The education technology industry is one of the most quickly growing industries in the United States. Billions of dollars are spent annually by tech juggernauts such as Pearson, Kaplan, and Apollo Group as they develop Learning Management Systems (LMSs), mobile apps, tutoring services, online course offerings, and digital textbooks. In terms of sheer dollar amounts […]
Mike Dunn
Mike currently serves as the Director of College Counseling and Upper School History teacher at a small independent school outside of Philadelphia. He teaches courses in interest/career exploration, college essay writing, college admissions fundamentals, and World History. He is also the Principal Consultant for Mike Dunn Educational Consulting.
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Middle School, Social Studies
Critical Thinking, Morality, and 'Middle Passage'
The issue of slavery is a deeply rooted social foundation that has been toiled with for generations. Educators, particularly those teaching high school, are charged with helping their students understand how the existence of such a morally reprehensible institution was even possible. As adolescents, these young students struggle developmentally to decompartmentalize a happening such as […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Elementary School
Letter From A Teacher On MLK Day
My Dear Fellow Colleagues, Critics, Politicians, and Aspiring Professionals: While I am happily undertaking the responsibilities of influencing the lives of young people, I have come across many comments, news articles, blog entries, and other choice pieces of that my choice of profession are “unwise and untimely.” While all of these pieces are of serious […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Reconsidering Columbus: A Day Worthy of an Alternative
For decades, students in elementary school classes have admired portraits and sang songs telling the tale of America’s hero, Christopher Columbus. In his well-documented 1492 journey, Columbus — en route to India — stumbled upon what would become the Americas; Hispaniola to be exact. The rest of his journey is…history. Somewhere in the depths of […]
Posted inNew Teacher Bootcamp
September Madness: 5 Thoughts For Young Teachers
Every March I fill out my bracket with hopes that the beloved Tom Izzo will take my Alma Mater’s Spartan hoop-squad to the final four for a shot at the NCAA Championship. Some part of me is hoping for the reincarnation of Mateen Cleaves to appear on the floor and usher the Spartans to the […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Social Studies
Vampires, Honest Abe, and the Future of History Instruction
America loves its heroes. From the earliest inspirational days of explorers sailing the ocean blue and “discovering” an unruly wilderness that would become the United States, to Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders, to the canonization of Steve Jobs (notably by Ashton Kutcher is this film). Without a doubt, many of these heroes deserve their limelight. […]
Posted inBook Review, Uncategorized
Must Reads For The Ed Reform Advocate #1: Test and Punish – A Book Review
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] Test and Punish: How The Texas Education Model Gave America Accountability Without Equity Author: John Kuhn Publisher: Park Place Publications, Austin, TX I first encountered John Kuhn’s name about a year […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Technology
10 Pieces Of Technology That Changed My Teaching Practice And Others That Didn’t
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] It is no mystery that the education world is saturated with technology. There are tools for everything from administering quizzes, to “flipping” the classroom, to facilitating collaboration, to monitoring student productivity. […]