Here’s some good advice from Superman worth sharing in these political times of divisive politics and inflammatory anti-immigration rhetoric. “…and remember, boys and girls, your school – like our country – is made up of Americans of many different races, religions and national origins, so … If YOU hear anybody talk against a schoolmate or anyone else because of his religion,…
This is (only slightly) adapted from the original (without the typo) that you can see here “All Poughkeepsie Day School employees use their common sense, have respect for others, grow professionally and personally, create value and treat our families’ children as if they were their own.” Kind of sums it up right? Good guide for what to do and how…
There’s a new book available it’s packed with practical ideas for teachers from teachers: Meaningful Making: Projects and Inspirations for FabLabs and Makerspaces. And even better it’s available as a free download. You can’t beat that for a bargain. The book is an initiative from the FabLearn Fellows who are part of a larger project sponsored by the National Science Foundation entitled “Infusing Learning Sciences Research…
Coloring books for adults are apparently a big new craze. Amazon’s #1 bestseller in stress management/ self-help is a coloring book. And there are many to choose from with beguiling names like Calm and Balance and Enchanted Forest and Secret Garden. Now I have no problem with people of any age coloring inside or outside the lines, with doodling, drawing,…
Here for one way to start is Derrick Gay’s TEDx talk exploring the challenges of the word “diversity.”
Common Sense Media announced a new report, based on a survey with 2600 tweens and teens, that they say depicts the current state of media usage in the United States. Among their findings are several which are likely troubling to one or another of us: “Low-income kids lack access. Children growing up in lower-income homes are far less likely to…
I share two resources in case they may be helpful in conversations with children about tragic events. The first is from Mister Rogers whose wise advice was “Look for the helpers”. My second resource is the five points from the psychologist Rob Evans written in response to 9/11. They have relevance now. I wrote to him then asking his permission…
The good folks at 21 Toys are at it again. First it was TThe Empathy Toy and now The Failure Toy The Empathy Toy is beautifully constructed and a pleasure to hold. Not to mention fun to play with and helpful in provoking communication and thinking about oneself and others. I’m looking forward to playing to fail! So much healthier…
Growing up in the UK in a certain era meant that you got to play with fireworks. I have no issue with the safety restrictions now in place but I am glad they came after my time. All the weeks running up to November 5th in my childhood meant collecting the wood to build the bonfire and steadily accumulating the…
Last fall I informed the president of the board of trustees that 2015-16 would be my last year at Poughkeepsie Day School. Today Amanda Thornton, the president of the board of trustees, announced the new head of school. Please read that announcement here. After a thorough search and a considered process that involved all constituent groups within the school community the…
I am not a fan of Halloween. There – I’ve said it! What a killjoy, spoil sport, and miserable curmudgeon! Ok – to explain: First – It’s not a part of my childhood tradition. My personal mental furniture of memory for this season trends toward Bonfire Night, November 5th. I do remember once bobbing for apples – a game now out…
We all love to rumble on about lifelong learning . But how does that happen when learning is presented as a series of predefined steps and stages that learners must master and hurdle – the endless hamster wheel of material, test, grade, material, test, grade, move on. Where is the room for the infinite variety of human capacity? Where is…
If you’re reading this online then you are engaged in social media. You are consuming. I’ve been thinking about education and social media not so much as an option but as an opportunity and an obligation – something we owe ourselves as learners and something we owe our students as teachers. We all know that we live an era of…
Unless the mass of workers are to be blind cogs and pinions in the apparatus they employ, they must have some understanding of the physical and social facts behind and ahead of the material and appliances with which they are dealing. – Schools of Tomorrow John Dewey; Evelyn Dewey 1915 Children today need to understand, just as fully as did previous…
Tool #1: Twitter With so much out there it’s hard to know where to begin. But Twitter is by far the number one online professional growth tool for educators. It’s the link and the glue that connects and brings colleagues and our collective knowledge together. While others may use Twitter for celebrity gossip, news updates, relentless self-promotion* and recreational outrage…