Courtesy of Nina MatthewsFor years I've planned to do this...really, I have. But (here comes the excuses) it seems that in every June the end of the year catches up and before you know it you're in summer mode. It happens all too fast. Every year.But, not this year...I recently read a very brief and … Continue reading The Story of Your Year →

I often wonder if a project could be done to extricate oneself and their relevant 'digital tattoo' from the World Wide Web and the Internet. Entirely. Completely.And I think that there was a time before social media and social networking that you might have had a chance. And now...? But when you study the graphic below, … Continue reading Too Much Information Online? (It’s not a good thing) →

At a recent staff planning day (where we are tasked, as a group of educators, to select a measurable school goal that we hope will increase student learning), but I was surprised at how much time and energy was focused on students' technology, more specifically, its use (inappropriate and ineffectual), and the obvious impact that … Continue reading Yes, Johnny, Manners Do Matter (technologically speaking) →

Whether we as educators like to admit it (or not), collectively we are going to have to change the way we do what we currently do in our classrooms as the move towards mobile learning and technology-for-learning begins to take on a greater role in education. And it appears that this is an expectation of … Continue reading Parents’ Thoughts On Technology-For-Learning →

An educator for over 40 years, Rita Pierson's TedTalk reaffirms why it is that I became a teacher and why I enjoy spending so much time with youth.http://dgjigvacl6ipj.cloudfront.net/media/swf/PBSPlayer.swfThanks, Rita...

Even those of us that relish our jobs often have those moments of doubt; about where we wonder, "What is it that I really do around here?" Or "How do I make a genuine difference in the lives of the students and faculty that I serve?" Or "How do I make our school environment a … Continue reading A Reminder of What We Do →

I just received the March 2013 issue of School Library Journal; arguably one of the best resources for teacher-librarians and library media specialists. And with great gusto I quickly leafed through the issue to locate those little nuggets that I will head back to read in greater detail later this week. And once again, I found … Continue reading Advocacy Research Continues to Reach The Choir →

One month to go...To help give those interested a bit of a sense of what our students will be experiencing during their upcoming trip to the Gwich'in First Nations hamlet of Fort McPherson, NT early next month (April 6-14), I have been sharing an NFB film that focuses on the local radio station, CBQM (also the title … Continue reading Seek To Understand: Hard Lessons →

I spent an entire day last week at Canyon-Lister Elementary School (CLES) just on the outskirts of beautiful Creston, BC. By invitation of the principal, David Falconer, and teacher extraordinaire, Patsy-Anne Casemore, I venture over the snowy Kootenay Pass to host an informal discussion about the future of the school's library.After viewing the BC Learning Commons … Continue reading Be Careful What You Wish For… →

Last month, I was asked by Selkirk College to moderate a local TEDx Talk which will feature contributions from some of the most innovative and creative educators in the Kootenays.Official Poster of the SelkirkCollegeEd TEDx Event, March 1stAnd of course, I replied with an enthusiastic "Yes!" well before I really understood what 'moderating' a TEDx Talk … Continue reading To Moderate or Not (sort of) →