Recently Kids Need to Read blogged an article on the wiki-wire work we did through the high school with the students building the lexicon for The Softwire Series by PJ Haarsma. PJ works closely with Denise & Sherri with Jim Blasingame, but I’m excited from the line that reads “this is what great teaching is [...]

Posted in literature, publications, student2.0, teacher2.0, technology, wiki

Last year my friend Kerri Mathew contacted me regarding finding a way to hook up a science fiction writer, PJ Haarsma, with students eager to read his book, play his online game, and connect in new ways with young adult sci-fi. Having just come off a year project with Kerri working with wikis and fanfiction, [...]

Posted in books, literature, online, presentations, publications, technology

In 1989 I was a Yearbook staff member and met some phenomenal people, like Jackie Sullivan. She was a tall, thin wisp of a woman who worked in the Children’s Museum on the Northside of Pittsburgh. We lost touch when she graduated but a decade later I was the yearbook advisor in Mt Lebanon High [...]

Posted in publications

In Novemember at NCTE I headed into a session where PJ Haarsma, the author of The Softwire series, was presenting on Science Fiction and Gaming in the High School Classroom. I was hoping to have PJ sign his up and coming book The Softwire: Wormhole Pirates on Orbis 3. When I walked in, Jim Blasingame, [...]

Posted in NCTE, books, presentations, publications, technology, travel, video

Several months ago now a CFP came through on the use of innovative technology in the classroom. I immediately thought of the work I’ve been doing with Google in my classroom and wrote up a proposal, which was accepted. In June 2008 I sent the first draft to the editors and received their comments back [...]

Posted in google, publications