If there is one discipline that is associated with the terms “question” or “problem,” it seems to be math. When preparing to write this I thought, “Well, I have some ideas, but let’s see what’s out there on the web.” When I used my trusty search engines to look for “mathematical questions” or “student questions … Continue reading
Two of my most memorable school assignments both involved interviewing my grandfather. In the first, for a seventh grade history assignment, I learned about his work during World War II Air Raid drills, making sure no light shone through neighborhood windows. In the second, for a college writing class, I learned rowdier stories of his … Continue reading
I’ll admit it—sometimes social media can by a mystery. A friend shared a wonderful vocabulary resource called “Wheel of Words” via Facebook. Hoping for a bigger version I searched for it the image, found it, and was led to the source page—because, of course, I wanted to give credit where due. The problem is, though … Continue reading
Which is denser, concentrated detergent or regular strength? Which fish swim more quickly, those with plants in their tank or a mechanical aerator? Which cleaner kills more bacteria on cafeteria tables? What would happen if we poured milk instead of water on bean plants? These are just a few of the questions from my elementary … Continue reading
One key way to encourage student questioning is to think about the questions that creative professionals in a discipline might ask. Every field moves forward when individuals ask questions. Helping students understand the questions in a field helps them envision how the creative processes of the discipline move forward. So, what about history? As a … Continue reading
As soon as Halloween is past, it is time for Dinovember! Dinovember started in 2012, when Refe and Susan Tuma spent the month convincing their children that their plastic dinosaurs came to life at night, just for the month of November. Their photographs are glorious. Dinovember became a media sensation in 2013, leading to a … Continue reading
Apparently Shakespeare is in the air. (OK, I suppose Shakespeare is always in the air somewhere). But now, right on the heels of my falling in love with the song “Will Power” from Something Rotten, NPR features the release of Erik Didriksen’s Pop Sonnets. Pop Sonnets is an outgrowth of Didriksen’s Tumblr, where every Thursday … Continue reading
One of the three keys I’ve identified for supporting creativity in the classroom is teaching the creative methodologies of the disciplines you are teaching. “Teaching the creative methodologies” is a fancy phrase for the idea that, whatever subject you are teaching, you teach not just the “what” of the subject but the “how” as well. … Continue reading
When we talk to young people about the dangers of posting potentially damaging photos and commentary on social media, one of the key arguments is, “Once you post it, it never goes away.” Fortunately for us, the flip side of this statement is, “When there’s good stuff online, it often stays there a long time.” … Continue reading
One of my favorite tools for helping students move from absorbers to questioners comes from Deborah Meier. She cites five Habits of Mind underlying Boston’s Mission Hill School, each of which can be framed as a question. Here, from Meier’s 2009 article “Democracy at Risk” are the five questions that she believes can define a … Continue reading
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