Sharing Real-World Projects Sharpens the Literacy Skills of Connected Students

When students are connected, all learning has the potential for being language intense and leveraged to build literacy skills, writes STEM coach Brian Crosby. Opportunities arise that motivate your students to interact at a high level and require them to be articulate to be understood. Add constructivist learning activities around STEM and Maker projects and watch the literacy skills grow.

Going Deep: STEM in the Connected Classroom

Blending STEM with “connected classroom” strategies is a powerful learning model, says STEM teaching coach Brian Crosby – provided innovative thinking, teacher autonomy and flexible scheduling are present. These essential components of “going deep” with teaching and learning have been eroded away in the last decade, he says, and will have to be revived.

My Voice for Change: Muted, But Not Silenced

After years of having a consistent online presence, I’m continuing to come to terms with my lack of blogging and other writing/sharing in the school year just past. But I think I can say that my muted voice is in part the result of a ever-increasing focus on the all-important high stakes tests, and the strict curriculum controls and direct-instruction mandates that have grown up around the national “accountability” movement.

Want Innovation? Put Teachers & Students in Charge of Learning

“If we give teachers the responsibility, the time and most importantly the autonomy to design, implement, evaluate, tweak and improve their pedagogy and curriculum, that is when we will really see innovation happen,” says 30-year veteran and Web 2.0 leader Brian Crosby. “Teachers won’t long put up with colleagues who are not pulling their weight. And others will blossom when given quality, ongoing training and support in what they do.”