Author Archive: kinden
Adapting, not adopting
I appreciate this description by Noah Finklestein of why it is important to tailor good ideas to meet the needs of a community. It creates ownership and is more likely to succeed because it is shaped by the people who know the students and their needs.
Teach less, teach more, do both
As usual, the twitterverse led me to various places of discovery and thought in the field of education this weekend. On the one hand, I was exhorted by Grant Wiggins to back off, to teach less, in order to give students the autonomy they need to apply what we have taught them. Then again, E.D. …
Voices Visible: BCTELA’s writing contest for students
Looking for an authentic writing experience for your students? Here is the information on the BCTELA contest: I was unable to upload these documents onto the BCTELA website this morning, so I am temporarily linking them here so we can get the contest going: 2012-2013 Voices Visible Rules and entry form - REVISED! BCTELA WRITING-CONTEST-Secondary PDF BCTELA …
Audio book as an art form
I have been sitting and staring at a blank page, and toggling back to Twitter, Facebook, and BBC news for the past thirty minutes. Let’s be honest; I have repeated this useless process several times in the last couple of months. I have been somewhat distracted by… work. I know I have a lot to …
Authentic Writing – YWP and NaNo
It’s been a while since I took the time to write. I have been swamped since I decided to take the NaNoWriMo challenge with a few of my Grade 8s. Our school recently switched to a linear Humanities in Grade 8. Because I get the students all year for English and Social Studies, I …
Options for discussion
Here are the links I have received so far for discussion today: Assembly of First Nations AGM 2010, Murray Sinclair and the Truth and Reconciliation commission speech. Problem Finders Mind Up
Lem Sissay, a child of the state
via @chrysalis57
Stealing this, with gratitude
If you read my final blog post of the last year, you will know that I am struggling with assessment, and how assessment can shape learning. I want assessment to be for learning, not of learning. I ran into this blog this morning, and loved the description of ass-ass method of teaching writing. The rest …
Quick, find some numbers!
I glanced at next week’s calendar and was shocked to realize my interims for the first four weeks are due on Wednesday, by 8:30. It’s too soon, but there it is on the calendar. When I read the date, I had this frisson of panic. Did I have anything to report? Numbers, I thought. How …
A Poem to Share at BCTELA
I love this! I have used this at the Grade 11 level. You Can’t Write a Poem About McDonald’s Ronald Wallace (b. 1945) Noon. Hunger the only thing singing in my belly. I walk through the blossoming cherry trees on the library mall, past the young couples coupling, by the crazy fanatic screaming doom and …
