Greenhaus Education and Other "Effects"

I read a fun blog posting this morning by Peter DeWitt called " No Testing Week"   Basically, his school is planning a testing hiatus, where no tests will be given for the entire week of November 28 - December 2. Instead, the focus will be on project-based learning, reading, theater, creating works of art, interdisciplinary projects.  In other words - learning and enjoying learning. I think it's a great idea.  I think EVERY school should be doing things like this, because as DeWitt says (and which I completely agree with) "the US is too focused on testing and we need to bring back creativity and not always worry about collecting data. .. we are raising a stressed out generation of students who are overtested and overanalyzed".  Hear hear!! So, those of you out there teaching and leading (i.e. principals, curriculum specialists, district supervisors, etc.), consider stepping back and letting school be about creativity and learning and connecting, if onl...

I am going to be honest - I have been in a meeting all day and struggling with something to write about today.  Brain melt I think.  Since much of what I have been focusing on today has been about math teachers and what they lookfor when they search the web, I thought maybe I would just share a YouTube video I created for another blog I was writing previously (I can plagiarize myself, right?!) I picked this one mainly because it ties in to the whole relevancy of mathematics I spoke about last week, but also because I think it's a quick example of what I think teachers are looking for when they search the web - quick, ready to use lessons or video clips or ideas to use easily in a lesson. I know from personal experience with lesson planning and trying to come up with an engaging launch for my lesson or an idea, I searched the web for technology ideas, videos - something quick, engaging, and real world. So....mainly because I was on a plane yet again, I chose a Sketchpad ...