Experiential Learning / Working Draft
by Kevin Hodgson · Published 10/02/2016 · Last modified 11/24/2019
Kevin Hodgson talks with teacher and innovator John Spencer about LAUNCH, an acronym representing a kid-friendly reinterpretation of the design process that can spark the creative urge in K-12 learners and guide teachers in making, researching, and much more.
It's Not Easy Being Tween / Reading
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 09/26/2016 · Last modified 11/28/2019
Inspired by Donalyn Miller’s game-changing work The Book Whisperer, middle school teacher Cheryl Mizerny has transformed her traditional ELA classroom into a reading community where everyone learns to love books. See if some of her ideas might work for you.
Teacher John Hunter’s book reveals the intricacies and impact of his famed (thanks to a top 100 TEDTalk) World Peace Game, a multi-layered challenge where students collaborate to solve 50 complex problems. Kevin Hodgson appreciates Hunter’s openness to inquiry.
Civics Lessons / Kids on the Cusp
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 08/29/2016 · Last modified 11/30/2019
This year, with an historic Presidential election in the making, civics studies take on a bit more relevance for Mary Tarashuk’s 4th graders. As she worked on her lesson plans this summer, she uncovered fresh resources to help her met five key teaching goals.
Expert Anne Jolly suggests a running assessment of your STEM lessons as the new school year begins to make sure your students are engaged, working well in teams, and involved in engineering solutions to meaningful problems. Try her Lesson Plan Debugger!
Make no mistake says productivity expert Frank Buck, how well we bring our vision for the school year to fruition rests upon the things we do on a daily basis. Getting organized by going digital is the overwhelmed educator’s best hope. Buck recommends Toodledo.
Karen L. Sanzo’s book offers ideas for changing the paradigm of leadership development through the use of practical and useful tools that are not difficult to implement. Also see how others are implementing leadership programs, says reviewer Margaret Jones-Carey.
Daniels and Steineke walk teachers and students through creating a supportive community for academic discussions and learning, from the very basics of working in small groups to the complex tasks of group projects. Kevin Hodgson plans to implement their strategies.
Literacy consultant Regie Routman’s determination to interact meaningfully with her teen granddaughter led her to take up tennis again. Her 10 takeaways apply to life on the court and in the classroom, including the value of joy and the necessity for follow-through.
Susan Udelhofen’s discussion of mapping is very useful for identifying the process of curriculum building, with each step outlined in sufficient detail to provide clear and explicit direction. Kathy Foster recommends it to any district developing its curriculum.
