We come to school to sing in the choir – meaning to be together in real space and time to do something together. The idea still holds. But maybe it’s time to revise the metaphor. Take a look at and a listen to Eric Whitacre’s online choir:
Tag: 2011
One Teacher’s Learning Journey with 2.0
Technology, Passion and Learning: That was the title of Shirley Rinaldi’s Prezi at Friday’s Embracing Innovation Conference ( Twitter hashtag: #eic11). Shirley teaches 6th grade humanities and she’s worked at PDS since 1993. She writes a blog Talking the Tech Walk with another middle school teacher and you can follow their story there. This year she has been on a…
Designing OPuS: A Walkthrough with Fred Bartels
Embracing Innovation Conference Presentation Another learning Odyssey about the design development of OPuS (Online Progressive unSchool) posted by Fred Bartels These are the slides to the talk he gave at Embracing Innovation 11 at PDS last Friday. You can follow the learning journey and see some of the influences, sharing, collaboration and thinking along the way. Are we frightened of the…
The little bit of ivory and the traditional virtue of the exquisite tweet
How long does this have to be? Should we teach to the text (message)? Forget about the five paragraph essay, what about the five (abbreviated) word text and the exquisite tweet? Lots of commentary about a recent article with follow-up here in the NYTimes about the importance of concise writing. Without a doubt it is an aspiration we need to…
A Cautionary Case Study
From BBC Comedy.
Let the kids rule the school…We just did that
Written by Shirley Rinaldi. Cross-posted from Talking the Tech Walk This week I realized that sometimes things just seem to fall into place and are meant to happen. This was the case with a new project that we tried in middle school this week, called Imagination Day. The first thoughts of something new began to emerge on Twitter last Wednesday,…
Diane Ravitch and Jon Stewart
The Daily Show >
The Unconcert and the Unconference
Inuksuit is inspired by the stone sentinels constructed over the centuries by the Inuit in the windswept expanses of the Arctic. The Inuktitut word translates literally “to act in the capacity of the human”. This work is haunted by the vision of the melting of the polar ice, the rising of the seas, and what may remain of humanity’s presence…
No Rhyme or Reason
Seth Godin started it and invited participation so here it is: Unreasonable It’s unreasonable to get out of bed on a snow day, when school has been canceled, and turn the downtime into time for learning. It’s unreasonable for teachers to go outside at lunchtime so children can go sledding. It’s unreasonable for children to expect to want to go…
Diversity Matters
Rather like how I’m quoted in Saturday’s Poughkeepsie Journal “Diversity is a core value embodied in the school’s mission,” said Josie Holford, the head of the school. “Respect for diversity and openness to difference is a source of strength and a means of growth and speaks to who we are as a school. In striving to be an inclusive and…
Twitter Asks: Ken Robinson Replies
Ken Robinson answers questions sent to him via Twitter.
The Possible’s Slow Fuse
Wisdom and inspiration from Emily Dickinson: The gleam of an heroic Act Such strange illumination The Possible’s slow fuse is lit By the Imagination
How to Read a Report Card
PDS student reports are not just a list of untethered numbers and letters but rather in-depth narratives that convey detailed and helpful information about emerging strengths, accomplishments, challenges, growth and progress. They are part of the on-going conversation between school and home with the student as participant, contributor, planner and goal-setter. Nevertheless – here is some helpful advice for how…
Snow Day – A Gift of Time
A snow day is a gift of time for play, independent work and keeping connected in the ways that make sense for the work you want to do. When there’s a chance of a snow day everyone gets excited. And for all kinds of reasons. For many it is the potential for some good play time – a chance to…
Chance of Snow
Are we having a snow day tomorrow? Is school going to be closed because of the snow? What are the chances of no school tomorrow? When snow is forecast the day is punctuated with the buzz of questions like these. I love the assumption that, as head of school, I can somehow predict the future and control the weather. While…