Adopting a Strategy isn't like Adopting a Dog

Dogs are for life, Strategies are for the moment. Panaceas available at Workshop X Purchase even more efficacy with these associated books Sit through 8 additional hours of workshop to receive your Level II certificate More levels available at reasonable prices Ok, I'm not quite THAT cynical. I do see value in exploring strategic systems […]

Posted by milesmac on May 27th, 2012 | No Comments Posted in Pedagogy

Pokemon Evolve, so can Teachers

Change processes are well researched and documented but I wanted to explore my own experience with significant change in the context of my teaching practice. I started my career five years before the start of the Pokemon craze, but the idea of evolutions (though far less dramatic) seem suitable for describing professional growth. I began […]

Posted by milesmac on May 14th, 2012 | No Comments Posted in Pedagogy

E-Readers or Tablets

Of course this need not be an either/or decision. E-readers are valuable addition to a school's library and tablets can  shared successfully among many students. In a limited budget, would you rather have an e-reader for each student, or a tablet for every 8 students? Would you get some of each? Is it better to have […]

Posted by milesmac on May 2nd, 2012 | No Comments Posted in Pedagogy

Monarchs of all we survey

In 1990 my octogenarian philosophy of education professor, Sister M. with great grandiosity and a dramatic flourish informed the class that we will eventually "get our own classrooms, shut the door, and be Monarchs of all we survey, for that is the nature of Teaching." To us, at the time, it sounded great - I'm […]

Posted by milesmac on April 26th, 2012 | No Comments Posted in Pedagogy

Physical Space Influences Teaching and Learning

If you're really committed to eliminating the sage on the stage, give up the stage. Stick some student desks right up front against the whiteboard, see what happens. I did, it is quite interesting. This past September I viewed the following video. It made me think about how this rectangular space of ours could work […]

Posted by milesmac on April 12th, 2012 | 2 Comments Posted in Pedagogy

Student-Led Conferences

Enthusiastic students sharing their work with proud parents at student-led conferences. Watching my grade 8 students and their families is always a treat. It isn't hard to imagine home lives where every night of the week is filled with some social obligation, team practice, club meeting, or work shift. Interactions at home may be little […]

Posted by milesmac on March 21st, 2012 | No Comments Posted in Pedagogy

Project Based Learning Survey Responses

Bianca Hewes is an English teacher in Australia active in Edmodo, on Twitter (@BiancaH80), and with her own blog encouraging professional reflection on project based learning, and employing technology to engage students. She recently asked for stories about project based learning (PBL) to support her graduate research. Here are my responses to her questions. How have […]

Posted by milesmac on March 19th, 2012 | No Comments Posted in Pedagogy

Conspiracy Theory of Education Reform

When I indulge my cynical self and develop conspiracy theories of education I imagine elite corporate bosses paying off government officials to implement an educational system that guarantees a vast supply of super-box-store drones capable of mentally tallying a customer's purchase but no developed ability to think critically, question, or be creative. Control curriculum, quash […]

Posted by milesmac on March 17th, 2012 | 5 Comments Posted in Pedagogy

20+ Years of EdTech

I have used every one of these devices in fulfillment of my duties as a classroom teacher. These were the tools available to me since I became an educator. It makes me feel rather old, but proud nonetheless, to have mastered these valuable communication technologies for teaching and learning. And some say today's technology is too complicated. Want to […]

Posted by milesmac on March 11th, 2012 | 4 Comments Posted in Pedagogy

International Professional Development in your Basement: #teachmeet

Back in 1994, as a student in the Education Technology Leadership program at the George Washington University, I tried a video conference with a fellow student in Virginia. After 7 minutes we had accumulated enough pixels to see each other, but between my 14.4kbps modem and his ISDN line, there just wasn't enough bandwidth to […]

Posted by milesmac on March 3rd, 2012 | No Comments Posted in Pedagogy
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