I used to believe that creativity would lead to fun. I thought that if I crafted the right project and included a high level of creativity, students would enjoy every lesson. I was crushed, then, when I saw students getting
Read MoreThe Day I Met a Black Santa (A Childhood Memory)
I almost didn't post this, because it's more about ethnicity, race and culture than it is about school. However, I thought I'd share this childhood memory. I still remember what it felt like when I was a kid and I
Read MoreSometimes Global Isn’t Authentic
My students finished a project where they developed a product, sketched it out, "launched" an advertising campaign and created a website for it. I pushed them to think about the dark side of commercialism and the way that their product
Read MoreFrom “Living for Teaching” to “Teaching for a Living”
I used to believe that teaching was my identity. I saw it as a vocation in the oldest sense – vocare, a calling. I spent my free time grading, lesson planning and reading up on journal articles. I felt inspired
Read MoreWhy I Became a Teacher
I didn't begin my education degree with the goal of becoming a teacher. I wanted to know why people learned and why they didn't, how they were motivated and why certain things "stuck" when others were forgotten. I wanted to
Read MoreJust Humor Me
“Don’t smile until December,” a teacher warned me before I started my first year. I tried that on the first day, but it was too hard. My face is expressive. Kids know if I’m scared or nervous or happy or
Read MoreThe Real Advantage of Wealthier Schools
I love my school and I love my school district. I love the people I know and the community that surrounds it. I love the kids I teach and the way they’ve entrusted me with their stories. And yet .
Read MoreThe Real Barrier is Permission
I spent this last week teaching a workshop on social media for learning at Arizona K12 Center's Camp Plug and Play event. We approached the topic from the perspective of personalized professional development and an integrated aspect of project based
Read MoreWhen Did Revision Become a Bad Thing?
My students are often shocked when I tell them the reality of Memorial Day. When I ask them about the holiday, they tend to believe it had its roots in World War II, the same war that was fought, in
Read MoreHungry Students
"Mr. Spencer, we don't have enough breakfasts for the whole class," a kid complains. I double-check the numbers. Zero absent on Cocoa Puffs day, which means that unlike yogurt day, they're all having breakfast. A boy pulls me aside and
Read More