All posts in Professional

First Attempt In Learning: FAIL

When did taking a risk or even failing become such a horrible thing at school? As educators, why do we not provide ample chances at “safe risks” for students to tackle, in the friendly confines of a school environment? I liken this opportunity to driver’s education, where taking risks, under the guidance of a trained instructor, is the exact time to test one’s skills and if need be, fail.

The excitement and passion of learning and growing lies on these fringes, which just happen to be when we are pushed toward failing, not feeling comfortable and content. We want to push and guide our students past these boundaries.

Why Change Your District’s Website?

It just so happens I was recently asked to give a short quote on why we re-designed our district and school websites. Below is my short response, which was included in the local paper:

“A major factor in changing the website was to offer a cleaner, yet more dynamic canvas on which we have to share students and staff highlights to our community. The new site was also built with phones and tablets and mind, providing mobile users with a sleek experience. Personally, I would love to see more student involvement on the website with student articles of school events, capturing photos and more1”

Opening Day, Technology State of the Union 2015

Below is a transcript for a recent talk I gave before the first day of school. There were some great speakers beforehand and it is truly awesome to be apart of a team this dedicated (and funny) to giving high-quality presentations. Still much to learn…  Read more…

Most Social K-12 Tech Leaders by the Huffington Post

Having seen immense value tapping into the many resources on Twitter for professional growth, back in April I was pleasantly surprised to be listed at a Top 100 Most Social K-12 Tech Leaders on Twitter 2015 by the Huffington Post.

I was listed at #87 on this list.
Read more…

Commentary on Why Blogging Is Key to the Future of Higher Ed

I do a great deal of reading online. The “screen” on a laptop, tablet, or smartphone is the new location our students must become proficient in reading. Paper-based testing is on the way out, and computer-based testing is stumbling in. If for nothing more than supporting this new testing platform, students must become comfortable reading on a screen. However, there is more involved.

Read more…