Welcome to my blog

If you're reading this blog, you are quite likely in Lamar University's Graduate School of Education. And probably taking EDLD 5301 Research. So welcome colleagues! I look forward to collaborating with you over the next year as we journey toward a life goal.

Why Should Educators Blog?

I have to admit that I only recently committed to making blogging a part of my life routine. I decided to engage in blogging mostly for the opportunity it provides for thinking logically and communicating my personal thoughts, ideas and philosophy. It's reflective, cathartic and, at times, crucial to developing understanding. Educators who blog interject themselves into a larger, connected world and open themselves to scrutiny and criticism. And by doing so, exponentially increase their opportunities for learning from other people as passionate about their thoughts, ideas and philosophy. Blogging creates a forum for this dialog. An important dialog that allows educators to connect with the world. Educators need to blog because collaboration, not isolation, is the future of education.

Brief Biography

Next school year will be my 11th year teaching after a mid-life career change. In early 2002, I felt a calling to do something meaningful with my life and went back to school for a teaching credential in California. After finishing that program, I taught first grade at a very progressive private school that, I now realize, was on the cutting edge of infusing technology in the classroom. Since that time I have been interested in how technology can positively affect how students learn and teachers teach. I now live in Northwest Arkansas with my extremely supportive wife and two children. I taught 2nd grade in public school for the past 5 years and will move to 3rd grade next year.

iPads in Elementary Classrooms

Two years ago I convinced a friend of mine to donate 4 iPads to my classroom during a camping trip. I made the case for the devices based on the need to reduce my class size. Basically, to keep 20% of the class busy. The devices quickly caused me to transform my ideas of teaching and learning. Last year, I was awarded a grant for a classroom set of iPads and became one of only 4 one-to-one elementary classrooms in my district with 10 elementary schools. My goal was to make the device as ubiquitous as a pencil.

My passion is creating entrepreneurial learning environments for elementary-aged students. I believe waiting until junior high or high school to incorporated problem-based learning and 21st Century skills is too late. By then standardized testing and the attendant pedagogy has sucked the creativity out of learners. I am a huge proponent of genius hour/20% time as a way for learners to practice "soft skills" and take ownership of their learning. I'm looking forward to developing an action research project to study how technology can be used  for academic intervention.