Category: Teaching
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E is for E2: Education Exchange
The excitement was palpable as we entered the conference area. There was an electric atmosphere that accentuated the enthusiasm of every individual and amplified it. I marveled at the apparent effect and afterward, I was in awe of the depth and breadth of learning I experienced. I am talking about Microsoft’s Global Education Exchange in…
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D is for Debate
This house believes… “It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.” ― Joseph Joubert Debate is the cornerstone of freedom and democracy and without healthy debate, we lose. Noam Chomsky outlines the dangers of not having truly free debate: “The smart way to keep people passive…
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The Class of 2030, What Skills Will They Need?
The biggest challenges students in kindergarten right now will face when they graduate is a rapidly changing work environment so being flexible is essential, and flexibility requires confidence. Confidence is the by-product of strong emotional intelligence and it will be necessary to successfully navigate the work-world of the future. Social-emotional intelligence ensures students are self…
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C is for Crayons
The third in a series discussing the Class of 2030. I remember one Christmas getting the SUPER large box of Crayola Crayons. One hundred undulating colours of possibility. I was absolutely giddy with excitement. Imagine all the beautiful things I could draw! Astronauts or ballet dancers, camels or dragons, elephants or fairies, anything I could…
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Using Microsoft’s Learning Tools in Writing Class
I like using Microsoft’s Immersive Reader to show students how to improve their writing style through some simple revision techniques that translate into greater reader engagement and understanding. There are a number of functions in the Immersive Reader that are superb supports when ramping up student editing and proofreading capabilities. A great place to start…
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Feedback is Fabulous
Over the past few years, I have implemented a feedback form at the end of my course. The goal is for me to be able to reflect and improve the course and my teaching methods based on this student feedback and I have found it invaluable. In fact, it is something I wish I had…
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Mayhem and Metacognition
Forget March Madness, its end of semester mayhem! The time of year when I question my assessment methods, mostly because I am swamped with final essays, culminating projects, and exams to mark, in addition to writing report card comments and tabulating final marks — all in a very short timeline. Invariably I ask myself, “is…
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#OneWord2019
I have been considering what word would best encapsulate my goals for 2019 for quite some time now, and one evening during Christmas break, as I sat contentedly knitting a shawl from Norwegian yarn brought to me as a gift from a friend, I had an epiphany. My word was right in front of me…
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Best of 2018
It’s December: a time to reflect upon the year that is swiftly coming to a close, and a time to look forward to what the new year will bring. This past year has held a lot of new experiences for me. I presented at a conference for the first time, I hosted a #MSFTEduChat Tweetmeet,…
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Mighty Morph Masters
As teachers, I think we are all Mighty Morph Masters. We make decisions on the fly, adjust a lesson to differentiate and better suit learner needs, tweak to ensure better engagement and impact, all while maintaining a positive, supportive energy in our classrooms. These are all things we do on a constant basis and essentially…