How Cooperative Learning Made Me A Better Teacher
Let’s begin with the realization that what we all inherently understand is indeed true: kids are different today than they were when we were younger. You hear this stated by ...
Classroom Perspectives
Teaching Style: Are You a Cat or Dog?
I recently observed a high school science lesson that left me feeling like I had just swished some super-minty Listerine. I was refreshed. I was inspired…so much so, in fact, ...
Transforming the Class with Google Apps
When I reflect on my years working in classrooms with students, I think about how much time it took to access and use essential technology B.G. (before Google). I compare it ...
The Role of the Teacher
Teaching is a great responsibility. I teach English and believe that the ability to communicate, at a personal and societal level, is what builds strong communities and ...
No More Permission to Pee
As students transition from elementary to high school, teachers have an opportunity to practice gradually releasing control. Restroom privileges are a good place to start.
Don’t Forget to Wonder: Has The Internet Made Knowledge Too Easy?
It's nice to think of the Internet as a wonderful invention that has made our lives both richer and more efficient. It's a nice notion and it's an accurate one—the Internet ...
The Search for the Right Picture Book
I avidly recall a second grade class that would excitedly huddle around my rocking chair for story time. Students scrambled around sliding chairs to the carpet where I read ...
Unicycles: A Lesson for Learning Complex Skills
Can unicycles serve an important educational purpose? Are there good pedagogical reasons for learning to ride them?
Network Ninja: Teaching Digital Citizenship
Under the umbrella of Digital Citizenship (DC) are some complex concepts. Netiquette, Internet safety, information usage and cyber bullying are just a few of the topics that ...
Sparking Communication in Autistic Students
As the assistant head of special education at Vaughan Secondary School in the Toronto area, Tim Wesson describes his professional learning journey as one driven by the desire ...