David Small’s graphic-novel memoir, Stitches, recounts – from Small’s point of view – both the secret and obvious pains he and his family endure during the author’s childhood and adolescence. Counseling and art emancipate Small from his family’s dysfunction. Art becomes Small’s “home” and “voice” and gives him “everything [he has] ever wanted [...]
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Posted 27 November 2009
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Tagged: David Small, Father-son, I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I want to be your Class President, Josh Lieb, Junot Diaz, NCTE, Oliver Watson, Parent-child, Power-struggle, Stitches, Teacher-student
Yesterday I ran a Tech-To-Go kiosk at NCTE. It was a lot of fun talking with teachers eager to learn more about social media. At NCTE, I think there is a clear and strong desire out there, even amongst colleagues not yet on the PLN, to learn how to use technology to improve their teaching, [...]
Assessment reform is crucial to education reform. Junot Diaz spoke at NCTE last night about the work we have to do to move away from the “journey of approval” (make the grade or face punishment) to the “journey of discovery,” wherein meaningful reading, learning, and heuristic mistake-making occur. Until an American administration takes [...]
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Posted 20 November 2009
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Tagged: Education reform, Edumacation, Florida, Junot Diaz, Kevin Hurt, Matt Townsley, MeTa Musings, NBCT, NCTE, Polk County, Rick Stiggins, Rick Wormeli, Robert Marzano, SBAR, Standards, Standards-based, Timely feedback, W. James Popham
Students engaged in creating media that they value mostly do so either outside of school or underground at school. Many teams of teachers and students create work together that both value, but too often the “fun stuff” is either cut out of the school day or limited to what @budtheteacher calls “semi-school environments” in [...]
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Posted 19 November 2009
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Tagged: Alfie Kohn, Authentic engagement, Authentic learning, Authentic work, Becky Fisher, Bud Hunt, Education reform, NCTE, NWP, Personal meaning, Semi-school environment, Standards, Student entrepreneurship, Student publication
I’m sure many of you are familiar with the TwitterKids of Tanzania – students tweeting in English with followers from around the world. I’m also sure many of you are much more adept than I am at breaking down the walls of the classroom with tools like Twitter, Skype, Google for Educators, wikis, [...]
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Posted 06 November 2009
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Tagged: Africa, Arusha, Authentic engagement, Authentic learning, Authentic work, Instructional technology, Interactive whiteboard, Plot structure, Relevance, Seesmic, Shepherd's Junior School, Tanzania, Twitter, Twitterkids
When a student asks me a question, I try to answer with a question. Call it Socratic Method Lite.
However, there’s one question I keep answering over and over again, and I need to stop. Whenever a student asks me, “Why does this matter?”, I’m ready with one of three flavors of [...]
