Collaboration as a method of learning has been a fabric of education for years. However, in the past, professional learning networks (PLNs) were mostly limited to face-to-face interactions within school buildings, districts, or, in some cases, conferences, but with the technology we have now, our connections are limitless.  One way educators are connecting today is... Continue Reading →

A few of my friends were on a group text, and someone texted, "Let's just jump into a Clubhouse room." Wait what? The text thread continued, "Have you heard about Clubhouse? "From there, invites went out, and I was on.  So what is it? Clubhouse is a live audio app that allows users to chat... Continue Reading →

A hybrid learning center can help you maximize simultaneous learning. As the calendar turns to the 2021 school year, we have to reflect on what did not work with hybrid learning models and instructional practices in our classroom. When we talk hybrid, we also talk synchronous, asynchronous, independent learning, and many other terms we never... Continue Reading →

When administrators maintain a sense of optimism, their teams act with more confidence and collaborate more effectively. In today’s fast-paced, rapidly changing educational atmosphere, leaders and districts need to create positive work environments. Although this is challenging for every leader, it’s critical to navigate these uncharted waters with care. Positive leadership is not a topic... Continue Reading →

The education profession has been saturated with articles, podcasts, and news segments on the impacts of Covid-19 on teaching and learning, and the pandemic has shown us that we need to shift our educational system from a structure based on quantities of time to one that is ongoing outside the classroom, with student learning at... Continue Reading →

Written with Christine Ravesi-Weinstein (@RavesiWeinstein) and originally published in Tech and Learning Leader Five key challenges that all districts are facing in keeping students safe, and how to work through these issues. As school leaders, many people come to us to help solve problems and work through issues both large and small. Some of the... Continue Reading →

By: Dr. Matthew X. Joseph and Christine Ravesi-Weinstein ME.d I, Matthew X. Joseph, have worked in public education since graduating from Springfield College in 1993. For the past 15 years, I've been fortunate enough to be a school and building leader. One thing all schools have in common (besides the need to stay away from... Continue Reading →

At the beginning of March, Brett Salakus (@MRsalakas) and I decided to set a goal for each other: get healthier by going outside and walking. As educational leaders, we are often in classrooms and meetings late into the day; getting exercise is the last thing we have time for. Since we are both from different... Continue Reading →

In January 2020, Matt Holley (@LcisdMatt), the event chair for an EdTech conference held in Lubbock-Cooper ISD Texas (@lubbockcooper), was putting the finishing touches on Confluence. Confluence is an event that marries curriculum, instruction, and EdTech. Building off of the event’s previous two years of success and growth, Holley booked Carl Hooker, Brett Salakas, and... Continue Reading →

Co-Written with Christine Ravasi-Weinstein If you’re anything like us, you’re experiencing a lot of complex emotions right now.l Educators, along with everyone else in the world, are marveling at how different everything looks now compared to eight weeks ago. Big events have been canceled: March Madness, professional sports, award shows. Schools have postponed/cancelled: dances, celebrations,... Continue Reading →

Click here for a video PD to model one form of Virtual PD Districts need to create long-term virtual professional development plans to support educators and encourage the effective use of digital tools. With schools closed and remote learning becoming the norm, our teachers have gone from saying, “Please raise your hand” to “Click the... Continue Reading →

COVID- 19 has put the world of education on hold for the foreseeable future. For students and educators to go from the everyday consistency and routine of school to a complete shutdown for multiple weeks, is an unknown path. The health and safety of our students, staff, and general public are paramount right now, however,... Continue Reading →

Smarter job search strategies are required to get a teaching job. Especially during a time where interviews will be all online. Standing out during this time is a challenge, but one you can overcome with support.  Finding a teaching job in today's market is not easy; many public schools have gotten quite competitive. This doesn't... Continue Reading →

Schools across the nation continue to stay closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Everyday districts are working to make plans for teachers and students to continue to work remotely, educators are finding resources to support elearning, and state/federal officials are providing guidelines on how to handle the needs of all students. However, in the... Continue Reading →

By: Dr. Matthew X. Joseph and Christine Ravesi-Weinstein, M.Ed. On March 11, 202o, The World Health Organization declared COVID- 19 a pandemic. In just a matter of days, our worlds took an unexpected turn. Professional and collegiate athletics started being postponed for weeks, or even months. “Social distancing” became an unfamiliar, household phrase. And the... Continue Reading →

The principal goal of education is to create individuals who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done. We keep reading we have to be more “innovative” and I fully agree. However, being innovative doesn’t happen by chance. Being innovative also doesn’t mean “winging it” and seeing how it... Continue Reading →

I am co-hosting the #CultureED Twitter chat on 2/4 with Rob (@CoachRobEDU), and our focus is extracurricular activities, so I am deep in thinking about questions and the positive traits of extracurricular activities. However, it is also "Budget season" in schools, and the worst phrase in public education makes its annual appearance "What can we... Continue Reading →

As I got out of my Lyft at the Miami airport Friday, I realize I am saying goodbye to some great new connections I made. This year's FETC made a considerable impact on me. My next challenge is how to take all these connections and learning and enhance education in my district as well as... Continue Reading →

"Without leaps of imagination, we lose the excitement of possibilities." Gloria Steinem  You know how you get full of anticipation when you see a date on the calendar representing an event or receive an invite to a party, or your favorite holiday is coming? Well, when I saw the reminder about my flight to #FETC... Continue Reading →

I’ve worked in public education since graduating from Springfield College in 1993. For the past 14 years, I’ve been fortunate enough to be a school and building leader. One thing all schools have in common (besides the need to stay away from the break room around the holidays if you are on a diet) is... Continue Reading →

I was excited to offer two sessions this year at the Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference One session I was excited to talk EdTech coaching and then share resources to increase collaboration.  Below are the resources from the event Impactful EdTech Coaching Click here for the slide deck. Too often, schools launch new technology without a... Continue Reading →

This week some of our school leaders and intervention professionals held a fall data meeting. One of the discussions, besides progress or increased needs, focused on the productive struggle of learners. Productive Struggle? The idea of that intrigued me, and I wanted to dive into that thought. The first thought I had is that we... Continue Reading →

The ASCD 2019 Conference on Educational Leadership in National Harbor, Maryland, focused on resiliency in action. I was fortunate to be of the thousands of educational leaders looking to transform schools and districts to ensure students and staff achieve to their highest degree. The goals of the event were clear, and I saw them come... Continue Reading →

Today is Halloween, traditional associated with “candy day” or “where’s the treats”. This is also associated with kids (unless you get that awesome neighbor handing out “adult” Jell-O shots during a candy visit). Well, how about some “treats” for teachers. We are all looking for strategies to increase student engagement, so today I thought to... Continue Reading →

Cyber issues in schools can impact students, teachers, staff, and physical or virtual elements of schools and districts. Schools are driven by the notion of improving student learning through the tools and skills of educators. Unfortunately, cyber issues can stop learning without warning because systems are corrupted or a data breach occurs. Because Lightspeed Systems... Continue Reading →

Its that time of year - September is over, and the free candy from Trick-or-Treat has not come in yet. That means...Parent conferences. For many teachers, parent conferences are often accompanied by a sense of trepidation. This feeling of anxiety may be from past experiences where parents pushed back on any critique or from hearing... Continue Reading →

I had a fantastic time, as always, at #ACTEM19. ACTEM is the Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine, and the event holds a special place for me. Besides one of my best friends, Andy Wallace is on the ACTEM board (and always love hanging out); during my first ACTEM, I met my soon to... Continue Reading →

We ask our teachers to be “future-ready” or say that we are teaching “for jobs that don’t exist yet.” These are powerful statements. At the same time, they give teachers the impression that we have to drastically change what we are doing. So how do we plan education for an unknown job market or unknown... Continue Reading →

Start with less teacher talk and more student-centered learning Today’s students are experiential learners; they learn by discovering rather than following. They like to interact with content to explore and draw conclusions. Students enjoy taking control of their learning and putting knowledge into practice. Relevant learning increases content retention and student engagement. So how do... Continue Reading →