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…
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Every year, we hear news reports about the "summer slide," or the summer learning loss. Students arrive to school behind where they left off in May or June. This is a real challenge. But there's more to the story. So, in this week's article, I…
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Machine learning is changing our world in profound ways. It will impact the way we learn and the way we teach. In today's article and podcast, I want share a few big ideas on what that might look like. I'll share some questions we might…
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Throughout this summer, I've had the opportunity to lead professional development on ethical AI integration throughout the United States. In some cases, it's been a keynote and customized sessions. In other cases, it's been a deep dive 1-3 day workshop. The audience has ranged from…
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When AJ Juliani and I co-wrote the book Empower, we focused on the ways that students could own the learning process. It's the core idea of shifting from being teacher-centered toward being more student-centered. We often talk about what it means to move from compliance…
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When I was a student, I thought I was a top tier reader. My teacher didn't do numbers for our reading groups. She chose large cats. But I knew that it was better to be a Lion than an Ocelot. I knew my reading level.…
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Teaching has always been challenging, but right now it feels heavier. In this piece, I share a conversation with Mike, a fifth-grade teacher who’s feeling the weight of tech distractions, AI-written essays, student apathy, and the pressure to do it all. The usual quick fixes…
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In classrooms across the country, something subtle but powerful is taking shape. Amidst the distractions, the surface-level shortcuts, and the pressure to speed everything up, I’ve seen students quietly shift from passive to active. They've gone from compliant to curious and from distracted to dialed…
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The future is unpredictable. So, when we try to design learning experiences that "prepare students for the future," we have to recognize that we don't always know what they'll need. In this article, I explore the counterintuitive reality that the best way to prepare students…
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Content curation is a vital part of the creative process. In this blog post and podcast, we explore why curation matters and how we can help students learn how to engage in the curation process. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy this blog but…
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Dr. John Spencer
I’m a professor and a maker. Sometimes I make things. Sometimes I make a difference. On a good day, I get to do both.
