• How Technology Can Drive Your Beliefs and Practices

    Integrating technology into education is a subtle process. It may seem like a big deal at first, especially when that interactive whiteboard goes up on the wall, or every student now has a Chromebook at their desks. But the process of technology becoming a part of a teacher’s practice is slow and indistinct. It…

  • Technology Integration: It Should be Messy

    Last week I flagged down a parent as she and her son were leaving the parking lot at the end of the school day. “What did your son think about the learning management system? Has it helped you as a parent be more involved in his school experiences?” We talked about how her son…

  • Join me at the @ASCD Annual Convention in Anaheim this Sunday! #digiportfolios #EMPOWER17

    In a couple of days, I will be flying out to Anaheim, California for my first visit to the Golden State. Purpose: I am facilitating a session on digital student portfolios on Sunday, 3/26 at 3 P.M. Click here for location details. This session will be an opportunity to share new resources and ideas…

  • Exploring Classroom Innovations at the AWSA/WASDA Summit for Data-Informed Leadership in Green Bay

    Data is a four letter word, literally and sometimes metaphorically in education. Educators need data to drive instruction and making informed decisions about student learning. When students have information about their own learning progress, they know themselves better as learners. Yet when data does not serve an important purpose, it can also monopolize our…

  • How might making lead to literacy? A #WSRA17 presentation

    Today I facilitated a 1.5-hour session on makerspaces at the Wisconsin State Reading Association convention. The focus was on trying to answer the driving question: How might making lead to literacy? This was a true wondering. Although I had some suggestions and ideas, it was on the educators that attended to determine this. They are the…

  • Student Goal Setting in the Classroom

    Below is my response for Larry Ferlazzo’s Classroom Q & A for Education Week. You can view all of the responses by clicking here. Enjoy! Used smartly and with intent, goal setting can be a game changer in engaging our students in their own learning process. Writing down goals makes them concrete. Sharing goals…

  • 10 Questions for the New Year

    These questions were offered as part of owning and using the Day One journaling app (which is awesome, by the way). I decided to post my responses on my site. I encourage you to post your own responses to these questions on your website or blog. Have an enjoyable holiday season! -Matt 1. What was…

  • Free #edchat Resource: The Secrets of Self-Directed Learning

    Today is the release of The Secrets of Self-Directed Learning: Strategies for nurturing and stimulating independent learners. What started as a whitepaper for FreshGrade is now an eBook. Click here to download this resource today. In The Secrets of Self-Directed Learning, I make the case that we need to start releasing more responsibility of the…

  • Cultivating the Student Growth Mindset

    The article below was written in collaboration with FreshGrade. It is an administrative companion piece to an upcoming eBook I wrote on instructional strategies for developing self-directed learners. Click here to read my conversation with Dr. Rod Berger via Scholastic’s Administrator blog for the article. And stay tuned for more information on the free eBook! Leadership Strategies…

  • End the Electoral College

    Today I posted the following message on Twitter: So many teachable moments right now: Citizenship, democracy, critical thinking, media literacy. Let’s prepare our future leaders! #edchat — Matt Renwick (@ReadByExample) November 10, 2016 Reflecting on that tweet, I felt it was a bit too Pollyanna-ish. Frankly, I did not speak the truth about the…