We Need Librarians More Than Ever Before Blog Post

It was about five years ago when a boy walked up to me and asked, “Hey Mr. Spencer, can you talk to the district and see if they’ll open up the library over the summer?” “I don’t think they can,” I answered. “But the city…

The Power of Hands-On Simulations to Push Critical Thinking Blog Post

I’ve been exploring this idea of “vintage learning” all month. It’s a simple idea. Sometimes the best way to look forward is to look back. Some of our most innovative lessons are actually low-tech.  Two students in my social studies pedagogy class chose an area that…

Should School Be More Confusing? Blog Post

I recently listened to a 99% Invisible podcast where they mentioned an excavation of a ship deep underground in the San Francisco business district. I paused the podcast and pondered how a ship would end up buried deep within the city. Who put it there?…

Every Child Is a Maker Page

We believe . . . We believe that all children are naturally creative and that every classroom should be filled with creativity and wonder. We want to see teachers unleash the creative potential in all of their students so that kids can be makers, designers,…

In an Age of Artificial Intelligence, Philosophy Is More Vital Than Ever Blog Post

Imagine you are building a self-driving car. Chances are you’ll look for a team of engineers who can figure out how to make each part work fluidly in an interconnected manner. You’d look for software engineers and mechanical engineers and experts in user interface (UI) and…

14 Ways to Differentiate Professional Development Blog Post

I’m sitting at my desk reworking my pedagogy course. With each revision, I move closer and closer toward truly empowering my students to own the learning. I started with student choice and slowly shifted toward student freedom. But now, I’m taking it a step further….

What Three Ice Cream Shops Can Teach Us About Choice and Differentiation Blog Post

Baskin Robbins offers 31 flavors. The rotation changes each month, so I’m guessing there are probably hundreds if not thousands of flavors that they create. If you’re looking for choice, this is place is it. And there’s a good chance you’ll find something that you…