Recent articles
Better (and easy) ways to connect to parents
09/23/2015
Topics: Parent engagement, Tools
You hear it all the time: Kids are often more tech-savvy than their teachers. And these days, it’s not uncommon for their parents to be just as comfortable using new communications technologies. That’s why, if you want to stay connected with your extended classroom family, it’s…
Should we limit kids' screen time? No
07/21/2015
Topics: 1:1, BYOD, Digital Citizenship, Mobile learning, Online learning, Parent engagement
I'm a mom of two and an educator. And I have to admit something right here, right now: I get bored easily when playing with my kids.
I try to engage with the little ponies, the fairies and the Tonka trucks, and for a while, it all works out. Give me 20 minutes and I am super…
Should we limit kids' screen time? Yes
07/21/2015
Topics: 1:1, Digital Citizenship, Mobile learning, Online learning, Parent engagement
We should limit children’s screen time but do so in a thoughtful, rather than reactive, way. The "right" amount of screen time can fall anywhere on a spectrum, depending on a number of factors, including the purpose and use of technology as well as the child's ability to use it in a mindful and…
Technology and balance in an all-or-nothing world
10/17/2014
Topics: Parent engagement
We seem to be living in an all-or-nothing, black-and-white world without any acknowledgment that there can be a middle ground. Our attitudes toward technology and our children are hardening into these types of fixed mindsets, as shown by writers like Amy Graff who suggest that, since people…
Should schools monitor students' social media posts? Yes
06/09/2014
Topics: 1:1, Advocacy, BYOD, Digital Citizenship, Education leadership, Learning spaces, Mobile learning, Parent engagement
To allow students to set their own norms in a social world without modeling or guidance is to condemn them to a virtual Lord of the Flies situation, then cry out in frustration when they end up making bad choices. The adult members of the school community have a responsibility to…