Ideas related to the big picture of teaching and learning as well as reflections from the learning process.
As part of our monthly challenges at AHS and something that we have wanted to do for a while, we are having our first district Twitter Edchat. At 8pm on Tuesday, November 17 we will be using the hashtag #AmesCSDchat to conduct an Edchat with teachers in Ames. This will be a great learning experience…
I remember as a student teacher at ISU that I had to record myself teaching using an audio recorder. The purpose of this was so that I could go back and listen to myself teach so that I could analyze what I heard and reflect in order to improve. This is an important procedure that…
One of the biggest things I wish I had been told when I started teaching was to only expect to see what we were focusing on learning in the classroom. Too often we assume our students know how to do something and then are surprised when they don’t. Working collaboratively as a group is one…
Last year I had to replace my kitchen faucet. I had never done this before so I did what I do a lot when faced with a problem for the first time, I do my research online which includes a lot of YouTube videos. In most of the videos they showed the people using a…
One new thing we are trying at my building this year is the use of Google Classroom to assist the work that our PLCs are doing. As our PLCs work together to collect data from common formative assessments and collaborate to improve student learning, we needed a way they could easily do this in a…
In the next couple of weeks there will be a large number of teachers starting their first day as a teacher. They will get advice from many experienced teachers and I have my own. Most of this advice can also apply to teachers who have been teaching for awhile and this list does not include…
I was reminded this past week how much our mindset can affect that which we can accomplish. Our mindset can easily help us reach our goals or keep us from being successful. As we encounter challenges and obstacles, our mindset will determine which direction we will take and whether we will keep moving forward or…
For some reason, computers and other devices have become the new targets when students exhibit bad behavior in the classroom. Some are so quick to blame the technology when we are seeing the same behaviors we have seen in the past. When a student posts a inappropriate or hurtful message online, some are quick to…
Tonight I will get to walk across a stage in Hilton Coliseum for the second time as I complete my Masters program. I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree back in 2004 from Iowa State University and am getting my Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instructional Technology tonight from the same school. I am a…
Today I got a great email telling me that my Swivl was on its way as part of being accepted into this year’s group of Swivl Video Pioneers. I am a huge believer that we can use video as a powerful tool in education, not just for creating content or providing feedback to students, but…
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