The Thinking Stick

My wife left early this morning for Hawaii. I know…completely lost on her. From Bangkok to Hawaii…..

She’s off to visit a friend, one of the benefits of taking a year off from working and having frequent flier miles to spend.

So that leaves me with a week of no …

The second season of Shift Our Schools kicks off tonight as David and I along with Kim Cofino reflect about the Learning 2.008 Conference in Shanghai.

We’re changing things up this year starting with a new website dedicated to the podcast. Click on the link above or the picture to …

I’ve been thinking about reflection lately and how we use it in our classrooms. I can remember being in elementary school and being asked to reflect in a journal. Reflection is a great process…a proven process of learning. We’ve been asking students to reflect for years in education so …

I think these pictures tell the story better than I can. I always have this weird feeling when the conference is over. Part of me is so relieved that it’s over and another part of me never wanted it to end. I was tired, running on pure adrenalin by the …

1. Before someone talks you into creating/organizing/hosting a conference make sure you’re prepared for the work ahead.

2. Once you are prepared for the work, double the time you think it will take, multiple that by two, and then you might be close.

3. Always remember you are doing this …

It’s about the learner!

This conference is about allowing you the learner to take control of your own learning, to create opportunities for yourself to learn. We have done nothing more than to solicit the help of professional learners to help you in your own learning journey.

We talk about …

As a technology person you don’t always get to decide where you are going to start with teachers. In fact, most of the time the teachers tell you where you are going to start.

Hence my focus on parent communication. Many teachers are looking at using blogs as a way …

So the first full day of NECC 2008 comes to an end and I find myself thinking more about conferences, how to create them, manage them, and make them relevant to participants then I thought I would. Have I mentioned the conference we’re doing in Shanghai?

I’ve been thinking …

While visiting with Ken Caroll at the Praxis Language studios before I left Shanghai, Ken and I sat down and just started talking about the conference. The format, who was attending and just had a conversation around the idea of what we’re trying to do.

A great 17 minute listen …

Ken Caroll of Praxis Language (and the famous ChinesePod.com) invited me out to their new studio here in Shanghai to record some sound bites for the Learning 2.008 conference. Ken and Praxis Language will help us to record every session of the Learning 2.008 conference this year. (More on …