It is standard practice that Elementary-aged students write personal narratives in school. Every year, from Kindergarten through the fifth grade, students recount memories from their childhoods: trips to the Emergency Room, vacations, pets, siblings, etc. I have read so many stories that begin, “When I was six…” Unfortunately, students are…

Over the summer, I created a listening learning experience focused on the concept of what it means for something to be called a “Classic Album.” When the bell rang, and students entered my classroom, they were greeted with music playing from my vinyl listening center. My plan was to pick…

I’ve been enamored with Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey analysis since I read The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949). I love rooting for the hero as they leave their ordinary world and descend into the extraordinary, overcoming obstacles and ordeals to once again return with the prized elixir or boon…

Transforming lesson plans into learning experiences — I am not the only one who thinks about disrupting public education. A simple Google search on “remote learning” or “education and pandemic” brings you millions of hits. Tons of educational software companies gained new customers by providing free COVID-19 trials for educators who taught remotely. After lockdowns, websites, blogs…

My journey transforming lesson plans into learning experiences. — Who knows if school will ever return to what it looked like pre-pandemic. Over the past two years, teachers have taught in impossible conditions and under dangerous amounts of stress. No wonder so many educators are finally saying, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! and leaving public education. Much is still uncertain and…

My journey transforming lesson plans into learning experiences. — If you’ve been following my blogging journey, then you know that when I’m in the classroom, I spend a lot of time thinking about and creating learning experiences for my students instead of delivering the expected canned curriculum. As a innovation coach, I work with teachers helping them understand why…

My journey transforming lesson plans into learning experiences. — I taught fifth-graders for 12 years before I left the classroom to become an instructional Technology and Learning Coach (TLC). The decision to leave was a difficult one. …

My journey transforming lesson plans into learning experiences. — I first went to the South by Southwest Education Conference (SXSWEDU) in March 2018. It changed my life. Before arriving in Austin, TX, I had been to a few other education conferences. In fact, since leaving the classroom and becoming an instructional innovation coach, I jumped on the conference bandwagon…

My journey transforming lesson plans into learning experiences. — I got off to a late literary start as a teenager. I spent most of my childhood swimming in toxic masculinity and it prevented me from developing a love for reading and writing literature. Men were scientists or athletes, not writers. So it may sound surprising that during the 2008–2009…