I teach 5th and 6th grade STEM in the lovely Pacific Northwest in a small, rural town called Chimacum. My goal is to help students discover that all learning is life-long and that 21st century tools can be used for work as well as fun.
Nov 12
In addition to teaching Math and Science to two classes of 5th and 6th graders, I also get to teach a writing course on Mondays and Fridays for 50 minutes each day. My teaching partner and I are both teaching a writing course focusing on different media. She’s focusing her course on getting students ready …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2023/11/12/kids-under-13-using-ai-for-writing/
Nov 12
I teach 5th and 6th grade Math and Science in an elementary school. My teaching partner and I have two classes one class with 22 6th graders and the other class with 23 students, 13 5th graders and 10 6th graders. My partner teaches both classes ELA and Social Studies while I see both classes …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2023/11/12/ai-policy-in-a-5th-and-6th-grade-classroom/
Nov 11
It seems as though every time I found another useful EdTech tool that really engaged kids, I had to share it with teachers at my school and even all the teachers in my district. I finally decided to put a list together of the tools I am recommending for teachers and students. The list is …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2023/11/11/edtech-tool-recommendations/
Nov 11
I came across this service, HeyGen, and I just had to try it. This video is all avatar and NOT me! I typed the script being read by a HeyGen voice so it’s not my voice though that avatar does a good job of being ME! You could also record yourself speaking and then it’s …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2023/11/11/a-video-of-me-without-me/
Sep 17
It’s my 33rd year teaching and the first two weeks are in the books! The first two weeks of my 33rd year were excellent and I not only enjoyed them but they filled me with excitement for this school year! I get to teach both Math and Science again this year. The last time I …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2023/09/17/another-great-start/
Aug 29
I put together a few resources to help educators get started with some AI tools that I’ve tried out this summer that also are vetted by other educators. I’ve been reading what other teachers are doing on X (formerly Twitter) and I’ve joined a few Facebook groups for some of the tools I’ve been hearing …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2023/08/29/ai-for-educators-how-to-get-started/
Jul 10
It’s safe to say that I’ve been obsessed with AI this summer. Going into my fifth week of summer break when I’m not out hiking or eating with my wife or hanging out with our daughter and her boyfriend I’ve been reading and taking online courses. While not all my summer learning has been AI …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2023/07/10/summer-learning-dominated-by-ai/
Jun 26
I received my first grant for $500 in 1992, my second year teaching, to connect my South Central Los Angeles 5th graders from Main Street Elementary to the Internet and to use my AOL account to share and exchange video footage of my students with a school in Vassalboro, Maine. I received a $3,000 grant …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2023/06/26/the-end-of-a-24-year-grant-streak/
Jun 25
After COVID it was nice to start the school year like almost normal. Kids were in full classes of 24 or 25 giving us 75 students (14 5th graders and 61 6th graders) in three classes and they were coming to school all day, every day. I was teaching only Science, another teacher taught ELA …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2023/06/25/2022-2023-school-year-exhausting-confusing-rewarding/
Jun 25
The end of the year was fast approaching and it was time for me to help my kids conclude our Environmental Stewardship Project. I have been doing this project in one form or another since 1997 when I started working at my current school and saw that our town creek ran right by the campus, …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2023/06/25/final-project-ai-did-help/
I'm a Curipod Ambassador! :)
I've presented at NCCE
2016, 2017, 2019, 2022,
2023 and 2024!
I presented at WSTA 2015!
