In this episode we speak with Daphne McMenemy – author, blogger, keynote speaker and kindie teacher – about her book, girls in STEM, virtual conferences and all things computer science. Listen below for more or click here to access the full podcast. TwitterFacebookPinterestLinkedinemailReddit
In this episode we discuss chicken farming, real estate investing and protecting our students’ data and privacy with online learning. If you are using a free service, chances are you are the product being sold. I feel there is a frenzy of “panic buying” with regards to resources and tools for remote learning. Are we […]
In this episode we explore remote vs. online learning, classrooms pets and our wicked awesome custodial staff! For the last few weeks the narrative of “remote” learning has taken our world by storm. But remote doesn’t have to always mean online. Click here to visit our Podcast site. TwitterFacebookPinterestLinkedinemailReddit
I want to talk about the future of professional development. COVID19 has completely disrupted our world. Education will never be the same. We’re all moving into those online spaces. We have Google Classroom, Zoom, Skype, all of those places. We exist there these days. Only there is many regards. So what does that mean for professional development moving forward? Listen below for the full episode! Click here if it does not show. TwitterFacebookPinterestLinkedinemailReddit
Hello, world! Brian here! I hope you are safe, warm and happy. As many of you know, I am a huge advocate for trying new things. I guess it is time to practice what I preach. Creating a podcast has been on my list for years. And the time has come. No more excuses. You […]
What is even happening right now? I’ve asked myself that question more times than I can count in the last five days. I have no answer. And anyone I ask is also looking for the answer. I stood in my classroom doorway on Friday afternoon saying goodbye to each one of my kids as I […]
Eduporium is a nationwide provider of EdTech for K-12 schools, libraries, makerspaces, and colleges in the US. Though they got started as simply a reseller, they learned quickly that educators need more than that. They need transparency, they need accuracy, they need quick solutions, and they often need guidance when it comes to discovering and […]
Hello, world! I am partnering with NextLesson to bring affordable STEM / STEAM content to schools! Lesson plans, resources, books and much much more! NextLesson offers standards‑aligned K‑12 projects and lessons that engage students in real world problem solving through topics they love. Our projects and lessons provide students with opportunities to develop and apply critical thinking skills […]
Have I mentioned how much I love my Twitter PLN! I am connected with the most amazing educators from across the globe. Many of these educators I have the privilege of working with in person or getting together once and a while over breakfast. Some of them I am lucky to have met in person […]
My latest educational read has been Risk Taker by Brian Aspinall. The book is filled with relatable and thought-provoking stories and lessons written in a way only Brian can. When I read books like this, I often write down thoughts or quotes that leave an impression. So…here we are. In one of his accounts about his first year teaching […]
I am a 30 something white male. At least that is how I am perceived on-line by those I have never met. As such, I often wonder about perception and intention. My great great great grandfather was the first black mayor of Toronto. Just last year a park was dedicated to him and my Nana […]
I remember the year a SMART Board was installed in my classroom. It was a game changer at the time. I ditched the blackline masters and accompanying teacher’s manual and made my own program. My way. Everything we did from then on was interactive. I loved my SMART Board. Next came iPads. I had access to an entire class set of iPads. […]
Twice in recent times I have heard two different educators state “my students can’t do this” with regards to coding. Wrong. So so wrong. So so so so wrong. They can, if you let them. They can, if you believe in them. They can, with with your guidance, love and support. Sometimes “those” students are […]
A former administrator used to say “if school was a business we would all be bankrupt because we are so slow to change.” A bold statement that carries validity. In this rapidly changing world, the rate of change right now – as you read this – is the slowest it will ever be. This holds […]
In October of 2019 I took one of the biggest risks. It was a teacher friend’s 40th birthday and her husband had secretly organized an adventure for us all. We were in on the secret. She was not. We played along. Pretended we had passports ready for an exotic trip. We packed strategically, making it […]
Hello, world! It has been a while since I have written my own blog post. I am grateful to my friends and colleagues who contribute here and have picked up my slack the last few months! Truth be told, I have been writing elsewhere. Last weekend my book Risk Taker was released. A book I […]
Hot off the press! We are SO EXCITED to release Risk Taker today which is already in the #3 spot on Experimental Education on Amazon Canada! We are super proud of our work, your work and our students’ work! “Future-ready students need to be creative. They need to know how to communicate their ideas and […]
We are celebrating the release of Risk Taker with another Bonfire campaign! Grab your gear here! Future-ready students need to be creative. They need to know how to communicate their ideas and how to collaborate as problem solvers. To master these and other twenty-first-century requirements, they will need to be critical thinkers. Engaged students are […]
Hello, world! Brian here! It has been a while since I have written a blog post. Partially due to my travel schedule, my University courses and mostly because we have been super hard at work creating a new collection of wicked awesome kids books! Check out our titles below and stay tuned for RISK TAKER […]
It’s Computer Science Education Week. My social media feed is filled with amazing things happening in classrooms around the globe. It’s filled with ideas, resources and endless opportunities for educators to network with one another and add to their teacher toolbox. It’s filled with facts and figures about computer science, and why it’s important for […]
Hello, world! We have some incredibly exciting news to share! This week we quietly released two amazing resources – Think Like a Coder and Scratching The Surface! Coding is everywhere! Follow along with a girl and her dog as they explore computational thinking in their everyday activities. Colourful illustrations and easy to access text help […]
Good. Neither am I. I wanted to make this clear are the beginning. I am a math teacher. I am not a computer programmer. My colleague and mentor for all things code, Dan Shuster (Twitter: @simicodesquad) will disagree. However, please indulge me while I elaborate on how I started teaching Math With Code. Full disclosure, […]
