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…
One of the things that irritates me, both as a teacher and a learner, is when I see so many teachers missing a great opportunity to help learners because they only provide assistance or feedback at the end of a learning activity. Too often we assign something and wait till it is turned in before…
This summer I am trying some new things to help keep the learning going with teachers that I work with. Some of them are tools that I used during the school year that I am still using while others are new to me in the way that I am using them. I believe, that as…
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…
Something that may be difficult for many people to do well, is to work with others in a truly collaborative way. Too often we end up working in a group that is inefficient and detracts from our intended goal. This is true for teachers and students alike. There are some ways that we can improve…
Last week I made my first trek to the NETA (Nebraska Educational Technology Association) conference. As part of my goal to connect with other educators in the midwest, I had presented at TIES in Minnesota in December and was very happy to be able to present at NETA which was in Omaha. I had connected…
Earlier this year we pushed out the use of #ameshighpride to our teachers, and then our students, to promote all of the great things that are happening at our school. Many other schools have done this, or something similar, so this was not something new but it was definitely something that I wanted to keep…
Donovanscience 