That tweet from Gary Stager reminded me of this scene: Blotting your copybook used to be more than a figure of speech. It was, for some, a frightening everyday reality of life in school. This scene fromThe 400 Blows (Les Quatre Cents Coups, 1959), written and directed by Francois Truffaut, resonates with me. Antoine Doinel’s … Read more
There are lots of reasons not to like Facebook and I respect all those many people for whom it is just not their cup of tea. But there is one thing that Facebook is really good for and for which, as yet at least, there is no better alternative. And that’s doing a little institutional … Read more
What size should classes be? Anyone who has a definitive answer probably has probably bubbled in the answers to all life’s big questions. NAIS president Pat Bassett weighed in with good remarks – including the observation that what makes the real difference in terms of quality education and student outcomes is a combination of great … Read more
I’ve been reading about Cathy Davidson’s Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn (Viking) so I was disappointed to find out I have to wait for the August publication date. This article and this interview have got me interested. (There’s a list of … Read more
In the conversations at this year’s NYSAIS think tank (Twitter hashtag #NYSAIStt11) the language we use has not been the primary focus. It has, however, had a cameo role as we take a second and passing look at the labels and language we use to describe our work. Best practices, professional development, silos – is … Read more
Taking control of our learning and our work isn’t really a revolution. It’s more like a reset to the proper default position for the conceptual age. Harold Jarche Resetting Learning and Work I’m lucky enough to be a member of the NYSAIS Think Tank convened this week to consider professional development and next steps and … Read more
T.S.Eliot worked for Faber and now they have published an app for The Wasteland. Is this the future of English studies? Imagine what a great project it would be for a class to create the app for a work of literature they loved. I will show you fear in a handful of dust.
Look at what happens when Mozart catches fire! What I love most about the video is their reactions. And the physics of course. The story of the experiment was first posted in February, 2010. Preston and Jake continued their research into pressure, sound and waves. This video from May 2011 is the result of that … Read more
If you’ve ever been confronted by a dose of TTWWHADI (that’s the way we have always done it) or been reproached with the saying “That’s not the way we do things here,” “That’s not our way”… If you have ever thought that the barbarians are at the door threatening the purity and essence of your … Read more
Mindless and disturbing commercial hype or … finally … the opportunity to realize the long-held, unfulfilled dreams of boundless learning? Stephen Heppell via Matt Sculley Photo: Ryan Wilson
Last night’s forum was a discussion of digital technology and social media and their impact on learning and education. Thank you parents, students and faculty for joining the discussion. There’s lots more learning and thinking to do and I look forward to the on-going exploration and conversation. We will be actively planning ways to open … Read more
A parent recently sent along this article: Why geeks make better adults than the in-crowd. The article draws it’s lead from Alexandra Robbins book The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth. While there is something of a defensive, passive-aggressive revenge fantasy to the tone, it is undoubtedly true that conforming to the conventional as a way … Read more
This video from the MacArthur Foundation shows a variety of key and influential people discussing some of the new possibilities in learning, school design and the new opportunities for informal learning. It opens with John Seeley Brown “The most important thing for kids today is the love of embracing change.” “We find when we talk … Read more
We come to school to sing in the choir – meaning to be together in real space and time to do something together. The idea still holds. But maybe it’s time to revise the metaphor. Take a look at and a listen to Eric Whitacre’s online choir:
