My constant “being a teacher” struggle is keeping the balance between spontaneous combustion due to tiny apocalypses of real learning and fitting in what I think/know we need to cover on a particular subject. Tomorrow we start the Periodic Table and I just want to throw my plans out the window and see what happens [...]
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First Day Thoughts
by Sam Harrelson on 24. Aug, 2010 in Education
Today was our first half-day back at school with students at Spartanburg Day. A few thoughts: – I literally teared up when I saw the 9th graders sitting with the Upper School at our morning pep rally (my students from last year). We had an amazing year and I’ll miss them in my classroom. May [...]
Thoughts On Being 32
by Sam Harrelson on 22. Aug, 2010 in Education, Family, Philosophy, Technology
I turn 32 today. I’m halfway to 64 (will you still love me when I’m 64?). Just some thoughts on this Sunday morning… – I agree with Leo Laporte, although I’m “over” social media because all of this wonderful (or mundane) content we are creating is locked inside pretty boxes held by companies looking to [...]
I’m Getting an Eno Board
by Sam Harrelson on 13. Aug, 2010 in Education, Technology
So this year, I’m getting the magnetic/cermaic surface Eno Board in my classroom… I’m no Miss Bailey, but I wonder how well this will work for my 8th Grade Physical Science group…especially since we study magnetism I’ve honestly never been a huge fan of the “smart board” movement (unlike smart phones). I miss my chalkboards [...]
Why I Mow Grass
by Sam Harrelson on 11. Aug, 2010 in Education, Philosophy
Read the whole thing, it’s worth the 4 minutes… The Smart Set: The Metaphysics of Cutting Grass – August 5, 2010: “Perhaps I yearn too much to hear my echo in the world. Yes, occasionally, I do hear from a former student, several years out, that something I said or did has assumed some meaning [...]
Pencil Revolution
by Sam Harrelson on 10. Aug, 2010 in Design, Education
I love Apple and I agree with Steve Jobs when he says his devices (like the iPad) are revolutionary. However, this thing could be really revolutionary in schools for a number of reasons. Of course it’s just a tool, but it’s a tool that solves a couple of problems that we’ve been hashing over in [...]
Losing Ourselves in (Text)Books
by Sam Harrelson on 09. Aug, 2010 in Books, Education, Technology
Socrates famously rejected the supposed importance of the written word(1) in the Phaedrus. I wonder what he would have had to say about blogs and twitter? David Weinberger has a post on a book which I’ve just put on my Wish List, The Coming of the Book. Looks fascinating from the quotes he’s published: Joho [...]
SDS on YouTube
by Sam Harrelson on 02. Aug, 2010 in Education, Technology
We Can Haz YouTube: YouTube – SpartanburgDaySchool’s Channel
Caring is Creepy
by Sam Harrelson on 30. Jul, 2010 in Education, Philosophy, Science
These are all my tweets. I stand by them: Science teacher: Twitter is creepy: “We wield phenomenal power over students. We forget this at our (and our students’) peril.” Caring is creepy. So is teaching, really. Life is pretty creepy if you think about it. Maybe I should stop being offended when Michael calls me [...]
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