“No unread messages in conversations or conferences” It was the message, all those years ago, in the world of dialup and text conferencing, that told you it was time to log off and go do something else. “There’s nothing to see here. You’ve already read everything.” There’s no email to read. There are no new posts in the online communities. You’re at the end. No … Continue reading No Unread Messages
Where is the school? The school that empowers our children to create the better world that we have decided to eschew?The school that fosters curious, lifelong learners?The school that invites skepticism and expects students to point out inconsistencies between the things we say and the things we do?The school that embraces Christian values, and Muslim values, and Hindu values, and Jewish values: that taking care … Continue reading Where is the School?
“Has your district implemented any AI literacy materials for staff and/or students?” It’s a reasonable question. I was in a virtual meeting with about 60 other educators earlier this week. We were talking about artificial intelligence, and how schools are working to embrace it, manage it, leverage it, govern it. It’s a working group. We’re trying to figure things out. There are no right answers. … Continue reading AI Literacy
I took an online graduate level course last month. The course was called “AI and Society: Redefining Learning, Work, & Human Potential” and it was offered through an accreddited instution of higher learning. I earned three semester workshop hours, which means that I can use those hours to renew my professional license. If I were a teacher, I could also use those hours for salary … Continue reading Where Credit is Due
I’ve played the guitar for 30 years. Unless you’re family or a very close friend, you haven’t heard me play. That’s probably for the best. I know the chords. I understand quite a bit of music theory. I can strum some cowboy chords and sing a passable melody most of the time. But I’m not a contender for a Grammy award or anything. I don’t … Continue reading Audience
It’s not easy having the same name as your dad. To be honest, the Schinkers are not known for their creativity in naming the boys. I’m John, and my brother is George. Our father is John, and he had a brother named George. Their father was George, and he had a brother named John. Their father was George, and he had a brother named… Michael. … Continue reading Dad
It’s been a tough year for education. There’s a tremendous amount of uncertainty. We’re seeing abrupt changes to practices and policies. Many of those appear to be rooted in fear or political priorities. Others seem to focus on discrediting educators and pushing the narrative that public schools are inept or ineffective. There are constant attacks on funding sources, and increased measures to funnel public dollars … Continue reading The Most Important Thing
In 1997, the Dickey Amendment was inserted into an appropriations bill. It prohibited the use of funds by the Centers for Disease Control to “advocate or promote gun control.” It was paired with a $2.6 million budget cut to the CDC: the exact amount used by that agency for firearm research the year before. The implication was clear: the CDC needs to stay away from … Continue reading Who Tells Your Story?
Fifteen years ago, I mentioned that my school district was receiving 20,000 email messages per day. That was four times the email volume that we had seen five years prior. At the time, we were switching to Google for email, and we were planning to provide email accounts to students for the first time. That kind of growth is impressive, but it’s not unusual. Nearly … Continue reading The Speeding Up is Slowing Down
If you read this post on the web, you’ll see an “Archives” section in the sidebar, where you can select any month and see the posts that I made that month. If you look closely, you’ll see that I’ve now posted at least once a month for 62 consecutive months. That’s been my goal for years, and I try really hard to have something worthwhile … Continue reading Streaking
They’re worried about our kids. They’re worried that we’re teaching them that some kids don’t have one Mommy and one Daddy. Some have two Mommies, or no Mommies. They’re worried that we’re teaching them that some people don’t feel safe at home, or don’t have enough to eat, or don’t have a warm place to sleep. And knowing that might make them ask questions about … Continue reading Worried
Last month, the Beatles won a Grammy award for best rock performance for their song, “Now and Then.” They had also been nominated for record of the year for the same song. The Beatles last performed together on August 29, 1966, and last recorded together on August 20, 1969. This “new” song is built on a demo recorded by John Lennon in 1977, with some … Continue reading Complacent Innovation
Taste of Tech 