I like my laptop, but I love Post Its. iPads certainly support the professional learning that happens in my sessions, but Post Its contain that learning and make it transparent and immediately to accessible to everyone in the room. We can touch each other’s thoughts and hold them in our hands. We can move them around and break them apart. We can remix them, and when we do, they change. And then our thinking changes. This…
I’m looking forward to blogging here with regularity again, and as I’ve been brainstorming ways to make the experience as manageable as it is meaningful, I teased out the following purposes and a structure. Every Monday, I plan to share a bit of what I’m reading each week and invite dialogue around the ideas that emerge. That exchange might happen in the comments here. It might also happen on facebook or Twitter, depending on how…
Read anything awesome over spring break? I did. My favorite read was actually a reread, and I have a feeling I’ll be referencing it deep into the future. Sunni Brown, Dave Gray, and James Macanufo wrote Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rule-Breakers, and Changemakers. If you’re responsible for helping people generate ideas and solutions in any capacity, you will love this book. You might also love the app, which I spent this morning test driving as well.…
A few weeks back, I had the opportunity to attend EdCamp Buffalo for the first time. This was something I’ve been looking forward to for quite some time. Having an entire afternoon to sit down, connect with, and learn from local people who are so passionate about teaching and learning and leadership is a rare indulgence. I’m very grateful to Colleen Brown, Melinda Callihan, Rob Fetter, Mike Fisher, Kristen Frawley, Rebecca Tharp, and Patrick Wirth…
I’ve spent part of this week with a group of elementary teachers who are neck-deep in curriculum design. Prior to our first session, I asked them to talk with their students about the types of learning experiences they value most. These data were captured via survey, which enabled us to organize and share the findings, so that they could influence our next steps. As it turned out, they were very important data to consider. Learners…
I’m looking forward to blogging here with regularity again, and as I’ve been brainstorming ways to make the experience as manageable as it is meaningful, I teased out the following purposes and a structure. Every Monday, I plan to share a bit of what I’m reading each week and invite dialogue around the ideas that emerge. That exchange might happen in the comments here. It might also happen on facebook or Twitter, depending on how…
This year, I’ve helped teachers in varied districts adopt or adapt the New York State Curriculum Modules, Domains, and Units for English Language Arts. I’ve helped others design their own curricula as well. Regardless of the approach, I continue to hear great things from the teachers and fellow professional development service providers who are wrapping up their piloting processes and planning to make informed adjustments. I have to admit, it’s not their feedback that inspires…
This post is the second in a series on unit design and the CCLS. You may find the first one here. I have always had a passion for curriculum design. Like writing, it inspires us to think of our audience first: who they are, what they love, what they need, and how we can tuck important lessons into even the darkest corners of the experience. Designing quality units requires us to consider what’s most essential,…
June is my favorite month on the calendar. I get to spend these weeks bringing closure to the work that was done during the school year, working with teams to evaluate our progress and set new goals, and most importantly, celebrating all that has been accomplished and all that I have learned from the incredible (truly they are) teachers and coaches and administrators and students I get to work with throughout the year. It’s been…
“Asking kindergarteners to conduct research, to revise their thinking and their work, and to write fact-based stories independently is pretty challenging work. This could be pretty messy. If we aim this high, we can assess along the way and provide support to those who need it, though. If we set our expectations too low though, we run the risk of never finding out who really can do this kind of work.” “I think that a lot of my kids want…