Arnis: We hear so much about innovators and the innovator’s dilemma. But what about innovation in a classroom in these days of standards and perpetual testing? Can it be done? For inspiration I asked my daughter, Marisa, who is one of the most innovative teachers
Today’s teachers function in a paradoxical environment. Students, families, communities, and educational leaders demand innovation in schools, while states and district leaders demand high test scores. Many teachers feel the weight of both demands and struggle to fulfill these seemingly opposing expectations simultaneously. A school
As school administrators, we have both experienced the emotions and challenges connected with students making poor decisions in schools that result in school discipline/consequences. We have also experienced the pushback from teachers, parents, and district leadership that comes with not following a black and white
The un-asked question is how to engage students in deeper learning, such as being innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial? The NCR report (2012, p. 13) uses the following six elements: Using multiple and varied representations of concepts; Encouraging elaboration, questioning and explanation; Engaging learners in challenging tasks;
How Do We Have It All? How do we address both the short-term goals of preparing students for the tests as well as addressing the long term goals of preparing them for life? How do we address the need for our students to learn both the traditional
This post was originally published on Worlds of Learning. Companies valuing innovation are on the rise, therefore, it is our responsibility as educators to prepare our students for the future they will face. I recently read an article published in the Harvard Business Review titled, You Need an Innovation
The term “tech geek” seems to be more and more fashionable these days as people in educational technology celebrate that they are finally becoming part of the “cool crowd” because they can use devices, apps, etc. in ways that make the rest of us gasp.
My wife loves her vegetable garden. Michele will spend hours with her fingers in the rich soil, nurturing her tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce, green beans, jalapenos, watermelon, and sweet potatoes. I love Michele’s garden too: I get to eat the produce it generates. The problem is, so
Educational Technology is the white whale of today’s classrooms. To pursue the implementation of technology is a huge undertaking. Schools face so many challenges: access to Internet/devices, competing priorities for professional development funds, the overwhelming number of tools and resources available. It’s easy to find
Education in America has been around for several hundred years now, going back to colonial times in the 17th century. Back then, teachers were not only content experts, but also models for moral standards for children. I imagine that the concept of applying “moral turpitude”