Why Trust Is Vital to Peer Feedback Blog Post
I still remember a moment in my fifth year of teaching when I invited my colleague, Javier, to observe a lesson I was teaching. “Colleague” doesn’t quite describe it. Javi and I ran a project-based service learning together. We developed a fully tech-integrated curriculum together…
Starting the School Year on a Creative Note Blog Post
When I was a middle school student, I dreaded the first week of school. Teachers would walk us, line-by-line, through the syllabus and handbook and we would practice the classroom procedures. It was as if school started a week before the learning started. But then…
Speaking and Consulting Page
SPEAKING AND CONSULTING If you are interested in having me speak or present (in-person or virtually), please click below or email me at [email protected] and I'll be in touch within 24 hours. Learn More SPEAKING TOPICS (IN-PERSON OR VIRTUAL) Note: I am available to do...Getting Started with P.B.L. Page
Getting Started with Project-Based Learning Subscribe to My Channel Think back to your most memorable educational experience. Chances are, it was an epic project. As teachers, we can design epic projects to make this happen! But what about the time constraints? What about the standards?...
It’s Okay to Do That Same Epic Project Next Year Blog Post
It was twelve years ago when I sat down with a journal and began debriefing my first full year of going project-based. I had a list of what went well, what went poorly, and what things I wanted to try out the next year. As…
The Case for More Recess Blog Post
We tend to view recess as a break from learning. However, free play is actually a vital part of the learning process. Play boosts divergent thinking, flexible thinking, and creativity. It helps students learn critical social-emotional skills. Unfortunately, in many schools, students are losing recess…
Eight Ways to Appreciate Teachers Blog Post
Subscribe to My Channel Subscribe to YouTube Channel A few years ago, my daughter entered kindergarten. She came in knowing letters but that was about it. By the end of the year, she could put together entire words. She viewed language as a playground and…
Making Is Magic Blog Post
This article is part of a longer series on design thinking, a flexible framework for empathy-driven creative work. The Power of Prototyping A few days ago, I got the opportunity to do a keynote in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. One of my highlights was the student display area,…
Moving from Recipes to Projects Blog Post
This article is part of a longer series on design thinking, a flexible framework for empathy-driven creative work. You might want to check out other articles in the series first. Students begin with a state of awareness in the Look, Listen, and Learn phase. Next, they move…