SAMR: Redefining Redefinition
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a workshop called Transforming Your Classroom, facilitated by Kim Cofino. If you haven’t had a chance yet to attend a workshop given by Kim, I highly recommend it. She is a world leader in helping teachers expand...
Can You Read the Pictures?
In many cases, Kindergarten is where we learn how to read. How do we teach young students to read? If you're not working with young students, here is a pretty common conversation that happens in almost every Kindergarten classroom at the beginning of the school year:...
Elementary Blogging: To Force, Or Not To Force
There seem to be wide-ranging opinions on when and how students should blog as part of their learning. In one camp are the proponents of blogging by choice. These educators advocate that students should not be made to blog because it’s not authentic. Forced blogging...
Creating = Problem Solving
Three Weeks Late As I read through the first week's assignment, I found myself wishing the course had started earlier...I had JUST finish building the new KA-2 Lower School Technology site at our school. I'm sure I'll continue to develop it and make edits as I...
Learn. Unlearn. Relearn.
How can we nurture and support the ability to learn, unlearn and relearn in ourselves, our students, and our school community? Photo Credit: forayinto35mm via Compfight cc Nothing endures but change. Heraclitus What is it about change that is so difficult?Maybe it’s a...
A Beginner’s Guide to Minecraft in an Elementary Classroom
“What’s it called again, Craftmine?” I wondered aloud with a confused look on my face to a classroom full of nine year olds, playing dumb the whole time. “It’s MINECRAFT!” they all yelled back in unison, smiling and laughing at how out-of-touch their teacher was with...
Toys That Teach Digital Citizenship (Course 2 Final Project)
The Beginning Some of you may have already seen my UbD planner because I wrote it during the first week of course 2. I came up with the idea based off of inspriation from the success of the Traveling Teddy project. My kids have really enjoyed following this teddy bear...
The Problem with Abstract Skill Outcomes: A Course 2 Final Proposal
Are all skills created the same? Are all concepts equal? These were just a few of the questions I left asking myself after a grassroots COETAIL group met at our school last week. We had just discussed whether or not a digital learning scope and sequence was necessary,...
Degrees of Separation: A googolplex of possibilities
Redefining Connectedness After reading Six Degrees of Separation, my first thought was that it was quite amazing how long this concept has been around. The second thing that came to mind was, if they had to use snail mail to test this theory in 1967, has anyone tried...