iPad printing - a workaround (sort of)

One of the big questions I always get asked is "how can I print from my iPad?"

In general my response is "why would you want to?" Snarky? A bit, I admit. But I am a firm believer a core strength of the iPad is in it's ability to eliminate the need for a printer.

But yes, there are times you might need to print from an iPad...

School as collected anthology - the single story is that of many

I've written a lot about how we use social media, Twitter in particular at my school, PS 10 in Brooklyn, NY. We tweet a lot. We love hashtags. We are trying to engage the community and showcase all the awesome things our students, teachers, and parents do to make PS 10 such a great place.

But is it really "we, the school" that is doing it, or are "we, the school" just collecting the stories of others. Creating an anthology?

Publishing block

I have publishing block.

It's a thing.

I think.

I have lots of thoughts rattling around my head. I have 5 posts in Draft, all in various stages of completion (plus two complete, just dragging on final edits and hitting that Publish button).

I am continually impressed by folks like Lisa Nielsen, Pernille Ripp and Jose Vilson. Teachers who have great stuff to say. Say it. And say it eloquently. Frequently.

I need to write more. Nay, I need to hit Publish more.

I need to make a mid-year resolution. Publish more, languish in draft less...

I need to be better about getting my thoughts from my head to text.

I think what I really need to do is...

http://dashburst.com/create-something-inspirational-typography-posters/

Underway at #ASCD14

And so it has begun...

 

http://ac14.ascd.org/Default.aspx

A week with an iPad keyboard

Anyone who knows me knows I'm staunchly against the physical keyboard accessories for the iPad. I laugh at the Microsoft Surface ads that tout their keyboard as a reasonn to buy a Surface over an iPad (they always fail to mention their keyboards are $200 additions too, not standard items). It's a tablet. Touch based. I've never understood the urge for a physical keyboard. I have an iMac and MacBook. Those have keyboards. Why does my tablet need one too?

 

Things will break. And that's cool.

"Live your life in beta" - Adam Bellow

Live your life in beta. What's beta? The "almost ready for prime-time" stage of software. It's got most features set but promises to be buggy as it adds functionality. It's not perfect but it's being worked on.

As I interpret Adam's quote - Living a life in beta means you're always adding features, tweaking aspects, fine tuning processes. All the while knowing things might go wrong, but bugs will be fixed as found. We as people have no "final release,"no set time when we are a final product never to be altered. Living in beta means we're always developing.

Adam's quote is very apropos as I was in the process of writing this post when he posted his quote to twitter...

My year in numbers

I feel like I'm behind this year. There's a constant feeling of playing catch-up. I'm in my 11th year of teaching and while I don't have all the answers, and I'm constantly trying out new things, I feel like I should have a better handle on everything. I use to be great and knowing every name, first and last, of every student at first glance. This year I find myself pausing more and more to recall names. I'm not as instantly quick as I use to be.

Am I getting older? Am I slipping in some way? Or is it a numbers game and I'm hitting my data limit...?

Why tech equity isn't always equitable...

Everyone should have iPads!

Everyone needs a SmartBoard!

They got a Chromebook, why didn't I get a Chromebook?!

I'm sure we've all heard similar laments from staff, or directives from higher-ups. I understand the desire to make everyone feel included, make everyone feel like they're involved. But is it always the best idea to strive for equity?

Equity isn't always the answer.

I'm quitting teaching & going into healthcare reform...

Yup. Quitting teaching. Going in to healthcare reform. I mean why not, right? There's all this hullabaloo about Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act or whatever it's called, or, more to the point, mis-called by the masses...

... so I think it's ripe for some real good, grassroots, healthcare reform.

And I'm just the guy to do it.

Why?

We tweet @PS10Brooklyn. A lot.

This post was originally written as a resource for parents on how the staff & students use Twitter as part of the instructional day. It originally appeared on the PS10Tech blog

Tweeting @PS10Brooklyn has become a core component of many classrooms. It has been great to see teachers, students, and parents alike embrace the power of Twitter as a communication, collaboration, and connection tool.

For example, @MsKertesz in the 4th grade has used Twitter to connect with a class in Liverpool, England. They do weekly Skype sessions and our 4th graders have developed a great working partnership with their English counterparts. Without Twitter these two classes, separated by an ocean, would never have connected.

Twitter has also gotten PS10 recognition outside of New York City...