Taking a Gradual Release (GRR) Approach to Student Choice Blog Post

If you’ve read my blog before, you know that I love to share sharing practical ways that we can empower our students to own the learning from day one. This is the core idea that AJ Juliani and I wrote about in our book Empower….

7 Ways to Integrate Curiosity into the Classroom Blog Post

We often use the word AI to describe the newest generation of chatbots. However, computers can’t think. They process information. Humans think. Human cognition is affective and emotional. It’s unpredictable and messy. It’s  inherently social and relational. We use the term “intelligence” to describe A.I….

Sprints, Mini-Projects, and Project-Based Learning Blog Post

This would be the year. I would be a fully project-based social studies teacher. After reading every PBL book I could read and attending PBL sessions at a few summer conferences, I had a vision for a new way of teaching my subject. My third…

Creative Habits Versus Creative Momentum Blog Post

We often hear about the need to develop creative habits. However, habits alone can lead to stagnation. You end up flat lining. In this week’s article and podcast, I share a different approach: creative momentum. The summer time can be a great chance to build…

Why AI Can’t Replace Teachers Blog Post

For all the hype about AI replacing teachers, the reality is that teachers are irreplaceable. It is a deeply human endeavor. The teachers who can leverage this human element through authentic learning will ultimately prepare students for an unpredictable world forged by AI. Listen to…

Making Time for Project-Based Learning (PBL) Blog Post

When I was in my second year of teacher, I wanted so badly to implement PBL. This, despite the fact that I didn’t know the term “project-based learning.” I simply knew that I wanted students to engage in meaningful projects where they learn the content…

Deliberate Practice or Deliberate Play? Blog Post

Deliberate practice and deliberate skill are two different approaches to developing skills. One is more structured and the other is more connective. One is more targeted and efficient while other other is more connective and holistic. While it’s easy to view these as opposing approaches,…