In an effort to boost achievement and better prepare students for the workforce, President Obama is spearheading a program that will bring high-speed Internet access to 99 percent of America's K-12 schools.
Dubbed ConnectED, the program aims to accomplish its goal in the next five years. In addition to bringing Internet speeds of at least 100 Mbps and as high as 1Gbps, the program will provide comprehensive training to teachers so that they are up-to-speed on best practices for using the Web in class.
A particular focus of ConnectED will be rural schools that have difficulty accessing the Internet. In a statement, Obama was clear that getting students connected and teachers trained is a priority. "We are living in a digital age, and to help our students get ahead, we must make sure they have access to cutting-edge technology," he said. "So today, I'm issuing a new challenge for America -- one that families, businesses, school districts and the federal government can rally around together -- to connect virtually every student in America's classrooms to high-speed broadband Internet within five years, and equip them with the tools to make the most of it."
One of the best strategies I have learned came from my first mentor, famed teacher Rafe Esquith. He said to find ways to bring your own interests and passions into the classroom and somehow connect them to the curriculum. For example, if you love cooking, find a way to cook with your students.
This simple approach has several benefits: first, you enjoy teaching more, as you are teaching topics you love and find fascinating, not just what you are mandated to teach. Second, your...
Beginning in their college preparation years, teachers begin to learn all sorts of strategies for the classroom. They are asked to consider their beliefs and philosophy of classroom management, instruction, assessment, community building, and parental involvement. As this occurs, teachers naturally begin to select methods of teaching, ones that resonate with them, ones that are pushed by the school district and schools, ones they read about, or ones used by teachers in neighboring classrooms...
Author note: The following is a series of blogs featuring excerpts and concepts from my upcoming book, tentatively titled: The Awakened Supervisor: Embedding Mindfulness-based Practices in Instructional Supervision (Rowman & Littlefield).
Teachers are well-known for giving so much of themselves to students and others—perhaps too much at times. Burnout rates are high within the teaching profession, and it’s no wonder given the nature of the job. Educators teach and give...
Note: The following is an excerpt from my upcoming book, tentatively titled: The Awakened Supervisor: Embedding Mindfulness-based Practices in Instructional Supervision (Rowman & Littlefield). Please share this blog with educators, including principals, mentor teachers, and university faculty involved with preparing teachers.
Instructional supervision is behind the curve when it comes to exploring how...

“Our students earn 3 college credits while developing content that is used in the broadcast.” – Kris Hupp
National award-winning educator, Kris Hupp, the current Director of Technology & Instructional Innovation at the Cornell School District in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, believes students need...