The end has come. The week has been a long, arduous at times, and completely filled with fun. I know, some of you are probably wondering how those descriptions can go together. Well, with TeacherCon, they go together perfectly. Continue reading
TeacherCon Day Four with @teachcode @codeorg
Day Four
The end is near, or is it? Is it really ending, or just the beginning of something much longer?
For those who have read about the first three days, you understand that this has been a high energy experience. The folks at code.org manage to keep things running at full steam, all the time. So, how did day four look for those of us going through the CS Discoveries program here at TeacherCon Atlanta?
#TeacherCon Day Three with @codeorg @teachcode
Wednesday… Hump Day. The day that folks at professional development or teacher conferences SHOULD really feel the drain of being out of their element… out of their own beds… their normal routines. Energy is usually down. As you can see below, that is certainly not the case at TeacherCon! Continue reading
TeacherCon Atlanta Day Two with @codeorg @teachcode
Day Two:
So today we started day two of our weeklong TeacherCon. I’ve gotta say, the energy of day one would have been hard to beat. I’ve also got to say, the Code.org team did it. Today was a phenomenal day of learning. Continue reading
TeacherCon Day One with @codeorg @teachcode
So, today was the first FULL day of TeacherCon in Atlanta. The long term goal… to get computer science to impact as many students as possible. The short term goal… to get the 500 or so teachers here on the same page and running with the CS Discoveries curriculum. The steady flow of coffee certainly helped keep us fueled and learning.
A Look Back at a Year of @codeorg CS Discoveries Pilot Project
Maybe you haven’t heard… but computer science is struggling play catch up in school. For years, technology has been advancing, but our educational institutions have not kept up with the pace. The result, we are woefully short on qualified job candidates for computer science and coding careers. The sad part… this is a field where pretty much anyone competent to code can get a job quickly, and make good money. Continue reading
@CommonLit Launches Resources for 3rd and 4th Grades!
CommonLit.org… let’s be real. If you teach upper grade level ELA, you know about them. They have always been a great resource for teachers to utilize in their classrooms. For the basics on what CommonLit can do to revolutionize learning in your classroom, check out THIS post. I currently teach 7th grade English. I have been blessed with great content from them for quite some time. I used to teach 3rd grade… I was not so blessed. Great news! Teachers in 3rd and 4th grades now have great resources on www.commonlit.org. Continue reading
The Perils of Social Promotion: When Should Kids Fail?
It’s the beginning of a new school year. Teachers are returning to classrooms, kids are getting backpacks ready, and class rolls are being generated. It’s a scene that is repeated all around the globe every school year.
Another thing that happens around the globe every school year is the injustice done to children who are allowed to progress to the next grade when they are no where near grade level. Of course, there can also be injustice done when a child is retained in a grade level. So what do we do? That, my friends, is the conundrum we find ourselves in repeatedly. Continue reading
Product Review: @Ipevo Interactive Whiteboard Short Pen
As you may have figured out, I am a big fan of Ipevo technology for the classroom. I have had great luck with the products, having very few issues. What few issues I have had, Ipevo was quick to work out and solve for me.
I have used the Ipevo Interactive Whiteboard for a few years now, and have been incredibly pleased. The one thing I sometimes hear people comment is the size of the pen. Now for me, being an English teacher and a heavy reader, I don’t mind the pen feeling more like a wand, after all, one never knows when they might need to conjure up a patronus. Continue reading
Teaching Internet Safety with @NetSmartz Sponsored by @clubpenguin
Internet safety is one of those things that is always evolving. If you are old enough, think back to the mid to late 1990s. Internet safety was hardly a thought. It was an effort to get on the net, and things moved at a snail’s pace compared to today. Now, our kids are connected almost everywhere they go. They need to have the knowledge and tools to deal with this new found freedom. NetSmartz, a program of the National Council for Missing and Exploited Children, is a great resource.