Inspiring Educators Everywhere
This has been an exciting week for me as an educator. It’s nearing Halloween (one of my favorite celebrations of the year) and I am on my way back from Shenzhen, China. What was I doing there? I was presenting at the ACAMIS ECE Conference. ACAMIS is a group of almost eighty international schools in... Continue Reading →
Tech has become more and more prevalent in classrooms across the world in recent years. It has become a wonderful way to connect students with others around the world, give them new avenues of creativity and access to knowledge may not have had in the past. I personally think it has also become a way... Continue Reading →
Many of us became teachers for the same reasons. We wanted to share our knowledge. We wanted to guide others. We wanted to inspire and be inspired. We wanted to care and love for those we teach. Many of us became teachers for the right reasons. We are teachers though. We aren’t angels and not... Continue Reading →
On the eve of Earth Day 2018, I have been thinking a lot about the concept of too much tech for young learners in the classroom. Actually, this is a topic I think about every day. Where do we find a balance? To tech or not to tech? Technology in the modern classroom has an... Continue Reading →
How do we encourage our students to be more creative? How do we foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills? In my years in the classroom, I have found that by having a maker space that’s actually inside my classroom has helped a lot. When I first came across the idea of a Makerspace for my... Continue Reading →
Where I am in my teaching career and where I work as a teacher, paper portfolios to showcase student achievement are a thing of the past. This is something that puts a smile on my face. In the modern age of technology, apps, blogs, and micro-blogs, there really isn’t a need for traditional paper portfolios.... Continue Reading →
Seriously folks… Ask for help if you need it. All people who are new to the classroom need help and advice from others. You have decided that you had something of value to give to others so you decided to become a teacher. Whether in an elementary school in Toronto, a high school in Boston,... Continue Reading →
About fifteen years ago, one of my students looked at me and said, “Mr. O’Shea, you’re really smart.” I asked, “Why did you just say that?” “Because you know a lot of stuff, Mr. O’Shea.” I told him, “I don’t think I am smarter than other people. I am just older than you, have more... Continue Reading →
It may seem simple and in many ways, it is, but being in your classroom to great your students as they enter in the morning means a lot. It means A WHOLE LOT! When your students enter your classroom early on a weekday morning it can really set the tone for a positive week. Well,... Continue Reading →
It seems I have fallen into a trap as a teacher. What’s that trap? Well, I know that young children need time to be creative. I know they need time to explore arts and crafts. I know this, but I don’t give them as many opportunities to do this as I should. I have gotten... Continue Reading →
