The Cymbeline Problem
So I started Cymbeline with the 8th grade class today. I posted a request for suggestions yesterday, but the answer was staring right back at me from the post itself. Show the students the Taming of...
View ArticleCymbeline Talk Show
Well, I am pleased to report that the Cymbeline project turned out very well. For their video project, the 8th grade class I was working with decided to create a modern-day talk show (instead of a...
View ArticleProp 8: The Musical!
Via One Little Fish comes a very funny, very timely video: More information about the project here. The video has received over 1 million hits, spreading awareness about an important issue, and making...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Using Data
Yesterday, I gave a workshop for teachers on using data to improve student achievement. This is something that is going to become an increasing part of my work, so I may be blogging about it from time...
View ArticleConundrum: Blue Gene Baby
I had the pleasure of observing a science teacher teach a fantastic lesson on genetics last week, and it got me thinking about the mathematics behind eye color. This Conundrum will be purely a...
View ArticleThe Place to Be
Last month, I had been considering making the trip to D.C. to be at the inauguration. But as the event neared, I realized that the most important place for me to be today was in school with the...
View ArticleWord of the Week: Community
The word of the week is community. It’s a word I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, as I’ve been doing a lot of leaning on my own community over the past few weeks. I’ve also been thinking about how...
View ArticleShakespeare Sunday
I’d like to start a new weekly feature where I discuss the teaching of Shakespeare. I know – that’s the last thing you’d expect from this blog – but let’s give it a try and see how it goes. Over the...
View ArticleThursday Morning Riddle: Guest Riddler Edition
I was on a retreat yesterday for the teacher training organization where I work. For one activity, we had to teach a skill we had to a colleague. My partner was our tech guru Evan O’Donnell, and...
View ArticleThe Google List
I’m currently working on a project with eighth-graders who are learning about civil rights. The other day, we were talking about Rosa Parks. I told them that she wasn’t just some random bus passenger...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Shakespeare Teacher: The Book!
I am proud to announce that I have recently published a chapter in this book on teaching literature through technology. You can ignore the description; it seems to have been inadvertently switched with...
View ArticleBlended Learning
I’ve just added a new category called “Blended Learning” which is something I’ll likely be writing about in the next few months. Blended learning, for us, will refer to a learning model that consists...
View ArticleQuestion of the Week
Last month, I was giving a workshop for principals on Instructional Rounds, a method of structuring conversations about best practices based on classroom observations conducted in teams, when an...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Item of the Week
In this somewhat new blog feature, I will offer up a question from the statewide examinations that New York City students take each year. The purpose of this will not be for you to try to provide the...
View ArticleIt’s a Poor Workman Who Blames Yogi Berra: Artificial Intelligence and Jeopardy!
Last week, an IBM computer named Watson beat Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter, the two greatest Jeopardy! players of all time, in a nationally televised event. The Man vs. Machine construct is a powerful...
View ArticleBlog Log
Last week, I participated in a blogging project sponsored by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, who encouraged bloggers to post about the influence Shakespeare has had on our lives. They’ve linked up...
View ArticleScience!
Today, I worked with science teachers on their performance tasks. Actually, I’ve been doing a lot of consulting this year on performance tasks, which is the hot new trend in assessment. A performance...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Question of the Week
So, today was my birthday. People always seem to want to know how you spent your birthday. Frankly, it’s just another day to me, so it doesn’t bother me that I spent much of it preparing for a workshop...
View ArticleDon’t Be Rotten to the Core
I thought I’d take this opportunity, while the federal government is shut down over the question of its own power to legislate, to talk about another somewhat controversial initiative, namely the...
View ArticleA Good Pairing
Last week, I was working with a Shakespeare teacher who was looking for ways to help students better appreciate the language. He liked the idea of using song lyrics, and Usher’s “More” in particular....
View Article
