Whimsy
Why Connecting Globally Takes Learning To Another Level
An ordinary project. Kids design something. Kids reflect on their designs. Kids share with other kids in their classroom. These are the types of learning that are normal in today’s classrooms. What could take it to another level?
Connecting globally.
Design something. Reflect. Share it with a kid in another classroom, another city, another state, another country.
Why? Because people matter. Cultural differences matter. Embracing the uniqueness of who we are means truly appreciating the differences and similarities we see in ourselves and others.
Students were building leprechaun traps. A fun (okay…SUPER fun) project to try to catch some magic in March.
Connecting globally? Now they can share their traps through their writing on their blogs, by sharing in a Google Slide, through the photos they’ve taken with their ipads, and even through a Google Hangout or Skype. It’s those brief moments of connecting that make the project about sharing, learning, and growing.
Because when the world is your audience, your mission to learn becomes about something bigger than yourself. It’s no longer just about catching a leprechaun. It’s about joining in the spirit of learning with your friends around the world. Building your ability to think, connect, and grow as a global learner.
And that’s just about as magical as it gets.
Interested in joining in the fun? Click HERE to read more and sign your class up. Do the project in your own school or classroom, however it works for you. Most of all? Connect your learners with others and share the learning. 
Let’s Not Make Failure a Buzz Word
I don’t think we need to cover our classroom walls in words like FAIL and FAILURE. We don’t need to turn the word “FAIL” into some sort of trendy buzz word. Instead? I think we need to celebrate the recovery phase. That moment when a learner has a choice to give up or get up. Because when they get up? Grit. Resilience. Digging deep to do things different. Rework. Redo. Rethink. Rising up.
That’s where the learning is.
Edited to add: And age doesn’t matter… whether you are 2 or 80, it still applies. Rise up.
The Makron… Because a Maker Needs an Apron
Just about every day in the classroom I’m searching for something. My scissors, my black sharpie (the one with the sharp point, NOT the one I share), my super sharp Exacto knife is always across the room in my office, for safety, and I’m scrambling for a Post-it to jot down an idea or give to someone else. Last week after a particularly busy afternoon of making, I realized if I just had pants with more pockets, I’d be set. That’s when I realized, I needed an apron. But not just any apron, one with pockets of all sizes and shapes to hold the tools I use all day long, and even a special pocket for my cell phone, because I need it handy to take photos, tweet, grab a video of a student’s progress. I wanted to make a maker’s apron… a makron!
DISCLAIMER: My sewing skills are basically what I learned in 7th grade home economics. I don’t know the names of stitches, nor did I even use a consistent color of thread through this whole project. 3/4 yard of denim, 1/2 yard of flannel to line the back, 1 roll of grossgrain ribbon, and some green fringe. The fringe has no official purpose other than I felt my iphone needed a fancy pocket. But all of my stuff will be handy this week and that’s what matters most.
Not Tossing Fish
