Jim Moulton, education consultant
Jim Moulton, an independent K-12 educational consultant focused on technology integration and project-based learning, is in the inspiration business and the knowledge-transfer business. A former classroom teacher, Moulton supports schools in leveraging the technical network through effective integration of twenty-first-century tools and skills and the human network through purposeful project-based learning. He figures it is only when the two networks are focused that the best can be delivered for all members of any school community.
Subscribe to this blogger's RSS feedPractice What We Preach: The Importance of Developing Our Own Craft
By Jim Moulton
1/8/09
In an earlier post, I wrote about the importance of being a constant learner, of never stopping. Recently, I have been reflecting on an important step in becoming a lifelong learner -- the opportunity to spend time with a committed learner.
The Teachable Moment: Is It Science, or Just Plain Serendipity?
By Jim Moulton
12/4/08While in California last week for a meeting, I hiked the hills above Novato, a town north of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a clear day, and the afternoon sun warmed the west-facing slopes. I followed a dirt road that had been carved out of the hills. An ardent observer of nature, I quickly clued in to the fact that there were a large number of lizards around.
Creative Thinking, Part Two: China Imports Project Learning to Promote Imagination
By Jim Moulton
11/20/08This is the second part of a two-part blog entry. Read part one.
I guess I should not have been surprised by the rigid structure in Chinese schools when I visited the country. After all, I was in a nation that is one of the most capable at taking someone else's idea and efficiently reproducing it.
Creative Thinking, Part One: A Traditional Country Flirts with Nontraditional Learning
By Jim Moulton
11/18/08I recently returned from a week in Beijing, where the Beijing Institute of Education was my host. I was there to do workshops around project learning, to visit Chinese schools, and to speak with Chinese educators, parents, and students.
Taking the Lead at Lunch: What If the Teachers Mixed It Up?
By Jim Moulton
10/16/08I still remember the first time I saw the materials from Teaching Tolerance, the magazine by the organization of the same name. This group seeks to promote tolerance, and it offers free, high-quality curricular materials for all grade levels.
Free Advice: Learning from Others Simply by Listening
By Jim Moulton
9/9/08I had a lesson recently on both the importance of listening to others and how to effectively give advice. Have you received advice that you initially thought you should ignore, but then decided to follow it and were glad you did? Here's what happened to me. Let me know what happened to you.
The Classroom Booster Club, Part Two: Connecting with the Community
By Jim Moulton
8/26/08This is the second part of a two-part entry. Read part one.
Sports teams have booster clubs -- people who straddle the formally regulated school funding arena and private enterprise. This means they are able to act like entrepreneurs -- go for what they want or need, rather than having to convince somebody else (like a principal, a technology director, or a school board) of the worthiness of their idea.
The Classroom Booster Club, Part One: Recruiting Academic Supporters
By Jim Moulton
8/19/08I'm heading home from Columbus, Ohio, on a fine, clear summer morning. I am in a window seat on the plane, as always, and on takeoff we fly right past downtown, en route to Cincinnati. On this flight path I get a wonderful view down into the Ohio State football stadium, where the word Buckeyes is emblazoned across the end zone, bold white text on a crimson background.
"Have You Seen This Web Site?": The Value of Exchanging Tips About Online Resources
By Jim Moulton
8/11/08I love working with teachers. Part of it is the importance of the work they do and the sense of satisfaction, both professional and personal, I feel when I am able to make them more powerful and effective. But another reason is that teachers are people who feel compelled to share their best ideas.
Picture Perfect: Make Your Own Motivational Posters
By Jim Moulton
7/18/08OK, I admit it. I have been known to leaf through the catalogs that live in the seat pockets on airplanes. I never find anything I have to have, but I always look at the motivational posters -- in part because I see a lot of these in the schools I visit.
