The Moss-Free Stone

The 2008-2009 school year saw some exciting developments in the use of technology in Birdville schools, and there are increasing signs that many teachers and administrators here no longer view technology as an exciting addition, but as a critical necessity. Among other trends, the district witnessed explosive growth in the number of students enrolled in [...]

What, exactly, is a teacher? Webster’s Dictionary defines a teacher as:
Teach”er\, n. 1. One who teaches or instructs; one whose business or occupation is to instruct others; an instructor; a tutor.

Teaching is primarily defined as “To impart the knowledge of; to give intelligence concerning; to impart, as knowledge before unknown, or rules for practice; to [...]

Author David Dobbs recently shares yet another lukewarm study of educational software funded by the U.S. Department of Education in his blog. The news is familiar: “students using educational software do no better learning primary school math and first-year algebra than their counterparts who follow a traditional curriculum.” The study itself has many flaws, primarily [...]

Who says that teaching stops when the bell rings? Josh Grizzelle, a 5th grade science teacher here in Birdville, is using Web 2.0 tools to take advantage of “teachable moments” whenever and wherever they occur. Among the tools Josh is using:

WetPaint wiki–This serves as Josh’s class website and hub of student information. The wiki includes [...]

Blogs are the first things that come to mind for most when the term Web 2.0 is heard. This is because blogging is one of the earliest internet tools that allowed for users to create their own content. Blogging is a big trend in our district, as administrators, teachers, and students are beginning to create [...]

One of the most frustrating things for me, as an Instructional Technology Specialist, is breaking down the barriers created by the present-day environment that places standardized testing ahead of so much of what the real-world actually demands. Skills such as problem-solving, collaborating, creativity, and the like are pushed aside, often only rearing their heads late [...]