It's a go! The first annual Teacher's Professional Book Club has twelve eager members. Here's the list of selections for this summer:The Dumbest Generation, Mark BauerleinGirls on the Edge: The Four Factors Driving the New Crisis for Girls, Leonard SaxIntegrating Differentiated Instruction and Learning by Design, Carol Ann Tomlinson & Jay McTigheThe Brain that Changes … Continue reading L.V. Rogers Lauches Its First Ever Professional Book Club →

And while it's not a done deal, I'm really proud of how far we've come with this inspiring idea from my colleague Bonnie McComb.And while everyone I have addressed this situation with admits to the power of this professional development initiative few groups have put their money where their perverbial mouths are: our professional development … Continue reading Professional Book Club in Limbo →

Much thanks to my friend and colleague, the Literate Owl, for stirring up some timely Monday morning energy with this article from Jamie McKenzie.I resonated with Jamie’s comment that while a sort of technophilia has inundated our schools and education system, the simple fact remains...it never really helps educators address the important associated skill necessary … Continue reading Fair Warning for Technophilic Educators →

Well, last night's department head meeting was one of the best DH gathering in a long time! At last month's meeting, our principal had asked each department leader to make a five to six minute presentation to their colleagues about AFL (assessment for learning) practices and other department-wide initiatives and practices that are contributing to … Continue reading Lesson Learned: Always Celebrate the Small Stuff (always) →

Something has come loose. Not sure of the impetus, but I believe the Google Docs article that I floated out among my steering committee members (Oregon will save $16 going to a statewide Google Apps method--with over $1.6 million per year thereafter) seems to have been partly responsible for the raft of emails.Now, finally, a … Continue reading Circling the Wagons or Riding the Wave? →

He said it would work. Stuart Ross said that if you put a stupid title on anything, it will get read. So, I'm lifting his idea and the title from his latest...Well, the fifth and final authors' visit featuring Stuart Ross has come and gone. And I am filled with mixed emotions. On the one … Continue reading Buying Cigarettes for Stuart Ross →

OK. I don't get excited by much in our 2.0 world, but cacoo is something else. Drawing is not your strong point, need colour, and just the right layout design? How about collaborating in real-time with your students and or fellow professionals? You can save, print, upload to a PowerPoint, to a website, whatever. And … Continue reading Cacoo is not Caca →

Wow!I just don't know what to say...I'm so proud of her. There she was, not a eighteen months ago: the old school, highly inflexible secondary mathematics teacher ("I'm not gonna try that"; "It takes too much time"; "It's all flash and dash").But here she is using the SmartBoard, downloading vidoes, creating an interactive classroom, learning … Continue reading Getting your techno-groove on! →

Below is a letter published in The Province April 21, 2010 by my colleague and a champion of school libraries and teacher-librarians in British Columbia for over thirty-year, Val Hamilton. I'm sure she won't object to me reprinting this...it's killer stuff!The sound you hear is the closing doors of school libraries around B.C. School libraries … Continue reading The Most Literate Place on Earth…Not Anymore →

I was too exhausted last night to post these thoughts and I hope I didn't sleep out my enthusiasm and the essence of this message. But, here we go...I feel very privileged to be asked to become involved with the British Columbia Teacher-Librarians Association (BCTLA). I’m looking forward to working with this group of passionately … Continue reading My BCTLA Experience… →