Canceled recess? Say it isn’t so! Whether it’s due to too much cold, snow, rain, or wind—canceled recess is a bummer for both students and teachers. But wait! Have you checked out the Just Dance Kids videos on YouTube? “The Gummy Bear Song” is adorable and will have your little ones movin’ and groovin’. There…
Technology
On the Other Hand…
It’s a new year, and I decided to let only a few days pass before I (sort of) contradict myself. I love eBooks, and you should too. Sure, I love paper. I can’t live without it. And, as I said Tuesday, despite owning a high-profile eReader, I still purchase mostly traditional paper books. However, when…
Your Classroom Library
A day that I thought would never come finally arrived in the first half of 2013. I bought an eReader. Without disclosing the brand directly, let me just say that it comes from a huge online retailer of books (and just about everything else under the sun). And while it is more than just an…
To Code or Not to Code
The first computer “terminal” I sat behind was literally that—something I could sit behind. It was itself a desk. It had a built-in keyboard made of keys you had to exert real effort on. I believe they were designed to survive a nuclear catastrophe (which was a real possibility in those days, kids). The monitor,…
Bedrock, Biomes, Creepers, and Teachers?
My youngest son is in second grade. There are a lot of things we could talk about, but the subject most often on his mind is the game Minecraft—what he’s building, what he has explored, and how he’s gone about doing it. His older brothers are into Minecraft as well and have been at it…
Checking in on Tech
Toward the end of The Mailbox Work Day yesterday, I was chatting with two other editors about life, the universe, and everything, when one of them announced to us that her phone was telling her that it was time to go home. It has learned her habits that well. We’re not sure how it’s done…
I Bought Myself an e-Reader
At the beginning of the summer, I bought myself an eReader. It’s a popular one from an online retail powerhouse. And it’s okay. My reasons for buying it were simple: portability and an end to space- and paper-consuming physical books. This device was going to revolutionize my reading habits (which had suffered the last few…
40 Years of Change
As you’re no doubt aware, The Mailbox is celebrating 40 years of helping teachers by delivering creative ideas and activities that engage students and help meet Common Core standards. In the early days, we were known for our creative teacher workshops. Today, it’s our books, magazines, mobile apps, and digital and online resources. We’ve come…
A School Year in Review
Let’s review, shall we? During the last school year, I touched on a wide range of subjects, both serious and not-so-much. On a few of them, I received many comments. On many of them, I received none. Good or bad, I think some of them are worth revisiting. And the passage of time may mean…
Technology Tips
Do you have trouble keeping up with your online passwords? I sure do—or did! I knew not to use the same password for all my accounts so I made up variations. My bugaboo was that I couldn’t remember which variation went with which site. When a colleague observed me muddling through a string of possible…