Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Classroom Observations Support Teachers More Than They Know
I recently had a parent meeting where the parent and the student were unhappy with a teacher. They were making accusations that the teacher was unreasonable, rude to the student, was picking on the student, and would not help the student with school work. We had several conversations with the parent and a few with…
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Video Games in the Classroom
Today’s children and young adults have grown up with video games, and according to Psychology Today, approximately 99 percent of American boys and 94 percent of American girls play them regularly. Video games have become a nearly ubiquitous aspect of home entertainment, but they can also be used as a tool for education. Here are…
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Teachers Will Let You Know What is Going On – If You Ask
A teacher will often provide me with an explanation if I ask questions on the eWalk walkthrough template or if they feel an explanation is needed. This is an effective method of gaining insight into the intricacies of the class room and why teachers do what they do. The following is an actual walkthrough followed…
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I Knew Because I Had Been In The Classroom
I visited a classroom the other day and I could not have caught the teacher at a worse time. When I arrived and sat down, I could tell the he was frustrated. The teacher was on the way out the door and a fellow teacher in a nearby room, who was on planning, was on…
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Walkthroughs Lead to Intentional Professional Learning
Have you ever experienced a professional learning opportunity where a so called “expert” was hired to come in and provide divine intervention that was supposed to lead you out of despair? I have and often found that exorbitant amounts of money were paid for professional learning that was not useful for my school. I would…
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What to Consider When Providing Feedback to Teachers
If you have been an educational leader for any length of time you have probably realized that teachers are not much different from students when you consider their personalities and how they like what they like. Like students, teachers have their own personalities, beliefs, comfort zones, secrets, successes, failures, and hundreds of other things. That…
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Learning and Teaching in the Cloud
It may seem surprising, but classroom education lagged behind other sectors in the adoption of Internet technology, claims Chalkbeat Colorado. The tide has changed, though. Those who were once vehemently against bringing the Internet into the classroom are now some of its strongest supporters. Why? We have tasted the stew and discovered the potential benefits…
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What’s Next? Implications Regarding Walkthrough visits in Classrooms
The series “Teacher Responses to Principal Feedback” is coming to a close. I hope you have found useful information in the series that encourages you to get out and visit your teachers and engage them in the practice of education. The previous article in the series discussed findings from the study and how beneficial conducting…
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The 21st Century Classroom: Adapting to Technological Advances
An overview of Technology Integration in the Classroom
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Our First Week of Classroom Walkthroughs: 65 Classrooms. 65 Opportunities to Experience Learning in Our School
The beginning of a new school year brings many new opportunities to your school. The new school year brings new teachers, new students, new initiatives, and often new opportunities to learn and grow in your profession. Among the many opportunities for us this year was the first full week of school and the official beginning…
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