by John McCarthy | Oct 18, 2014 | curiculum, Differentiated Instruction, Driving_Question, Game-Based Learning, PBL, Pedagogy, Writing
Game ON – How kids want to learn by John McCarthy, Ed.S. This past spring my two teenagers got me involved in playing Clash of Clans. It’s a game played on smart phones and tablets. It’s free, which is a major criteria for my cost-conscious kids,...
by John McCarthy | Mar 13, 2014 | curiculum, PBL, Voice
This post is a companion to a Presentation (handout) at MACUL 2014 by @jmccarthyeds. You can find dialog from that session on Twitter at #OPATHS or go to tagboard.com/opaths/ How can we support constructivist learning in Common Core Environments? Last year at Ardis...
by John McCarthy | Nov 25, 2013 | Concepts, curiculum, Driving_Question, PBL, strategies
Driving Questions Basics Have you ever attended a meeting where the outcome was unclear? You knew or hoped that by the end of the meeting some result would be achieved that would validate the time spent being there. This reminds me of the movie, Karate Kid, the 1980s...
by John McCarthy | Jul 5, 2013 | curiculum, Differentiated Instruction, PBL, strategies, Writing
The Window activity was taught to me by Sally Jessup, my close friend and colleague. She had a gift for recognizing in others a capacity that they did not always see in themselves. The Window activity, as she designed it, is a powerful tool for inspiring writing in...
by John McCarthy | Jun 3, 2013 | curiculum, Differentiated Instruction, PBL
I love watching the show, “So you think you can dance.” A show about “amateur” (emphasis on the air quotes) dancers who perform on a televised stage in the hopes of either winning or staying in the competition long enough to get noticed. When...
by John McCarthy | May 27, 2013 | curiculum, PBL
Bivouac Of The Dead by Theodore O’Hara THE MUFFLED drum’s sad roll has beat The soldier’s last tattoo; No more on Life’s parade shall meet That brave and fallen few. On Fame’s eternal camping-ground Their silent tents are spread, And...
