Hold My Chalk

I haven't been to TCEA in a couple of years.  I have been to Tots and Tech in between.  Regardless it has been several years since I have attended just as a conference attendee.  I have enjoyed presenting the last several times that I have been there. This year I look forward to just absorbing as much as possible.  Those of you who have attended before know this is an overwhelming task.  If you sign up for premium registration and attend any of the academies, you are already overloaded before you get to the first regular day of the conference. How am I planning to do that you ask?  Well, I intend to be intentional about the choices I make for the sessions.  I don't plan to attend a session just because I couldn't find anything else for that time slot.  If that is the case, then I need to spend some time networking, debriefing, writing, or visiting the expo floor.  Here are the criteria I plan to use when choosing sessions. Benefit -How will t...

Often times during an interview you may be asked the question, "Why did you get into education?" Or "Why did you become a teacher?" I want to pose a different question to you.  "What do you fight for?" There are many ways to answer that question.  When I ask that question, I don't want generalities or platitudes.  I want specifics.  If you were to ask me "What do you fight for?" Here is what I would say: What do I fight for? Here are a few things on my list. I fight for the student that woke up early because her mom left for work at 5:00 a.m., dad isn't around & she is responsible for getting her siblings ready for school.  She is at the school at 7:00 a.m. because she doesn't want her siblings to miss the shuttle to their school across town.  She is already tired and frustrated because everything that could go wrong did during that two hour gap between when her mom left for work and when she dropped her siblings off at the bus.  ...

There are so many tools for iPads out there that to begin to name my favorites is a daunting task.  But I will try to name a few.  The first I want to discuss is Osmo, which impresses me for multiple reasons. It inspires creativity It encourages activity It is hands on It is adaptable  to many ages and abilities For those that don't know, Osmo consists of an increasing number of apps for the iPad, a tray that positions your iPad vertically and an attachment that fits over the screen side camera.  It is a very simple setup that I am sure many others wish they would have thought of before the creative geniuses behind Osmo.  But that isn't where the magic is found.  The real magic is in the apps and the pieces that go along with Osmo. Currently there are eight apps available and it always seems like they are developing more.  The first few they released were enough to get me hooked on the product. The first Osmo app I used was the Tangram app.  ...

In this age of mandated over-testing and assessment it can often be difficult to foster that creative spirit naturally present in every child.  In fact we unfortunately are often guilty of squelching that natural tendency.  So how do you make sure that doesn't happen in your classroom?  Here are a few ideas gleaned from a few days watching Food Network. Chopped Those of you familiar with the show may already know where I am going with this, but for those of you unfamiliar, I will give you the basic premise.  The show is a competition divided into three rounds, appetizer, entree and dessert.  During each round competitors are given a basket of mystery ingredients  that must be used for that round as they work to create the best dish and prevent being chopped.  Often those ingredients do not fit the normal associations for that course, but must be used somehow. How do you apply that in an education setting?  Here are a few ideas:   Creative Wri...

We are a few days into the new year and by now some of you may have already destroyed your new year's resolution.  You may have decided to exercise everyday, or stay away from doughnuts at work, but after day one you were so sore you couldn't get out of bed or you were running behind this morning and had to grab something quick and easy and that doughnut just jumped right into your hand. Regardless of how you may have already failed to live up to your resolution, there are many things you can do to make this year a productive one.  Here are some tips:  Set some professional goals Professional reading Listening (podcasts or audiobooks) Workshops Expectations Set some personal goals Reading for pleasure Listening (podcasts or audiobooks) Time with family Vacation Health Pick a Word for the Year What single word will drive your goals for the year? Each new year can be a fresh start.  If you find yourself stuck in the same bad habits or ruts, remember that you don't have...