Previously I wrote about some of the tech issues we have had this year. A new Internet filter for our district meant that many of the Web 2.0 tools my class is built on simply did not work. At the same time the new filter was adopted the district adopted a new Student Information SystemContinue reading “We can save again!”
Author Archives: Wmarkhall
Astonishing Kids
“If you’re not astonishing the kids, they won’t be astonishing you back!” -Stephen Heppell I came across this quote a few weeks ago on Twitter. It made me think about which of my kids are doing astonishing things, and which are not. The picture with this post is of my students giving a presentation toContinue reading “Astonishing Kids”
Fall CUE 2011
I was very fortunate to attend Fall CUE this year. Well, I attended half of Fall CUE. My wife and I headed over on Friday after school, missing the first day. It wasn’t too difficult to convince my wife that we should go. “Want to go to Napa Valley for a weekend” was all the convincing itContinue reading “Fall CUE 2011”
Platform Agnostic?
We have been having a lot of technical issues at school this year, and it has been a real challenge for me to keep my students engaged when things do not work like they are supposed to. I am not talking lesson plans and such, I am talking about network issues. Kids can’t save theirContinue reading “Platform Agnostic?”
Being a Good Student
After going through the layoff process in the spring and then having my layoff (thankfully) rescinded I decided I needed to do anything and everything possible to not get laid off again. In California teachers are laid off by seniority, but it is not as simple as last hired first hired. What your credential is inContinue reading “Being a Good Student”
Student Engagement and School Reform
The old school one room school house is a long way from my technology rich classroom. I imagine in those days student engagement was accomplished with a switch from the willow tree and a dunce cap. Those are not among the tools in my teacher tool box, but that doesn’t mean student engagement is notContinue reading “Student Engagement and School Reform”
Why Moodle
I saw a question come across twitter tonight from mguhlin; “What questions would you ask of a teacher who has been using Moodle in her classroom?” What really got me thinking was an answer that came back from David Jakes; “One. How has their use impacted student learning?” So I have been using Moodle inContinue reading “Why Moodle”
You have the right to fail.
I teach in an economically depressed area. There is a lot of poverty, and a lot of crime. Our community has been identified as one of the most miserable places to live in the United States. We are near the top in auto thefts too. Want to talk foreclosures? Stockton is near the top thereContinue reading “You have the right to fail.”
There was a fight at school today.
Again. I broke it up, again. Not alone, there was another teacher and our security person, our Principal, and even some students pitching in. It wasn’t a big deal as fights go, but I did rip my pants. It wasn’t the first fight I helped break up this year, but I do hope it isContinue reading “There was a fight at school today.”
Lets go to the library.
A question was asked at a staff meeting a few weeks ago that got me really thinking: should we require our freshmen to do their research without the Internet? The point was made that a professor at a local state university requires students to do research from books AND requires the students to actually produceContinue reading “Lets go to the library.”
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