by John McCarthy | Aug 10, 2013 | Concepts, PBL
I noticed a tutor working with a student at a Starbucks. I’ve brought my own kids to such places for tutoring help. Nothing like a beverage to ignite academic thinking. Long division was the focus of the student. She looked to be a tween or young teen, and she...
by John McCarthy | Jul 18, 2013 | Culture, PBL
I’m at the Genius Bar of the Apple Store to get help with my laptop. As usual the customer service is top notch. I’ve had two service staff assist me, and done so in a collaborative way. Both are supporting other customers at the same time that they are...
by John McCarthy | Jul 5, 2013 | curiculum, Differentiated Instruction, PBL, strategies, Writing
The Window activity was taught to me by Sally Jessup, my close friend and colleague. She had a gift for recognizing in others a capacity that they did not always see in themselves. The Window activity, as she designed it, is a powerful tool for inspiring writing in...
by John McCarthy | Jun 21, 2013 | Differentiated Instruction, PBL, Voice, Writing
Student voice in learning is a reoccurring topic for me. At every workshop I do, voice becomes an integrated action item that teachers grapple with. This was the case during my sessions at the PBL World Conference in Napa, CA. Fostering student voice is a critical key...
by John McCarthy | Jun 19, 2013 | Pedagogy, Voice
PBL World 2013 is meeting the highest expectations as conference that redefines thinking about learning. Today’s keynote, Sam Seidel, talked about how the business of education can be re-invented, and he showed how it’s being done. Sam Seidel, author of...
