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
A reflection question in Kasey Bell’s new book Shake Up Learning asks, How has technology changed your personal life? Professional life? Bell, Kasey. Shake Up Learning: Practical Ideas to Move Learning from Static to Dynamic (Kindle Locations 462-463). Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc.. Kindle Edition. When I think about all of the different tech tools I have used in the classroom, there are quite a few. I would say that the greatest tools for students to wield are tools for creations. From my perspective, though, my greatest technology tools to help students learn are ones that allow them to experience phenomena. This could be through videos or simulations. They have revolutionized the ability to explore by seeing and doing. The one tool that has found a place in both my classroom and my home lives is YouTube. I know it may be super obvious, but the more I think about it, the more amazing YouTube is. I have lived through the age of films, filmstrips, video tapes, a