I love road trips. Whether it was as a young child in the summers traveling between the Midwest and the Northwest or todays trip where I am turning around to go home. Why would I connect this passion with the teaching of social studies? It is my humble opinion that you cannot grasp the scopeContinue reading “Road Tripping and Social Studies”
Category Archives: Teaching
Allegiances Change
I lived in Astoria for a long time. Two and a half decades. I have a lot of history there. I have been in Madras for far less time. This week held a decision point for me. The Mighty Lady Buffalos were seeded in the state playoffs against the Lady Fishermen from Astoria. Who wouldContinue reading “Allegiances Change”
Introductions
Beginnings are so important. I sit here, at the beginning of a new school year trying to decide who to introduce to my students. I mean, I am not a one dimensional being. This is such a change from my previous career. In policing there are very few circumstances where you want people to knowContinue reading “Introductions”
Planning, Corners, and Unexpected Consequences
“I was standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona, such a fine sight to see. It’s a girl my lord in a flatbed Ford slowing down to take a look at me.” Glenn Frey – Take it Easy It’s funny, sometimes, disparate things come together and complete a thought. I have always been intrigued byContinue reading “Planning, Corners, and Unexpected Consequences”
THE MUSIC OF LEARNING
On Fridays, in my classes that are current on their work, we play Jeopardy. Today, we had a category called US Presidential History and another that thas City/State nicknames. During the play, songs that students had memorized in 5th Grade (This was a 10th Grade class) came up and we watched some of them afterContinue reading “THE MUSIC OF LEARNING”
HAPPY THIS DAY ISN’T ABOUT ME
Memorial Day, a day to remember our fallen. What has happened to America that none of our holidays have their intended purpose anymore? Memorial Day, Labor Day, 4th of July, nothing but an excuse to BBQ or travel. Presidents Day, MLK, and Veterans Day just a paid day off or time off from school. IContinue reading “HAPPY THIS DAY ISN’T ABOUT ME”
Wonder Day
Today I worked on a project demonstrating how to do a wonderday assignment. Take the thing you wonder about, research and share the project. In my case I wondered what effect the music of the time had on the protest culture of the day. I asked the question, reflected on my owh thoughts, did someContinue reading “Wonder Day”
STUDENT JOURNALISTS
CRITICAL OR MENACE? “Journalism is printing what others don’t want printed. Everything else is public relations.” George Orwell Just in the headline I have already set up the straw man that appears to be so prevalent in thinking about student journalism. Yet in reality, nothing is either this or that. That is what students learnContinue reading “STUDENT JOURNALISTS”
BEST COVID EDUCATION UPGRADE
Teaching from home with my laptop this fall was a joke. The small screen and only being able to see one tab at a time was horrible. My 13″ macbook was never going to cut it. I tried using airplay to cast the screen on the big screen but you couldn’t put the meet upContinue reading “BEST COVID EDUCATION UPGRADE”
EXPLORING THE WORLD IN QUOTES
Right now I am teaching technology. That isn’t stopping me from teaching social studies though. Every day starts the same in my class. First a quote. Then an opener based on the National Day calendar. The quotes generally come from historical figures. Sometimes focused around Black History Month or similar events but almost always aboutContinue reading “EXPLORING THE WORLD IN QUOTES”
The Embed Educator 