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I grappled with the idea of writing and publishing this for quite a while. It’s not a feel-good post. It’s a bit in your face, depending on the kind of person you are, and it’s about as direct as anything you’ll read today....

Hacking Education, Book 1 in the Hack Learning Series, turns 2 years old this month. We’re celebrating by giving you Hack 9 — The Glass Classroom — here.

Enjoy this excerpt from Hacking Education: 10 Quick Fixes for Every School

HACK 9: THE GLASS CLASSROOM – PUT...

Let’s begin a discussion about cold calling (on students, that is) with a couple of disclaimers:

One: Students with medical accommodations must be respected. If these accommodations include specifics about speaking, then ideas in this post may not apply. 

Two: Those...

In Episode 90 of the Hack Learning Podcast, Mark Barnes shares Toni’s Template for engaging reluctant learners from the forthcoming Hacking Engagement Again: 50 Teacher Tools That Will Make Students Love Your Class (Times 10 Publications August 2017) by James Alan Sturtevant

From...

Read alouds happen in my class nearly everyday. I teach sophomores, some of whom have twelfth grade or college reading levels. Still, read alouds, almost every day. 

Why? Well, language is meant to be heard. Fluent reading comes from hearing fluent readers. Clear writing comes...

If you're reading this, you're probably already a parent, or about to be one, or know someone who is. Congratulations. Parenthood is the hardest job of all because the responsibilities keep changing without letting you know.

So there really isn't one specific year that will test you the most...

I’m guessing most teachers have employed simulations and role play in their class. It’s a great way to learn. This Hacking Engagement Podcast episode demonstrates how you can combine role play and simulations with my favorite student activity.

I love Socratic seminars!...

Technology makes students more engaged. That’s not just a statement; it’s a fact that can be supported with research. A study from 2016 indicates that the iPad improved the literacy of students in kindergarten. It’s effective for all ages, too. Another study,...

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the abundance of incoherent writing ideas taking up space in your brain? When I conference with writers, they often let me know that they’re experiencing this by sharing statements like…..

“This is hard.”

“I’m not even sure...

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 42 percent of students who are bullied report that it happens in school hallways and stairwells.

Thirty-four percent say they’re bullied in the classroom, right under their teachers’ noses.

In an article at Edutopia.org,...