Big Ideas Fest, 2018
It was an honor to share my work at the Big Ideas Fest! Click on the picture below to view the slide deck, including links to student projects in the presenter notes.
Joshua Block
Stories and Myths
For a recent project on theories of storytelling, my students began a process of inquiry by writing a story that is repeatedly told in their family. This low stakes assignment provided an entry point for students from a range of academic levels. In a sense, everyone was an expert in this opening lesson. For this first […]Read Post ›
Our Philadelphia, Our America
Deciding how, as an educator, to best respond to the current political moment in the US has felt overwhelming. At times this year my students shared and created in powerful ways in response to current issues. At other times, I could sense their fatigue and need to not spend time talking about the latest horrific […]Read Post ›
Teaching Media Literacy and the Mental Environment
At a time when the constant stream of information around us feels overwhelming and fraught, students need tools to help them decode, analyze, and process. Many educators have written recently about the need to identify Fake News. This is certainly true but this call ignores the fact that students, and citizens, need the skills necessary […]Read Post ›
Helping Students Develop An Education Vision
Earlier this year my 12th graders conducted an inquiry into education. By giving students an opportunity to learn about education theory, talk to the general public about education, and reflect on their own educational experiences, I hoped to help them develop their own ideas and understandings mainstream education, the education they experience at SLA, and […]Read Post ›
