On Friday, I was so pleased to be able to return to one of my favorite days of the year, High-Interest Day at Brookfield Elementary School. This is a day where I have been able to bring the concepts of physics to k-5 graders. You may be asking yourself, "Elementary students doing physics?" YES! Not just experimenting, but understanding the concepts behind the physics of electricity and sound. This is a very special day I have had the opportunity to be involved in since 2017. So, how are we able to bring the concepts of electricity and sound traditionally taught to high school 11th and 12th graders to the elementary level? There are a few keys 1) make it a hands-on experience 2) remove the mathematical calculations and make it practical. In the past, I had the luck of bringing a handful of my physics students with me to guide the elementary students through the concepts that they had learned over the course of the year. But in my new role as a Teaching and Learning Speciali
In 2013, I attended my first EdCamp. It was EdCamp Milwaukee organized by Chad Kafka, Tammy Lind, and Beth Lisowski. At that first EdCamp, I met a lot of new faces that I would soon realize were great innovators in education. It was the day I realized the power of a personal learning network. I learned about gamification from Michael Matera, Google tips and tricks from Jennie Magiera, fantastic tech toys from Tricia Louis, innovative PD design from Jason Bretzmann, and met essential people in my PLN like Brian Durst. The great thing about this network was that it was not grade level or subject specific. We all had something to contribute to the conversation and something to learn from each other. All the unconferences I have attended have been great experiences. That is why we have a team that is organizing an EdCamp in own district. It will be held on March 25, 2017, at Brookfield Central High School in Brookfield, WI. All are welcome and registration is free. Re