Seven Questions to Ask Before Having Students Use AI Tools Blog Post

Artificial Intelligence can feel overwhelming. With so many tools and strategies, you might be wondering where to start or what to do. But I actually think that before we integrate AI into our lessons with students, we should ask some critical questions that will guide…

Spark Curiosity and Help Students Ask Better Questions Blog Post

In the previous article, we explored the Look, Listen, and Learn phase of the LAUNCH process for design thinking. In this article, we explore the second phase,  Ask Tons of Questions.  When students are able to ask their own questions, they can chase their curiosity…

Letting Students Ask the Questions Page

Student inquiry is at the heart of student choice. When students are able to ask their own questions, they can chase their curiosity and tap into their own interests. They can build on their prior knowledge and build a bridge to new information that they…

The Push and the Pull Needed to Help Students Focus Blog Post

Focus is no longer our default. It’s not something that tends to happen by accident anymore. In a culture built on notifications, infinite scroll, and instant answers, students need both a pull toward deeper thinking and a push away from the distractions that steal their…

Designing Socratic Seminars to Ensure That All Students Can Participate Blog Post

Socratic seminars are a democratic, student-centered, approach to class discussions. They can be used at any grade level with any subject area. In a Socratic Seminar, members meet in a circle (or more likely an oval, because, let’s be real, circles are really hard to…

Empowering Students to Self-Select the Scaffolds Blog Post

When I was a new teacher, I had a goal of differentiating instruction for every student. I would provide additional directions, project sheets, tutorials, and small group instruction for any student who needed help. I kept a list of specific strategies I would use in…

Students Need to Explore the Nature of AI Blog Post

In 2014, Microsoft launched a hugely successful AI bot named Xiaoice in China. With over forty million conversations, users often described feeling as though they were interacting with a real human. Microsoft founder Bill Gates described it this way, “’Xiaoice has attracted 45 million followers…

The Surprising Element for Empowering Your Students in Collaboration Blog Post

Collaboration is one of the most powerful forces in learning. Yet it can also be one of the hardest things to cultivate. Too often, students struggle to share ideas, listen to one another, or take creative risks. At the center of this struggle is something…

10 Creative Risks to Take With Your Students This Year Blog Post

As the year begins, we are all thinking about the idea of building a classroom community. Although I am no longer at the K-12 level, I am reminded of the power of community as I think about the cohort I lead that’s now in their…