Originally from DeMotte, Indiana, Kyle Hamstra moved to North Carolina in 2002. After teaching fifth grade math/science for over fourteen years at Davis Drive Elementary in Cary, NC, Kyle is now an elementary STEM Specialist, serving 1,000 students weekly. Kyle is very interested in all-things STEM, curriculum design, leadership, and being a connected educator to learn from his professional learning … Read More
Promoting Student Engagement and Collaboration using Breakouts
TL;DR: An introduction the many ways breakouts can be used in your classroom. A “how to” for planning and implementing a breakout in your classroom. As a middle school teacher, I’m always looking for fun new ways to engage my students. Their current favorite? Breakouts! Planning a breakout can seem overwhelming, time consuming, and daunting. I’m here to help walk … Read More
Let’s Get (Un)Comfortable…
TL;DR: Settling in to our comfort zone leads to stagnation. When we get outside our comfort zone, we grow and become better. Origination of “The Comfort Zone” I have always had trouble taking risks or thinking outside the box, for as long as I can remember. I often think back to my college years when it was time to choose … Read More
Gamification: Show Me The Evidence!
TL;DR: The difference between playing games and gamification. Elements of gamification… that are also best practices of pedagogy. Research & evidence that supports using gamification for student success. As a teacher of a fully-gamified class, I often hear phrases such as, “That’s really cool, but how do you know the system is working?” Most of the time this involves a … Read More
5 Ways to Adjust Lessons to Promote Creative Thinking
TL;DR: The importance of creativity in the classroom. How creative thinking can increase the level of learning in your students. Five ways you can adjust or create lessons that promote creative thinking. Creativity is so valuable in our classrooms. With today’s focus on 21st century skills, thinking creatively is becoming even more important. We all know that the problems our … Read More