More and more we are expecting young people to direct their own learning similar to how they navigate their own social stream or gaming consumption. Sometimes they are assigned a study period during their school day other times teachers set a task for students to do with limited direction or maybe students are at homeContinue reading “Self Directed Learning-Why? How?”
Author Archives: marasimmons
To AI or Not to AI, that is the question….
There has been a lot of buzz in education post New Years with some large school districts ousting the use of AI in their schools. Both professionally and personally we have been having a play with the ChatGPT from Open AI. My first impression is WOW, this pushes me as a teacher and as aContinue reading “To AI or Not to AI, that is the question….”
Navigating Choosing Online Schooling
Online schooling in 2023 should look different to what it did in the height of the pandemic in 2020. It is difficult to separate one’s experience from the past to what it could be for the future but for online schooling to be considered a viable option for your family this is essential. In fullContinue reading “Navigating Choosing Online Schooling”
Re-Establishing Classroom Norms: January Favorite
Love the new year and especially the fact that in a school academic year one gets two new years: the beginning of the academic year and following a break after 1st of January. On both occasions schools and teachers have the opportunity to review expectations and re-establish classroom norms. Recently a friend who joined theContinue reading “Re-Establishing Classroom Norms: January Favorite”
Crisis- SEL is not an add on!
SEL, aka social emotional learning is critical to the development of young people and a future generation of policy makers, CEOs, scientists, …. that embrace sincerity, vulnerability, humility and confidence to lead this world out of the current implosion.
Transforming a school one step at a time….
Blog 3 CTL Academy For the last year and a half I have been in conversation with Dr. Agodi Alagbe about her school in Abuja, Nigeria. She shared that her school serves pre-school- 12th grade and has about 100 students total. Her ultimate goals are to prepare her students to be ready for university anyContinue reading “Transforming a school one step at a time….”
Homework: Embraced or Disregarded?
We are now into at least a month or two of school- honeymoon of when the students do as the teacher asks is way over. About now (or maybe even earlier) some students have decided to disregard homework and risk attending class with it not complete. Other students work hard to complete everything assigned regardlessContinue reading “Homework: Embraced or Disregarded?”
Engaging in Globally Relevant Projects
Perhaps I am from the old school of entering contests and can’t pass up a good one. Once to encourage my daughter at age 9 to write I paid £15 for her to enter a story in the Mogford Annual Writing Contest in Oxford. She was somewhat encouraged and did meet the deadline then afterwardsContinue reading “Engaging in Globally Relevant Projects”
Fitness Different Than PE
One of the things I appreciate about @CTL Academy under the direction of Dr. @agodialagbe is their bell schedule and the inclusion of both physical education and fitness. The distinction between the two is that physical education is taught by an experienced PE teacher and fitness is included as part of the whole school practice.Continue reading “Fitness Different Than PE”
First Day of School 22/23 in Abuja, Nigeria
The journey of one school’s transformation from a traditional school to embracing change and demonstrating thinking differently about a new year with a challenging start.
