Blogs & Websites

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(Focus: Educational Blogs, Articles, Books, Publications, Podcasts, Webinars, Videos)

Blog

(Focus: Early Years, Unpacking Pedagogy, Relationships, Agency, Collaboration)

Anne van Dam & Fiona Zinn co-created Constant Conversations: Unpacking Pedagogy. The website focuses on the Early Years. Anne also has another Blog called: Early Learning at ISZL

Sample Posts

(Focus: Early Years,  play-based, whole-child early learning)

The Trust for Learning website, founded in 2011 by a small group of philanthropists who saw the potential to expand developmentally appropriate, play-based, whole-child early learning approaches like Montessori to serve far more children and families, has a wealth of early childhood resources that focus on ideal learning environments for young children.

Website Sections

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(Focus: Early Years, Reggio Emilia)

The main aim of Zerosei Project is to enhance educator’s understanding, and to support schools in the implementation of Reggio Inspired practices, as well as support their work on projects, developed from the children’s interests. 

It starts with sharing reflections with you about your meaning of education and values that will drive our work in supporting you in implementing an approach that is able to reflect your principles in each detail.

The intent is to develop your potential in a way that cultural roots, educational philosophy and values are well intertwined and reflected. The goal is to continue to work on providing children with quality early childhood education that is lifelong, sustainable and adaptable in our fast-evolving world. 

Sample Posts

(Focus: Play, Early Years, PYP, Reggio Emilia)

This website/blog created by Miki and Josh Barr is a growing treasure trove of resources for educators, parents and all people interested in learning more about early childhood education. 

Their guiding principles are:

Sample Pages

(Focus: Child-Led Play)

Nature Play® is about creating a space for the children to lead their own play, and a place for the adults to learn how to support that. Child-led play' means each child is free to follow his/her own play urges while, at the same time, respecting others. Successful child-led play depends on observing behavioural boundaries, such as no violent or aggressive behaviour. Both children and adults are asked to help keep Nature Play® a safe and calm place for everyone. Child-led play is where the child takes the lead, so that they can follow their own play urges.

Website Sections

(Focus: Early Years, Reggio Emilia Inspired, Literacy, Play, Science)

Fairy Dust Teaching is a business that is built on the passion for the wonder and magic of early childhood. The six owners that believe young children have the right to play, to be collaborators in learning, and to dream. Their Blog has many beneficial Early Years posts. Well worth a read.

Blog Sections

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(Focus: Play, self-directed learning)

Link: LetGrow Website

When Adults Step Back, Kids Step Up:  At Let Grow, they believe today’s kids are smarter and stronger than our culture gives them credit for. Treating them as physically and emotionally fragile is bad for their future — and ours. Let Grow is making it easy, normal and legal to give kids the independence they need to grow into capable, confident, and happy adults. Co-founded by Peter Gray.

Let Grow Programs

Give students the freedom to do things on their own and they change forever. Let Grow’s school and community programs give young people a bracing dose of the rocket fuel known as independence. Let Grow’s school programs are designed to unlock young people’s brilliance and resilience. Read about the programs for K-8 students in this free download of the chapter for educators in the brand-new edition of Free-Range Kids!

Website Features

(Focus: Play, self-directed learning)

Link: Peter Gray Website

Peter Gray, Ph.D., research professor at Boston College, is author of Free to Learn (Basic Books) and Psychology (Worth Publishers, a college textbook now in its 8th edition). He has conducted and published research in neuroendocrinology, developmental psychology, anthropology, and education. He did his undergraduate study at Columbia University and earned a Ph.D. in biological sciences at Rockefeller University. His current research and writing focus primarily on children's natural ways of learning and the life-long value of play. He a founding member of the nonprofit Alliance for Self-Directed Education and a founding board member of the nonprofit Let Grow. His own play includes not only his research and writing, but also long-distance bicycling, kayaking, back-woods skiing, and vegetable gardening.

A Few of Peter's Blogs

Books

A Few Play Research Articles

(Focus: promotes voice, agency, and strong community. by prioritizing play, the arts, and meaning-making.)

The Center for Playful Inquiry partners with adults who care for children to embolden their practice, improving living and learning conditions that promote voice, agency, and strong community. By prioritizing play, the arts, and meaning-making, we strengthen the relationship between childhood and adulthood to inspire justice, democracy, and beauty through curiosity, compassion, and courage.

A Few Blogs

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(Focus: Early Years, Reggio Emilia Inspired, Early Childhood, Documentation)

During a 1997 visit to the Diana School in Reggio Emilia,  Pam Oken-Wright encountered a revealing triptych outside a classroom. Hand-written notes and drawings captured children's daily experiences for parents. 

Recognizing its potential, she began keeping a daily log of her classroom's group process, essential for teacher research. 

The documented moments of brilliance were too valuable to hoard. Thus, she welcomes you to a world of a hundreds of lessons from children's voices. 

Website Sections

(Focus: Child-Led Play)

Nature Play® is about creating a space for the children to lead their own play, and a place for the adults to learn how to support that. Child-led play' means each child is free to follow his/her own play urges while, at the same time, respecting others. Successful child-led play depends on observing behavioural boundaries, such as no violent or aggressive behaviour. Both children and adults are asked to help keep Nature Play® a safe and calm place for everyone. Child-led play is where the child takes the lead, so that they can follow their own play urges.

Website Sections

(Focus: Early Years, Reggio Emilia Inspired, Preparing Materials, Play, Inspiring Inventiveness)

Opal School began as a seed of an idea inspired by a 1996 study tour of the municipal preprimary schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy attended by a group of 10 educators from Portland, OR. Unfortunately, Opal School and the Center for Learning is now permanently closed, but the website and its resources remain available to educators for now.

Website Sections

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(Focus: Mental Models, Design, Thinking, Learning, Leadership, Education Architecture)

A former primary teacher from England, Tom is the Director of Dialogic Learning, an education consultancy focused on Architecture, Coaching + School Partnerships. Tom’s blog is different from other educational blogs in that it takes a more reflective approach to teaching, leadership and learning. The blogs are thought-provoking and guide educators and business leaders to reflect on their practice. He also has a course on implementing Solo Taxonomy.  

Sample Blogs

(Focus: Powerful questioning techniques which could be used when developing central ideas or lines of inquiry and inquiry-based learning)

This website - Future Focused Learning - is a wonderful resource to support:

It also includes these resources which could be used when developing central ideas or lines of inquiry

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(Focus: Critical thinking and communication skills, Classroom culture/routines, Writing, Transdisciplinary Themes)

This blog strives to be a site that recognizes the differing needs of the 21st century learner, by reflecting on meaningful, differentiated and engaging experiences that hone students' critical thinking and communication skills.

Sample Posts

(Focus: Mobilize Your Community, Student-Driven Learning, Try a Project, Creativity, PEAK Learning Conditions, Social & Emotional Learning, Assessment, School Redesign)

What Are Schools For? This is an inspiring site that hosts several thought-provoking videos about the future of schooling. Schools must change to meet the ever-changing needs of society and the environment. 

Sample Tags

Some Videos

(Focus: Creativity, Learning... Learning Spaces... Learning styles, Listening, Mindfulness, Planning, Presenting, Reading, Research, Speaking, Time, Transdisciplinary)

Sam Sherratt, Chad Walsh and Frank Hua are educational consultants. 

Sam’s current focus is on designing meaningful learning experiences that are important in the development of students as human beings, not just students in the isolated world of schools and school “work”.

Frank  is the PYP Technology Integration Specialist at International School Ho Chi Minh City. He designed and runs the MakerSpace at ISHCMC. 

Chad’s current focus is on designing creative and thoughtful planning meetings that bring out the most powerful thinking and ideas. 

Sample Tags

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(Focus: Math, PD)

Link: YouCubed

Inspiring Math Success for all Students through Growth Mindsets and Innovative Teaching. Headed up by Jo Boaler, Youcube's main goal is to inspire, educate and empower teachers of mathematics, transforming the latest research on math learning into accessible and practical forms.

Resources

Courses

*Week of Inspiration Math (WIM)

(Focus: Inquiry & Play)

Link:  Ruby Tuesday

The focus of the Ruby Tuesday Blog site by Sean Walker is the relationship between play and Inquiry.

A Few Blog Selections

Jo Boaler's Personal Website/Blog(Focus: Math)

Youcubed (above) is a research and learning center at Stanford Graduate School of Education; this new website is not – it’s a place where Jo Boaler will share her own ideas and thoughts. It is not affiliated with Stanford University.  Jo works to remove the structural barriers that stop students going forward, including systemic racism - and share the strategies that empower teachers to be their most effective. She loves beautiful, creative mathematics and knows that people are changed when they experience mathematics in this way. She also knows that when we teach multidimensional mathematics, many more students are successful. When we give students a rich, creative, growth experience, we change them as people, the ways they interact with the world, and the new opportunities that become open to them. This work is part of the on-going struggle for the more equitable and just society that we all need.

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(Focus: Depth of Knowledge Matrix, Problem Solving, PD)

Robert Kaplinski has been an educator since 2003 as a classroom teacher, teacher specialist for Downey Unified School District, instructor for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and presenter at conferences around the world.

He is also the author of Open Middle Math: Problems That Unlock Student Thinking, Grade 6-12, creator of the #ObserveMe movement, president of Grassroots Workshops, and runs the website Open Middle.

Blog Sections

(Focus: Review of educational books, tips, etc. about Literacy, Math, Reading, Writing )

Stenhouse publishes a variety of excellent educational resource books. Their blog is a good resource for teaching tips, book release updates, event information, and so much more.

Resources

(Focus: Posts on Teaching and Learning )

Link:  On Learning

Bevan Holloway writes about the one transformation that makes a difference in education: how teachers see and think about the children they teach. The key to this is to become attuned to the essence of each child and work to help it blossom.

** Recommended by Kath Murdoch.

In On Learning, Bevan explores different ways to approach this transformation. You can expect to read about

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(Focus: Math & Science - Inquiry, Assessment, Early Years, Critical Thinking)

This blog was created by School District 38 (Richmond) in British Columbia, Canada. It has a Math/Science focus.

Sample Tags

(Focus:  Good news stories which helps to balance out the mostly negative news provide by mainstream outlets)

Link:  Fix the News

This newsletter is founded upon a fundamental belief. In order to alter the narrative of humanity in the 21st century, one must first alter the stories woven into our collective consciousness. 

This doesn't entail disregarding unfavorable news. Rather, it involves seizing every opportunity to celebrate advancements for both people and the planet.

Every week, tens of thousands of individuals receive a compilation of positive news stories from across the globe. This initiative aims to counterbalance the relentless stream of narratives centered on death, calamity, and discord propagated by traditional and social media. 

Links

(Focus: EAL, Culture, Instructional Strategies, Opinion, Tools & Resources, Vocabulary)

The Global Oneness Project is an amazing multimedia platform which offers free multicultural stories and accompanying lesson plans as pedagogical tools to inspire growing minds (Gr 4-12). You will find collections of films, photo essays, and articles that consider cultural, social, and environmental issues from around the world with a humanistic lens. Some topics: Migration, Climate Change, Indigenous Cultures, Nature, Inspiring People, and Creativity.

Aligned to National Standards and Frameworks, their curriculum content contains an interdisciplinary approach to learning and facilitates the development of active, critical thinking. Their films and lessons have been featured on National Geographic, PBS, The Atlantic, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and the Smithsonian.

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(Focus: a community of experts publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions for a healthier planet and life.)

Link: EcoWatch

EcoWatch is a long-time leader in environmental news. Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, today it is a digital platform still dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. The goal of EcoWatch is to empower readers to make informed, environmentally-conscious decisions that support a sustainable future for everyone. 

Sections

(Focus: A portal to the wisdom nature holds)

Link:  Ask Nature

What a fantastic resource! Kath Murdoch states, "Whether using it directly with students or simply to deepen your own understanding of the natural world, this website focusses on biomimicry - the lessons we can learn from the way nature works.  I just used it to add to my planning for an inquiry into the way animals form and live in communities. I love the whole concept of ‘asking nature’ – using nature as a resource to help us understand how to live better. Enjoy exploring this one!"

How does nature: coordinate | regulate climate | produce color | communicate | protect from harm | distribute resources | protect from pathogens | create community | manage disturbance | conserve water | process information| and much more.

Sections

(Focus: Technology)

Link:  TCEA Blog

The TCEA (Texas Computer Education Association) blog is a valuable resource for educators looking to integrate technology into their classrooms. 

The site also offers free webinars, conferences, and professional development opportunities focused on educational technology. 

TCEA provides access to a community of educators dedicated to improving student learning through technology.

By using TCEA, schools can stay up-to-date with the latest educational technology advancements and receive support from an engaged network of educators, ultimately enhancing their classroom instruction and improving student outcomes.

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(Focus: EAL, Culture, Instructional Strategies, Opinion, Tools & Resources, Vocabulary)

Cindy Garcia has created an in-depth blog that support the teaching of learners of English. 

Categories

(Focus: Good Teaching Practice, Technology, Reflection)

Adam Hill is a passionate and dedicated primary teacher from the UK, now teaching at Victoria Shanghai Academy, a bilingual PYP school in Hong Kong. He is a proud lifelong learner, continually working hard to develop as a teacher and leader.

This blog is intended to be a platform for learning, reflecting and sharing good practice. He hopes that you find it useful. Many blogs connect to technology in the classroom.

He is an avid user of social media and a great believer in the power of a PLN. He encourages you to follow his social media links at the top of his blog. He looks forward to connecting and learning with you.

Sample Posts

(Focus: 21st-century-learning, Global-collaborations, Learning to be, Library 2.0, Parenting-in-the-digital-age, Pedagogy, PD, School-community, Teaching-technology,Technology-coaching....Technology-integration...Technology-tools., The-learning-hub, Third-culture-kids)

Always Learning focuses on Technology in the classroom. Its author is Kim Cofino who is a technology consultant and educator with nearly two decades of experience living and working in diverse settings across Asia, North America, Europe, and Africa.

Sample Tags