Collection
Assessment & Reflection
Standards-based grading, metacognition, and making thinking visible.
Grounding AI in Their Own Handwriting
A metacognitive end-of-year chemistry portfolio built with NotebookLM and Gemini, where the AI can only synthesize what the student actually learned.
Teaching in the Time of COVID: A High School Teacher's Rules for Effective Quarantine Teaching
During the time of 100% distance learning I gathered my thoughts together and produced the below book for my colleagues at my school site titled 'Teaching in the Time of COVID: A High School...
Distance Learning Lesson Planning Checklist (Catalyzed by Back to School Night reflection)
Discussion of need to infuse authenticity into lesson plans despite need for structure in distance learning setting.
Simple Metacognitive Assessment Hack During Distance Learning
Using meta-reflections to authentic, meaningful responses to assessment questions during distance learning.
Assessment and Online Teaching
Reflections on assessment in the online teaching and learning environment.
3 Things I'm Proud of This Week: Explosive Disposal. A Few Good Men
Explosive Disposal
Student Portfolios Using Google Sheets
Written during the first week of school about my excitement as I embarked on a paradigm shift in how I, and my students, think about, and record work.
Google Slides for 'Lab Reports' (update)
Google Slides for 'Lab Reports' (update) | written in the past about using Google Slides as a lab reporting tool in my courses. Cycles of Learning.
The never-ending quest for a simplified SBG system
Ever since I read amazing physics instructor Frank Noschese's writngs on Standards Based Grading (SBG), I have been obsessed with figuring out a system that works for me.
10 Rules for New Teachers: S**T I Wish Somebody Told Me
In no particular order. I want to to turn this into an expanded eBook. Feedback to me is welcome . Your can also share your advice here .
New Grading Experiment: Student Tracking for Enhanced Metacognition
New Grading Experiment: Student Tracking for Enhanced Metacognition | Philosophically, I appreciate the debate over grading in schools. Cyales of Learning.
Google Slides Lab Report: A Simple, Tangible, Reasonable Solution
Google Slides Lab| I have written in the past about my transition from formal lab reporting to the use of Google Slides as a student form of reporting lab work.
10 New Teaching Ideas That Surface Over Thanksgiving Break!
I am obsessed with the craft of teaching. I think about it constantly. Thus, in addition to the incredible time with family ands friends that the Thanksgiving offers
5 Levels of Difficulty Videos: Alternative Assessment Inspiration
CYCLES OF LEARNING
The Pedagogy of Urgency
I began teaching in August of 2000. This year marks my 19th year in the classroom. When 24-year-old me stumbled into room 206 at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in downtown San Francisco, hired to.
How to 'ClassSource” a Simple, Meaningful, and USEFUL Review Document
Before every major assessment I like to facilitate review activities in class. That being said, I can only handle the Kahoot theme song so much Cycles of Learning
John Sweller on Motivation (Founder of Cognitive Load Theory)
'Cognitive Load Theory works on the assumption that the students are fully engaged and fully motivated... Cognitive Load Theory has nothing to say about students staring out the windows and not...
5 Levels, QFT, Student EdCamps
Ed Camps, QFT, Inquiry, Video
Structure for Authentic Reading in My Biology Class.
Biology, Literacy, Google Docs, Spreadsheet, Reading, Medicine.
Robotics Showcase 2017! (Why taking risks is legit)
Robotis, Social Justice, Service
The Life-Saving Benefits of Being Curious! (warning: serious TMI).
In her lecture, The Hungry Mind: Origins of Curiosity, Susan Engel beautifully explains the benefits of curiosity not only on student motivation, but learning.
I Want to Do More Action Research...
Research, Action, Reflection
5 Videos That Remind Me of the Teacher I Want to Be
videos, inspiration, teacher, reflection, TED.
Google, Document, Curation, Creation, Textbook
Student Created and Curated Textbook
5 Simple Changes for This School Year
Students came back this Monday! Although this year marks 17 years in the classroom, one my favorite aspects of the teaching vocation is the feeling of renewal. Invention. Reinvention. Doing this...
Phase 3 = An Obligation to Share! (...and other forms of ignoring the Imposter Complex)
When I reflect back on the last 16 year of teaching, I see three distinct phases: Phase 1: Love Phase 2: Oblivion Phase 3: Awareness Phase 1 was crucial. I fell in love with the profession...
TEDxYouth@SHC 2016
In May of 2013 I was asked to speak on TED's first ever TV special, TED Talks Education , As a full-time classroom science teacher, I am confident that any number of my current colleagues at Sacred..
The Homework Debate: One Teacher's Perspective
I normally only post nerdy ideas regarding chemistry teaching, tech hacks, and a myriad of other random things related to STEM education. However, after reading the recent debates regarding the...
Student Blogging
Experimenting this year with very organized student blogging. With respect to assessment, at the conclusion of every learning cycle students take a quiz.
'Hero's Journey' Learning Cycle Template (2015-2016 School Year)
For the past two years I have been leveraging the ' Explore-Flip-Apply ' learning cycle framework in my chemistry class. I love this framework as it simultaneously merges two important facets of...
Hacking the GradeBook Comment
Spring semester grades are due tomorrow. Along with a grade (A,B,C,D,F) we must provide a 'comment' for each student. Comments provide students and parents with some qualitative information regarding.
Next Year Changes
This is about the time in every school year that I realize all the things that I did wrong. All the things that I want to change. In the past I would start implementing those changes now in April,...
Open Letter to My Students on Grading
Just sent this message to my students via a Schoology update the night before quarter 3 grades come out. I am not normally this agro about assessment, but my fingers just couldn't stop writing. I...
My EDU Playlist
CYCLES OF LEARNING
My Three Projects
Inspired by Austin Kleon's Show Your Work and Daedelaus Howell's Story Lab I have added a new tab to cycelsoflearning.com called Projects:
Direct Measurement of Curiosity using the Mindwave Mobile
CYCLES OF LEARNING
Pre-Training
Yesterday I gave a short presentation at the I nverted Classroom Conference for a group of teachers in Marburg Germany. In the presentation, I argued that the Pre-Training Effect is maximized...
SBG Beginnings
This year I am committed to fully transitioning into a Standards Based Grading (SBG) system in my AP Chemistry class. In order to merge the process with the inquiry cycle described below...