Unboxing Education

🧠💥 What does Fight Club have to do with AI policy in education? More than you’d think. Let’s talk about something no one seems to want to talk about: AI in student work. 🧩 Thought Experiment: Why Is AI Use Considered Cheating? 🎓📱 Imagine this scenario: You receive an essay that’s technically perfect, but something feels… off. You suspect AI helped write it. But before jumping to conclusions, consider: Why would students turn to AI in the first place? Two possibilities came to mind: 🕒 They believe the assignment is a waste of their time. ❓ They don’t understand why they’re doing the task. And then I had to ask myself the tough question: 🪞 What am I not doing that has led them to these assumptions? 👊 Back to Basics: My “No-AI” AI Policy Here’s the twist—just like in Fight Club, I don’t start by talking about AI at all. I start with connection. 💬 Step 1: The One-on-One Meeting At the start of each term, I require a 1:1 student conference. This 5–10 minute chat sets the tone: 👂 I...

There’s No Magic Bullet in Virtual Instruction—and That’s a Good Thing When you started teaching virtually, you probably found yourself asking: "What’s the one tool, activity, or strategy that will finally reach all my students?" I hear it all the time as an instructional coach: “Just tell me the best way to...” But here’s the truth I always circle back to— There is no magic bullet in virtual instruction. And honestly? That’s not a problem. That’s the point. The virtual learning model is designed to give students personalized pathways,  not standardized experiences. That means it’s perfectly normal (and expected ) for students to take different routes to the same goal. As teachers, it’s our job to provide multiple access points, not one perfect solution. The Myth of “One-Size-Fits-All” In a traditional classroom, we’re already used to differentiation, but online, it can quickly feel overwhelming. It's not just about a conversation; it may be lesson design, 1 on 1 m...

🎯 Why Instructional Coaching Matters Even More in Virtual Asynchronous Schools 💡 Isolation is Real—But Coaching Can Break It All teaching can feel isolating. Even with teachers just down the hall, some may feel left out or unsure. In virtual asynchronous schools, teachers often work alone behind a screen, compounding the isolation.  🟡 No hallway conversations 🟡 No informal classroom visits 🟡 No quick team huddles after school 🎯 Instructional coaching is the bridge between isolation and innovation. While good coaching is the same in any school environment, in a virtual, asynchronous school, intentionality is key to meaningful conversations.  “Coaching in Brick-and-Mortar vs. Virtual Schools” Coaching Role Brick & Mortar School 🏫 Virtual Asynchronous School 💻 Peer Collaboration Daily, informal Rare, must be intentional Feedback Opportunities Frequent and real-time Needs to be scheduled and structured Access to Classroom Practice Ea...