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Welcome to #RockNTheBoat! This blog is not about boating, though I’m not against boating. Boating is fun. It’s not about rockin’ either, though I am partial to the rock music genre, Christian and secular. No, this blog is about changing the status quo in our classrooms and engaging and empowering students through the use of creativity and technology. Unleash your own creativity, passion for your subject, and your love of learning to inspire your students to do the same. It’s not as scary as it sounds, and don’t worry, I’m right here to guide you and hold your hand, figuratively speaking, of course. I’m not likely to actually hold your hand, since I don’t really know you. I will, however, encourage you to hang on to your hat and maybe grab a life jacket until you are ready to rock your very own boat.

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Recent Posts

4 Tech Tools That Can Elevate Student Learning

by Laura Steinbrink, posted in Education

Students learn better when they are able to apply what they are learning from the textbook to real-world problems and situations. There are a lot of ways to do this without technology, sure. We also know that when it comes to technology, there is no shortage of tools and apps available for teachers to use with their students. Technology is changing the way we teach, learn and work, so careful consideration of which tools to use is critical. As educators, we need to prepare our students for the digital world in a blended-learning classroom and offer them tools that will allow them to study independently and with their peers. The top 4 tech tools for student learning that I have selected for this post include Bookwidgets, Quizizz, Blooket, and Microsoft Flip.

3 Areas to Consider When Creating A Positive School Culture

by Laura Steinbrink, posted in Education

“Nothing frustrates a good teacher more than the district hanging on to a bad one,” an educator commented to me recently. While true, this is a problem that is not going away anytime soon. Since the pandemic, teaching has suffered as a profession. Too much negativity from one or more teachers can quickly spread to others if not addressed. However, with the nationwide teacher shortage, a certified teacher, even a poor one, seems preferable to a long-term substitute, even though the culture of the building or potentially, the entire school district may suffer.

Unfinished Business: A Different Peer Review Strategy

by Laura Steinbrink, posted in Education

Every rose has its thorn This strategy is based on Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process, which has amazing potential even outside of its intended use. After reading her book on this process, I have been pondering ways to use this model with students of all ages, and with some restructuring according to the age or … Continue reading Unfinished Business: A Different Peer Review Strategy

Two AI Platforms With Power & Educational Potential: Plag and DallᐧE

by Laura Steinbrink, posted in Education

While ChatGPT (see previous post) has taken the world by storm, and truly set fire to education, there are other artificial intelligence (AI) platforms that can also impact education. While there are always going to be negatives associated to these latest developments, there are also significant positives if you look for them. Critical thinking is a very important skill to develop in our students and teaching them how to use AI to enhance rather than replace it is crucial. Before we rush to ban all of the AI platforms and websites that are emerging, educators should dive in and explore the possibilities. The two I am going to explore have benefits for both teachers and students.

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