When I was a kid, I spent hours drawing pictures. Even when I wasn't supposed to be drawing, I doodled. I sketched cartoons on the back of sermon handouts. I drew characters on the margins of the notes I took in class. For me, drawing…
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When I first began teaching, I viewed research as something separate from the rest of learning. We did research projects or we kept the research as a phase within a project. Since then, I've had some shifts in how we do research: 1. Start with…
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To Whom It May Concern: My son is a curious kid. He's high-energy and artistic and he loves thinking deeply. He's a sensitive soul and sometimes the smallest amount of criticism can feel crushing. I could tell you the ideal way to teach him. I'd…
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I use the following set of questions sporadically through our lessons as a way of thinking critically about technology and our world. Multimedia You now have instant access to video, audio and photography. What does that mean in terms of telling your story? What does…
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When we think of innovative companies, it's easy to imagine an open-air tech startup with ping pong tables and free drinks and huge windows and chairs so modern you're not sure how you're supposed to sit in them. Sometimes I look at those spaces and think,…
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I'm not a huge fan of most school-based professional development. It's not that the delivery is bad, but that it is precisely that: a delivery. It's something teachers receive rather than create. So, even when the quality is good, there is the risk that it…
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I used to believe that creativity would lead to fun. I thought that if I crafted the right project and included a high level of creativity, students would enjoy every lesson. I was crushed, then, when I saw students getting bored, angry, anxious and confused.…
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"Collaboration" is a great word for Buzzword Bingo. It's often listed as a 21st Century Skill (as if somehow the people in past centuries didn't have to work together). It's included in project descriptions and even mission statements. What was once called "a meeting" is…
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I'm not a fan of traditional staff in-service. I know that people are doing their best. However, it can be hit or miss, because it's often stuck in a format or in a topic that doesn't fit who I am. Here are eight alternatives that…
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I love to read. So do all of my siblings. Someone asked me what my parents did to get us into reading. I'm still not sure how to answer that, but here's a thought. Reading wasn't rewarded at our house. We never had word walls…
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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.
