Innovation in Education

I recently read Danah Boyd’s book “It’s Complicated” and was sparked to write about privacy, a topic I speak to faculty and students about regularly. For most of my life, invoking privacy meant keeping some ideas and information to myself and limiting the sharing of these thoughts with the people I chose. Ask a “technology …

The Importance of Protecting Privacy in Today’s Digital World Read More »

With the release of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), engaging students in engineering design practices has increased importance in science classrooms from kindergarten through 12th grade. According to TeachingEngineering.org, Engineering Design is the method engineers use to identify and solve problems. It is a process of flexible problem-solving that works in almost any situation. …

The Importance of Failure Within a Student’s Engineering Process Read More »

Having read the title, you are most likely expecting an article about calculus, physics or the analysis of poetry. For some, these were the more challenging school subjects. However, the everyday issues at the core of American society spark questions in the minds of our elementary school children. These children, at an early age, through …

Challenges of Teaching the ‘Hard Stuff’ in School Read More »

From the moment we are born, our journey of learning begins! As babies interact with their environment, they start to make human connections, process information and develop an understanding of the world. As each year passes, individuals expand upon their experiences and make sense of life from various perspectives: newborn, toddler, child, teenager and adult.  …

Meaningful, Project-Based Learning Arises From Passion, Time and Mentorship Read More »

Leaders in the field of education have spent lots of time addressing the question of assessment, standardized testing and reporting grades. Why? Because they believe grades motivate. Many educators are rethinking this theory and consider it shortsighted. Teachers and even whole schools are dedicating time to discussing intrinsic motivation. What makes students want to do …

To Grade or Not To Grade: Sparking Intrinsic Motivation Read More »

Nothing is as natural as learning. Simply put, to be alive is to be learning. In the earliest years of a child’s life, the type of learning they experience shapes their brain development. During this time, the brain undergoes a rapid period of growth. “By the time a child is 3, the brain is 80 …

Early-Stage Learning Fosters Life of Educational Stimulation Read More »

The thought of the organic chemistry strikes fear in the hearts of most students. This has never been a descriptor applied to my organic chemistry course, during which I rely on active learning and guided inquiry. These approaches provide a more exciting course of study, as the information delivered during lessons is more accessible and …

Learning with Professor Thomas Berke Read More »

“Though we often see ourselves as separate from nature, humans are also part of that wildness.” – Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods. Few people have spent time thinking about our disconnect from nature.In the field of education, this topic surfaces at professional development conferences,during local school board meetings and among teachers who wonder …

Incorporating Nature with Education Read More »

When exploring education options for children, parents often encounter words like progressive, experiential, and project-based. They wonder, what in the world this is about. Often the explanations are incomplete and lack tangible examples. Despite this, over coffee, at a dinner party, or while taking a spin class, someone will ask, “Can you tell me more?” …

Innovation in Education- The Voyagers’ Community School Read More »