John McCarthy

Educator and life long learner. Exploring the many ways to advocate for student voice in their learning career. Passions: my family, writing, teaching, and gaming. Blog: www.openingpaths.org Blog: www.deadwoodwriters.org

Most commented posts

  1. Rebutting Misconceptions about Differentiated Instruction — 7 comments
  2. Inspiring the Writer in everyone — 7 comments
  3. Learning Preferences Cards — 5 comments
  4. Student Learning Preferences Quick Surveys — 4 comments
  5. Education is like Yoga III: Starting School Right — 3 comments

Author's posts

Aug 15

Different ways to be a Teacher Leader to your peers

Being a teacher leader is acknowledgement of your skills, experiences, and expertise in the classroom and your ability to work with your peers. This leadership role is no easy task. Peers do not respond as easily or in the same ways as the students who we teach. Effecting and nurturing systemic culture change take time …

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Aug 14

Caravan of Knowledge – STEM through PBL

Welcome to Caravan of Knowledge! This special event occurs in Kazakhstan to support innovative practices in teaching and learning. Through this event, teachers from all over Kazakhstan are exploring and planning ways to implement powerful practices that bring alive STEM and Project Based Learning experiences so that students build agency skills and take the lead …

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Aug 14

Understanding the Six Elements for Planning a PBL Framework

By John McCarthy – Twitter: @JMcCarthyEdS – www.openingpaths.org Download: PDF version Project Based Learning is a vehicle for powerful authentic learning experiences. With many structures available to use the application of quality PBL can sometimes be confusing as to how to ensure our practices lead to the intended outcomes: Student academic achievement and agency of …

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Aug 03

Empower Student Voice through Collaboration and Communication

When my son was a 9th grader, he was on a team with a student who struggled with completing tasks. After a week, my son shared the team’s frustrations, as they felt helpless to convince the student to move past excuses and make attempts at the work. Fortunately, the teaching staff trained students on a …

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Jun 21

“Why should I care?” – Learning with a Purpose using Authentic Learning Experiences

“Why should I care?” This is the question that educators must address, as the answers can determine the level of engagement by students for curriculum experiences. The best answers are not explanations but learning experiences that are authentic to the learners’ world beyond the classroom. In Michigan, 1st and 2nd graders design and maintain a …

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Jan 04

Making Differentiation Productive: A Planning Guide

Differentiation can be challenging and fruitful if done with planful intention. Below is a guide for bring forth more success in your work to meet the needs of ALL learners by ensuring that learning experiences have these elements or components. Post or tweet your questions or ideas to @JMcCarthyEdS Core Steps for Planning Differentiation List …

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Oct 16

Student Voice: Making Learning Happen

by John McCarthy, EdS – Follow on Twitter When it comes to learning, involving the learner is important. Reflect on how you learn best. Having a say so as to align or customize the experiences is something that most of us prefer. Why would our students feel any different. These resources below are part of …

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Sep 05

Learning Supported by Digital Tools: MOCA

Using technology to support instruction continues to be a challenge that is tackled by schools and classrooms everywhere. How do we ensure that the focus is on the student learning, and not on the digital tool? One answer is to begin with the “Learning” and find the tools that support that outcome. Learning through Technology …

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Mar 22

Empowering Students with Strong Collaboration Skills

What really is Collaboration? Collaboration is an important 21st Century skill that is of critical need for our students as the future participants of industry, entrepreneurial opportunities, education, and government. Collaboration is a valuable commodity that in its appearance seems more art than science, when the opposite is just as true. Here are three definitions …

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Jan 24

PBL Resources to Build and Sharpen Practice

I was asked recently for some recommendations for books and articles to read about Project Based Learning. Sharing the list, I thought it would be beneficial to share the same list to everyone. This is not an exhaustive list. The intent is to provide one to give a range of access from those just starting …

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