learning but they weren’t focused on taking notes. Source: Lisa Nielsen: The…
This is part 8 of 13 things to do before the first day of school. I’m a firm believer that a checklist, while not the solution to all problems, can be instrumental in organizing an efficient day. Research at John Hopkins University shows the value of a simple 5 step checklist for inserting an IV….
Deep learning often happens when learners encounter experiences that challenge them to figure something out, explore new information, and create a product. Source: Designing Learning That Matters Student centered, inquiry based, what a great way to learn! Too many students, especially high achieving students at the high school level have lost this spark, and have…
It was the last period of a gloomy Tuesday in February. The teacher, a happy, hardworking guy who relished teaching seventh-grade math as much as his students enjoyed learning it from him, let slip an uncharacteristically harsh comment as he flashed through email while students filed into his room. “Another behavior report,” he cursed softly….
This is part 7 of 13 things to do before the first day of school. Who doesn’t like to drag furniture around their classrooms for hours trying to find the perfect arrangement? Well, pretty much everyone, but that’s why we have computers. There are tools you can use to lay out your classroom on the…
Think about our planet for a second. Earth has an elliptical — oval-shaped — orbit. That means we’re closer to the sun for one part of the year and farther away another part of the year. Does that fact explain why it’s hotter in the summer and colder in the winter? Lots of kids think…
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…