At its core, problem-based learning is an approach that offers students an authentic, open-ended, complex problem to solve, which requires applying curricular content. While there are many definitions of project- and problem-based learning, let me define them for the purpose of this blogpost. A “project” does not necessarily have to be open-ended; there is often […]
Albert Einstein is credited with saying, “I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they learn.” This speaks of the shift from teacher as the purveyor of information to that of an architect of a complex environment in which students learn; a shift from “teacher as ferry” to “teacher […]
In spite of mounting research on how the brain learns, math instruction often falls into the category of “we’ve always done it this way.” Guest blogger Shané Beauford shares her experiences in shifting math instruction . . . A mother is cooking a ham dinner. She cuts off the end of the ham, places the […]
revised 11/29/23 For too long, executive function has been a term used primarily among special education professionals to discuss deficits, overlooked by mainstream educators as the path to achievement for all. Simply put, academic engagement that focuses on higher-order thinking and application is a door-opener for students! If students can thrive in academic rigor, they […]
revised 11/17/23 Since the original posting in 2016, the world experienced a pandemic that caused schools to acquire and place computing devices into the hands of every student. Suddenly, many schools became 1:1! But did instruction change? Read on . . . Change is hard! It requires some paradigm shifting; that is, a rethinking of […]