Writings

I routinely write a blog for Almy Education. Here is a collection of my personal favorites.

Science and Math

The Science Behind the COVID-19 Vaccine December 29, 2020
How does the COVID-19 vaccine work? It is a lesson in basic molecular biology and the power of our immune system.

Teaching Students to Analyze Data December 10, 2020
Why we need to teach data analysis skills to students and how we start.

Teaching Students to Analyze Data Part 2 December 18, 2020
Teaching data analysis skills with a focus on graphs as communication.

Stopped by Math June 17, 2021
Why math often stops students from exploring STEM careers and what we can do about it.

Higher Education

Mental Health First Aid June 7, 2022
Seventy-five percent of all mental illnesses are diagnosed by age 24. Higher education instructors have an opportunity to recognize and respond to mental health challenges in young adults.

Where have all the good men gone? October 22, 2021
Why are fewer males enrolling in college? Hint: it isn’t just due to pandemic pressures.

Teaching and Learning

The Argument for Problem Solving First February 20, 2023
Engaging students in problem solving before direct instruction taps into prior knowledge and can increase learning. But students might not like it.

Educational Access for All April 25, 2022
Meeting students’ varied accommodations can be easy with some flexibility and ideas from Universal Design for Learning.

Building Relationships with Students September 10, 2021
Simple activities can build positive relationships with students and ultimately promote student learning.

Project-based Learning March 18, 2021
What are the elements of PBL and how do you implement it in your own classroom?

Assessing Project Based Learning April 22, 2021
Start with objectives and then design rubrics to assess projects.

Assessment

Project-based Assessment Example June 2, 2021
Example of a project-based assessment for geometry designed by preservice teachers in my assessment course at NIU.

Grading to Promote Learning May 6, 2021
Positive results after changing my grading scheme.