A Writerly Life: Wisdom from Aldous Huxley
May 23
May 18
From the Classroom: Everyone Needs a North Star
by Brian Kelley
Over 5000 years ago, the Phoenicians discovered that Polaris, or the Polar Star, is positioned so that the entire Northern sky revolves around it. A reliable piece of data, the Phoenicians guarded this secret as long as they could and dominated sea navigation. While most ships and trade routes hugged coastlines, the Phoenicians ventured further into regions no one else dared.
Polaris, or what we know today as the North Star, inspired confidence. And that confidence and knowledge encouraged the Phoenicians to be risk-takers on the sea.
This scenario strikes me a bit like education. Read more
May 11
Tools of the Trade: Multimedia Posters and Charts
By Rita Sorrentino
Tools of the Trade: Multimedia Posters and Charts
Pick a letter from A to Z. Did you say C? Right. The letter C gives us many avenues for brainstorming the benefits of infusing technology into our teaching and learning environment: curiosity, connectivity, creativity, choice, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration. Good start. Oh, did someone just mention chaos and control? Yes, technology can usher in a less-orderly classroom as the focus shifts from teacher-centered to student-centered activities with a wide range of information sources, productivity tools, and personalized on-demand learning.
There is a lot to consider when making decisions to transform teaching and learning with technology that encourages students to ask questions and find problems in need of solutions. With the colossal amount of information available today, our students still need strategies to guide their learning, skills to evaluate sources of information and choices to demonstrate how to construct and curate their digital products. Pedagogy still matters as we strive to successfully infuse technology into our teaching and learning environments. Read more
Author’s Corner: Frank Murphy
A Look at Process
I am often asked what my writing process looks like. At author visits, sitting on author panels, counseling an aspiring writer – this question about process always pops up. I think a good description of my professional writing experience (or process) is to say that it involves many “worlds”. Throughout the writing of a book, these “worlds” include: reading and imagining, note-taking and highlighting, Internet surfing and bookstore visits, traveling to historic sites (where I ask lots of questions and listen!). It may also include “worlds” that involve watching movies, documentaries, or even relevant TV shows. For me, all of these “worlds” expand and diminish and expand again as the process of creating a book develops (and even after I’m finished!). Some I visit for a few hours. Some I immerse myself into for days. Some of these little ‘worlds” are like a convenience store, in (I get my stuff) and out, quickly (onto the next stop). Read more
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