by John McCarthy | Feb 9, 2015 | Pedagogy, Publications
What inspired this article recently published on Edutopia (see link near the end) are the conversations I’ve had with others over recent posts that attack Differentiated Instruction as something either too difficult to do or simply not worth trying. See my...
by Kimberly Hurd | Jan 26, 2015 | Differentiated Instruction, strategies
I recently wrote an article for Edutopia, 50+ Tools for Differentiating Instruction Through Social Media. I asked readers to share more online tools that could support learners through differentiation. I would add these to the 50+ list. Kimberly Hurd offered three...
by John McCarthy | Jan 19, 2015 | Pedagogy
There is much meeting for this day, that represents a way of life and action year round. Starting with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. here are words from him and others to reflect on and consider. There are videos of MLK speeches at the end of this post. Consider...
by John McCarthy | Jan 8, 2015 | Pedagogy
How do I meet the needs of my students when their skill levels are across the board? Some variation of this question consistently comes up when I coach educators on curriculum implementation such as Project Based Learning or writing strategies. Educators want and need...
by John McCarthy | Jan 3, 2015 | Pedagogy
As we launch ourselves into a new year, which is really the middle of the current school year, here are some resources that helps to grow a PLN. The work of teaching is on-going, and a big part of it is deepening our own learning. Here are some places that can open...
by John McCarthy | Dec 15, 2014 | authenticity, PBL, Pedagogy
A good Project-Based Learning unit experience provides students with an opportunity to make an impact on a community, person, or organization. It’s real–goes beyond the world known as “school.” While this idea has resonance for many educators it’s often felt as...
by John McCarthy | Nov 30, 2014 | Pedagogy
Throughout my career I’ve been blessed with people who’ve taken me under their wing to guide, advise, and develop. The experiences are eye-opening and humbling. I’m constantly reminded that, to paraphrase Socrates, there is much that I don’t...
by John McCarthy | Oct 27, 2014 | Differentiated Instruction, Pedagogy, strategies, Writing
In a previous series of posts I wrote about RAFTs, a powerful strategy that engages students into writing, a means to coach students to improve writing, and an approach that when differentiated helps students at varying skills to success at a respectful pace. By...
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 | Sep 15, 2014 | Culture, Education is like Yoga, Pedagogy
This post was a long time coming. The quote that starts this post was packed with so much meaning for me regarding the needs of students. I needed time to reflect on what path to take with it. That, and I was in the midst of a 6 part series on Differentiated...
