Education has really caught on to the phenomenon of gamification or game-based learning. But what’s the difference? Let me ask you a question. When you say to your class, “We are going to play a game today,” what is there reaction? Do they pout, whine, drag their feet? Of course not! I don’t think it matters whether you teach 3-year-olds … Read More
5 Ways to Challenge Gifted Students
We have all had those students in our class. One who knows the answer before you finish the question, one who finishes the assignment before it is handed out, and maybe another who knows how to graph quadratic functions while everyone else is trying to figure out what a function is. Most teachers recognize that some students need a push, … Read More
Personalized Learning through UDL
Personalized Learning and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can feel like new initiatives that are just “one more thing.” When it comes down to it, though, many initiatives fit together nicely, and can help support one another. Through working with schools, districts, and teachers I’ve found that when we look at new ideas as something extra (as opposed to something … Read More
Personalized Learning vs Differentiated Learning: What’s the difference?
Personalized learning and differentiated learning are big buzzwords in education right now. Did you think they were the same thing? As more catch phrases, tag lines, and buzzwords get added to the educational world, it’s getting more and more difficult to determine what it all means, and more importantly, how it all applies to our classrooms. Two phrases I’ve been … Read More
Hey Teachers, We’re Doing It Wrong
Education in the United States is failing. This is something we hear on the news, in politics, and from people we know. In response, significant energy is spent by teachers and friends of teachers trying to convince the world that education is not actually failing. Students lives are complicated. Poverty runs rampant. Parents are unsupportive. Administrators are too controlling. Government sticks … Read More