Latest Posts

  • How much should homework count?

    I saw this on Twitter via @Mr_Abud, and it got me thinking: What is the role of homework in my class? Years ago I read Alfie Kohn’s (@AlfieKohn) Homework Myth and adjusted my practices (I think) accordingly. This tweet from… Continue reading

  • How do you measure Inspiration? Goals in 2012-13

    This year’s goals are a bit different to last year’s – and I like it. The word from above was that we are to have four goals for the year, all essentially linked to the school’s strategic plan and mission.… Continue reading

  • Curriculum Studies Assignment: Physics & the MYP

    With permission from my tutor, here is my Curriculum Studies assignment: “A critical review of a Grade 10 Introductory Physics course as part of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, examining selected aims and purposes and analyzing the extent to… Continue reading

  • Differentiation through a ‘Readiness Filter’?

    Carrying on from my last reflection on the differentiation workshops here this week… Some subjects have a great freedom of curriculum and are natural fits for student-driven inquiry all the way through to MYP 5 (and beyond if they exist… Continue reading

  • Differentiating… differently.

    Long time no post! The school year is well underway and a ton of topics are on my mind, but things have been chugging along busily. Without the MA assignment to procrastinate, there’s been a little less motivation to blog,… Continue reading

  • We are the Agents of Change

    Finishing up an assignment, I went back through some of the recommended texts for the Curriculum Studies unit, and got fixated on the role of the teacher and coordinator in the curriculum. As it says in Kelly (2004) we are… Continue reading

  • The Year to Come

      Team Taylor arrived in Japan a year ago yesterday, and what a year it has been. We have been warmly welcomed by new friends and colleagues and CA has proven to be a great place to work and live.… Continue reading

  • Disconnect to (re-)Connect

    It’s the summer, and we’ve had some great – but short – trips in Japan: camping, surfing, lake-going and playing. Academic work has dominated the time we’ve been at home, though, as well as thoughts of getting ready for the… Continue reading

  • Teaching in the Third Dimension: Moving into Concept-based Curriculum

    This post is a quick organisation of thoughts based on the new position paper by the IB. There is more in the paper than is discussed here, so please head over to the IB’s Position Papers site to read it.… Continue reading

  • Paper.li: A quick review

    A couple of weeks ago I started paying attention to tweets such as: The international-educators Daily is out! http://t.co/PkFp88qY ▸ Top stories today via @neilringrose @toniobarton @mouseflip — Adrienne Michetti (she/her/hers) (@amichetti) July 16, 2012 These paper.li things seemed to… Continue reading