by John McCarthy | Sep 19, 2026 | Differentiated Instruction, resources
Approaches for Supporting Personalized Needs of Learners There are many ways to support the personalized needs of all learners in your classroom, school, or district. While approaches, as listed below, range in degree to impact personalized needs, being data-informed...
by John McCarthy | Aug 18, 2026 | resources
Benefits of Gamification in Education There are many ways for gamification in education. You can gamify a lesson, unit, or classroom learning environment. The key is to choose the mechanics that fit your current need. For example, using achievements to encourage...
by Guest Blogger | Jun 8, 2026 | Differentiated Instruction, Guest Posts
From Differentiation to Transformation:How a Yearlong PD Focus Reshaped Teacher Learning By Meng Li Differentiation is often framed as a classroom strategy. In reality, it is a schoolwide challenge. If we expect teachers to meet the needs of every learner, we must...
by John McCarthy | Jun 11, 2025 | Assessments, Differentiated Instruction, resources
Differentiation of instruction is needed across all types of schools. Using intentional differentiation helps ensure that schools have a system that aids sustainable progress. At the Orchard School in Indianapolis, teachers are exploring new ways to meet the needs of...
by John McCarthy | May 26, 2025 | 21st Century Skills, Esports, Gaming, Global Skills
What if every student felt a positive strong connection to their school community? Imagine a group of players competing in a computer game to successfully complete a series of complex tasks for victory. Afterwords, they reflect on how they explicitly practice skills...
by John McCarthy | Oct 21, 2024 | resources
AI Prompt Design Guides for for Educators AI Prompts can be liberating in how we design and plan alongside a thought partner. When done thoughtfully and with a strong dose of validity assessment, many opportunities open up for promoting student voice and meeting the...
by John McCarthy | Sep 5, 2024 | Differentiated Instruction, resources
Differentiating so that ALL Students Succeed by John McCarthy, Ed.S. Reprinted from OurGifted.com on 09/02/2014 I taught high school honors freshmen in English Language Arts. The students were bright go-getters who were recommended to the class based on their...
by John McCarthy | May 30, 2024 | Esports, Gaming, Global Skills
DeSports Esports Camp Design & Curriculum Workshop Quick Details June 24 – 9am to 3:30pm Location: DePaul University: Jarvis Student Innovation Center DePaul University, 1 E Jackson Blvd, Chicago (Downtown) Free Admission (includes lunch) –...
by John McCarthy | Oct 30, 2023 | resources
Esports Club Schedule and Routines I’ve designed and run esports camps in the format of what students could experience as an esports club. The distinction is on a place where students can gather and socialize while playing esports titles and growing important college...
by John McCarthy | Oct 23, 2023 | 21st Century Skills, Collaboration, Esports, Gaming, Global Skills, Pedagogy
Esports Camp Format Validated by an Evaluation Report Desports, an esports camp ran for one week for campers in grades 9-12. The camp followed a club style approach that focused on exploring computer science careers, experiencing a healthy gaming culture, and...
