Category: Educators

Mastery Learning – The Basics

Mastery Learning Doesn’t Have to be scary. A lot of times when I talk about Mastery Learning with teachers, I can see them slowly start back away and sometimes even getting noticeably scared. I’ll be honest, […]

What Board Games Teach Children In An Electronic Age

When we see how much time kids put in playing with their iPad or XBox One, you might wonder if there is anyone under the age of thirty that still plays board games. Good news! People […]

11 Horse Toys Kids Will Love

From plastic figurines to the classic rocking horse, horse toys have long been a favorite for children of all ages. Nothing inspires imaginative play like riding a rocking horse and pretending you’re in a rodeo, or […]

Our Maker Mindset

There is no greater joy than watching children create something. Whether the creating is done solo or in a group, thinking is visible. You can see the “wheels turning”. Hands-on work requires trial and error. If […]

Four Emerging Trends in Education to Keep An Eye On

I have often heard the adage, “In education, what’s old is new again.” While this is true of some initiatives, I’ve been in education long enough to know these strategies are improved upon as they come […]

RIGHTS DON’T STAY RIGHTS ALL ON THEIR OWN

Quite a bit of adolescent hand-wringing starts to snake through the room after a couple of minutes. Kids look at me puzzled, but I pay them no mind. I’m in full test-proctor-mode. “But Mr. Bowen, this […]

Modern Day Pioneers: That’s no Oregon Trail up ahead – it’s the convergence of STEM and World Languages

What does it take to be a pioneer? To leave the tried and true path in search of something more. To know that it is not if failure will strike, but when, and how you will […]

Breaking Down the Walls

She’s got a smile that’s more like a hug. It somehow pulls you in. Even begrudgingly, it still manages to pull you in. Even me. I’m generally suspicious of people that seem too happy. From a […]

Tackling Top Leadership Best Practices

I have had the pleasure of working in over thirty different school districts in two different countries over the past nineteen years. Those experiences, coupled with my passion for student-driven educational environments and strong leadership practices […]

Autism: Does the Neurodiversity Movement and Self-Advocates Know What Is Best?

The Situation Your toddler is turning age 3 and does not speak, communicate, or play. Instead, he runs back and forth flapping his hands. He picks up objects and flaps them in front his eyes. He […]

Digital Tools in the Classroom

With the rise of technology in the classroom, teachers have practically unlimited methods for teaching, assigning, and grading student work. Features within forums such as Google Classroom, Flocabulary, Read180 Universal, PowToon and NewsELA allow for student […]

The Thrill of Breaking Out

Sixty minutes remaining. I started the count-down on my phone as the bell rang announcing the start of French three. All around the room posters of futuristic cars, bioluminescent animals and locked boxes were positioned, poised, […]

Using a “Literacy Lineage” Assignment For First Year Writing Students

After I published my third novel I was asked to be the opening act for mystery writer Sara Paretsky, a best-selling writer of fame, while I was a solid mid-list literary fiction author. The occasion was […]

Aggression and Self-Injury in Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: A Parent’s Perspective

Trauma from Abuse During a visit with our son who is diagnosed with autism, he displayed aggressive and self-injurious behavior. We thought we had driven this behavior into extinction years ago. Perhaps his medication needed an […]

3 Ways Leaders Can Flip Staff Meetings For More Authentic Growth

We’ve all sat in those meetings wondering why on earth we are still debating what color to paint the staff restroom. So maybe not that exact debate, but something equally inconsequential in the lives of students […]

College Readiness is No Excuse for Bad Teaching

What about college readiness? I hear this from time to time during workshops as we discuss things like lesson structure, homework, grading, student ownership, or even multiple attempts on assignments. Whenever an educator wants to continue […]

Never Met A Dream I Didn’t Like

“Do you remember what I said I was going to do?” he asks me excitedly. “Of course,” I nod as if the answer is obvious. “You’re going to open up a boxing gym once you finish […]

Family Time With the Doodle Crate

As my children get older, they don’t spend as much time playing with one another. This is especially true of my high school junior and her fourth-grade brother. One is interested in driving and hanging out […]

Tinkering Around With Tinker Crate

One of the best gifts you can get for a child is something that keeps them engaged yet teaches them at the same time. When children are toddlers this is easy – the child is still […]

Design Thinking Adds Excitement to Group Work

As education stands at the moment, exams are part of the curriculum. While this might change in the future, for the moment we as teachers need to ready our students for the stress and slog of […]