Author Archives: Wmarkhall

Learning is not quiet. 

“It should be quiet in here. You should be studying for the quiz!” “Sit down and do your work, I want it quiet in here!” I have heard these directions, and others like them many, many times through the years, and I just do not get it. When I am trying to learn something, especiallyContinue reading “Learning is not quiet. “

Ditch the Points

This year I am doing it, I am ditching the points. After years of pretending that giving points for assignments was an objective way of giving grades, I am finally admitting that all those points really do is keep track of how many assignments a student does. Points do not measure what a student knowsContinue reading “Ditch the Points”

Why Can’t They Start Now?

It was one of the last days of the school year and Alex, one of our seniors, said it: “I just can’t wait to graduate high school, go to college and finally work on what I want to be in life.” He was so excited. As he talked to his friends it became apparent that heContinue reading “Why Can’t They Start Now?”

Trying never works

I had the opportunity to spend the last week in Redlands, California, at the headquarters of ESRI  learning about spatial thinking. In the last several weeks ESRI announced, as part of the ConnectedED initiative, a billion dollar donation of software to k-12 education. I spent the week better learning how to use that software in the classroom.Continue reading “Trying never works”

You Want Me to Teach Like a What?

A few summers ago I learned about teaching like a rock star. I took a drive down Highway 49 and spent a couple days at Minarets High School, met some amazing people, and continued to change the way I think about what I do in the classroom. If you have never gone to one of theseContinue reading “You Want Me to Teach Like a What?”

Showing Student Work in Public

I have long been a believer in students making their work public. When I started teaching my school was working with some of Ted Sizer’s ideas, and “public exhibition of mastery” was an important one of those ideas. I came to believe that when students control their learning and  are expected to show the resultsContinue reading “Showing Student Work in Public”

Yet Another Example of Great Professional Development

  Yesterday I had the wonderful fortune to be able to attend an Edcamp. It didn’t take much to convince me to go since it was held at the little elementary school in Yosemite Valley. Yes, THAT Yosemite, the one that also happens to be a national park, and one of the most beautiful placesContinue reading “Yet Another Example of Great Professional Development”

Breaking Stuff and Other Problems

I have a problem. My students are doing great work. So great they are working on projects and doing things none of my classes have ever done before. They are taking the projects we do  to places I have not seen high school students do before. It is a great problem to have, but IContinue reading “Breaking Stuff and Other Problems”

Lets Make a Conference Team

I go to a lot of conferences. Maybe not as many as some people I know, but certainly more than most teachers. It is important to me that I get out of my school and district and see what other people are doing. I need to talk to other teachers to understand the challenges theyContinue reading “Lets Make a Conference Team”