Award Winning Teacher – International Speaker – Author
I have written about the power of Twitter and how it has impacted my teaching before. I was initially blown away by the connections being made and sustained on a daily basis. However, I was amazed yet again with the power of Twitter to actually make a concrete impact on student learning. Yes, we share […]
Continue ReadingAs the end of the school year approaches, I am often reminded of the harsh reality of summer break for a number of our students. Many of my students are excited to get their Little League seasons into high gear or their annual summer vacations with the family to a whole variety of locations. Some […]
Continue ReadingA great number of influential educators have been blogging and tweeting about awards ceremonies and how crucial they are to motivate and engage learners. We all know that without awards at the end of the year students will stop trying hard and basically give up on learning. In addition, we know that acknowledging a student […]
Continue ReadingToday was my first experience with an unconference at edcampchicago. First, I find it amazing that teachers give up a Saturday to spend time learning and growing together. Nobody was required to be there, and yet we were there…Without going into great detail about the conversations that were had, I have three questions based on […]
Continue ReadingAs I near the end of yet another school year, my students have accomplished some amazing things. From Innovation Day and Holes in my Wall to Student Driven Learning and Lip Dub, it has been a great year. One of those years, that I have to think to myself, “does it get any better than […]
Continue ReadingIn Chicago, we have a term called “Gapers Block”. It is an event on a road where traffic is jammed up due to motorists slowing down and/or stopping due to some distraction on the side of the road. In some cases it is a fender bender, a dead animal, or even someone answering the call […]
Continue ReadingToday by the numbers… 2 months of planning1 computer club with 7 rockstars688 middle school students72 posters1 song2 takes1 memorable experience A few months ago I watched the Magnolia High School lip dub on youtube and was mesmerized by it. I wanted to bring our school together as they had for a common goal. I […]
Continue ReadingI have two small boys that terrorize my house on a daily basis. Among the many interests they have, they love reading. This past fall I joined the cult and bought my wife an ipad for her birthday. While she uses it occasionally, my sons use it on a very regular basis and reading is […]
Continue ReadingJust a quick post to share a recent project a group of my 6th grade girls put together last week. The assignment was to find a way to help the class understand the various roles and responsibilities within the feudal system in Europe during the middle ages. This is what they came up with…
Continue ReadingA great deal of my free time lately has been consumed with my son’s entry into the world of Little League baseball. He is five years old and is starting in the first level which is a coach-pitch league. I believe that we can learn a few things about schools from Little League. Everyone plays […]
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