Are we making space in our classrooms for imagination? Blog Post

When I go home, I’m no longer a dad. I transform into a sidekick to the world’s coolest superhero. I become a nurse to a stuffed animal surgeon. I get to help an architect and a builder in forts made from couch cushions. I become…

Reading is Rewarding When There’s No Reward for Reading Blog Post

When I was a kid, I used to get jealous of classmates who were rewarded for reading. They would get video games or money or whatever and it seemed odd to me. I didn’t understand why someone would get rewarded for doing something fun. It…

Seven Ways We Can Fix the Dreaded Student Research Paper Blog Post

When I was a kid, I hated research papers. I hated the paint-by-numbers rules we had to follow. I hated the fact that I couldn’t choose the topic or ask the questions or find the sources. I hated the notecards and the binders and everything…

The Best Makerspace Might Be Outside Blog Post

We want students to be makers and designers. But there’s a surprising source of inspiration for design: the natural world. As we think about moving toward a low-tech approach, we need something better than desks in rows with students doing worksheets. Listen to the Podcast…

What the Revival of Barnes and Noble Can Teach Us about Gen Z and Technology Blog Post

For years, educational technology has promised to make learning faster, more personalized, and more efficient. On some respect, it has delivered on those promises. But as concerns about screen time and student engagement continue to grow, more educators are rediscovering the value of low-tech learning….

Embracing the Low Tech Revolution Blog Post

This is the first in my summer series I’m calling Low Tech Learning. In today’s podcast and article, I explore the negative aspects of a tech-centric environment and the movement toward going low tech. I also want to provide some nuance and balance to set…

The Power of Silent Discussions for Deeper Collaboration Blog Post

There’s a strange tension in most classrooms. We say we value discussion. We say we want depth. But often the loudest voice wins and the fastest thinker sets the pace. The result can feel energetic and engaging on the surface while quieter students fade into...

The Five Biggest Fears that Kept Me from Empowering Students Blog Post

Student engagement is harder than it used to be, but the answer is not more control or better entertainment. It is helping students move from compliance to true ownership, where they have voice, choice, and responsibility for their learning. This post explores what happens when...

How Will AI Transform Creative Thinking? Blog Post

As AI becomes becomes more pervasive in our daily work, we often wrestle with a big question: what should we automate and what should we protect as deeply human? We experience this profoundly in creative work. We are drawn to the speed and efficiency of…