Thomas Wikman and I met over a love of dogs which soon grew into a mutual appreciation for all things cerebral. He writes about Leonbergers (if you’ve never seen one of these amazing dogs, click through to his blog and check them out) and wrote the definitive book on the subject about his own Leonberger, The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle: Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger.

Beyond dogs, Thomas writes erudite posts about science, fun facts, book reviews, and more. As an educator, his recent guest post on science books for the youngest of our children caught my attention as one the Ask a Tech Teacher community would enjoy. With Thomas’ permission, I’ll share his review of several science books intended for our youngest learners, presented in an age-appropriate fashion for those with curious minds even in preschool.

If this tweaks your interest, click through to Thomas’ science blog, SuperFactful, for more fascinating quick overviews of the wonders of science:

I get a lot of questions from readers about what tech ed resources I use in my classroom so I’ll take a few days to review them with you. Some are edited and/or written by members of the Ask a Tech Teacher crew. Others, by tech teachers who work with the same publisher I do. All of them, I’ve found well-suited to the task of scaling and differentiating tech skills for age groups, scaffolding learning year-to-year, taking into account the perspectives and norms of all stakeholders, with appropriate metrics to know learning is organic and granular.

Today: Mentoring and Coaching

Tech coaching/mentoring from experts is available via email or virtual meetings to prepare lesson plans, teach to standards, integrate tech into core classroom time. If you’re new to tech education and wonder how to teach kindergartners to use the mouse, first graders to keyboard, third graders to sagely search the internet, pick the brains of our seasoned team of technology teachers.

Note: If your District has purchased a license, coaching may be included. Check on that before signing up.

(more…)

The first time I read about Unschooling, I ignored it. Surely, it was a fad that would go away. When I read about it a thousand more times, I dug into it.

Inspired by the teachings of John Holt (1923–1985), this free range branch of homeschooling promotes learning through nonstructured, child-led exploration. There’s no set curriculum or schedule; students learn what interests them with guidance from involved adults. There are no worksheets, tests, or structure to provide evidence of learning or templates for teaching. The children pick what to learn, when, at what pace. The result — according to unschoolers, is a love of learning, tenacity to a task, and independent thought that prepares them for college and career better than traditional methods. In fact, if you look at the list of traits valued in popular education programs such as Habits of Mind and Depth of Knowledge, the reasons why parents unschool their children mirror the traits included in these lists.

What is Unschooling?

According to  Dr. Peter Gray of Freedom to Learn:

“Unschooling parents do not … do at home the kinds of things that are done at school. More specifically, they do not establish a curriculum for their children, do not require their children to do particular assignments for the purpose of education, and do not test their children to measure progress. Instead, they allow their children freedom to pursue their own interests and to learn, in their own ways, what they need to know to follow those interests. They may, in various ways, provide an environmental context and environmental support for the child’s learning. In general, unschoolers see life and learning as one.”

If you use Genius Hour in your classroom, you have a sense of how inspiring, motivating, and addicting learning for the love of learning can be. Another popular example of unschooling is Sugata Mitra’s 1999 Hole in the Wall experiment where a computer was placed in a kiosk in an Indian slum. Children were allowed to use it freely. The experiment successfully proved that children could learn to use computers without any formal training. This was extended to be a method called Minimally Invasive Education (MIE) where students were encouraged to learn what interests them without adult direction —  much as what is expected from unschooling.

(more…)

Here are a few ideas from the Ask a Tech Teacher team about maintaining focus in classrooms:

Top Proprioceptive Activities to Support Focus and Regulation in the Classroom

Throughout the school day, many children experience difficulty staying focused or managing their emotions, especially in stimulating environments. Integrating calming proprioceptive activities for children into classroom routines can be a practical way to support self-regulation through purposeful movement. 

Activities like pushing against a wall, lifting books, or using resistance bands provide deep pressure input that can have a calming, organizing effect on the nervous system. These strategies are easy to implement and can be tailored to suit individual needs without disrupting the flow of learning. When used consistently, they help create a classroom atmosphere where children feel more grounded, attentive, and ready to engage.

Key Takeaways

• Simple proprioceptive activities help students stay focused.
• Activities can be tailored for different needs in the classroom.
• Structured movement supports overall student regulation.

​​These suggestions are not a substitute for professional advice. Educators and parents should consult specialists when addressing specific sensory needs. (more…)

Hacking, cracking, malware–all these are the reality of life on the internet. Here are a couple of ideas from the Ask a Tech Teacher team ripped from the headlines:

From Social Apps to Classrooms: How the Telegram Hacked Case Can Inspire Cyber Awareness

Telegram is one of the top social media apps globally, with over 1 billion monthly users. Features like encryption, message self-destruction, and Secret Chats have made it popular. Hackers have proactively learned how to hack this platform and succeeded in many cases. Some users lose accounts, others are frauded and others are exploited. 

Educational institutions have a lesson to learn and proactively teach cyber awareness. Educators should teach students how to practice cyber safety and secure everyone. They can present real Telegram hack cases to inspire learners in social media cybersecurity.

Image credit: Unsplash

Lessons students can learn from Telegram hacked cases

Telegram security compromises happen through malware, phishing, hijacking, etc. These social media cybersecurity issues happen due to device security gaps. Such gaps may allow physical access or online malware infection. Weak default settings, like a lack of multifactor authentication, also make devices vulnerable. 

Young users stay active online, and real hacking cases help them understand the seriousness. The first thing users should learn is the signs of the hacked Telegram account. Next, understand how to remove devices from Telegram. Another lesson is how to delete Telegram account if its security is compromised. No platform is entirely cybersecure as long as it is connected to the internet. (more…)

Over many years, we at Ask a Tech Teacher have suggested puzzles as good tools to develop cognitive thinking and mouse skills, but there are other benefits we haven’t discussed, important learning skill like engaging student attention, redirecting their energy, and encouraging collaboration. Teachers say it calms, reducing disruptive behavior. Interested? Read what our Ask a Tech Teacher team has to say:

The Quiet Power Of Puzzles In A Noisy Classroom

There’s a moment I love right after the bell rings. Laptops open, pencils roll, someone asks for a charger, and the room hums with the usual first-period buzz. Then I drop a simple puzzle on the projector and the noise dissolves into that soft, focused silence teachers chase all year. It isn’t magic. It’s the way puzzles recruit attention, invite persistence, and let every learner start from what they know.

I still teach with games and projects, but puzzles are my favorite way to begin. They ask small questions that lead to bigger ones. They reward noticing. They let students fail without feeling like failures. When we’re exploring sound and pattern, I like to weave in music-themed challenges. A gentle warm-up with Music Puzzles gets students listening with their eyes and thinking with their ears. They start by spotting shapes and rhythms; ten minutes later they’re debating tempo, structure, and why patterns feel good to our brains. (more…)

ADHD is often misunderstood. The Ask a Tech Teacher team has developed a quick guide for you with the following basics:

• ADHD affects how children focus, remember information, and learn.
• Memory and executive function challenges are core issues in ADHD.
• Practical interventions can improve learning outcomes for affected children.

Understanding ADHD’s Effect on Learning, Focus, and Memory in Children

Children with ADHD often experience challenges in learning environments that go beyond simple distraction or restlessness. ADHD can significantly impact a child’s ability to focus, retain information, and organize tasks, ultimately interfering with academic progress and everyday memory. These difficulties are linked to differences in brain function that affect executive skills such as attention, self-control, and working memory.

Understanding exactly how these issues surface can help parents, teachers, and caregivers support children more effectively.

To get a clearer picture and find out what can help, read how ADHD impacts learning in kids and discover effective ways to support their success.

Key Takeaways

• ADHD affects how children focus, remember information, and learn.
• Memory and executive function challenges are core issues in ADHD.
• Practical interventions can improve learning outcomes for affected children.

How ADHD Impacts Learning, Focus, and Memory in Children

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can make it difficult for children to maintain sustained attention, organize tasks, and regulate behavior, affecting their day-to-day school experience. These challenges often result in academic difficulties, problems with memory, and lower self-esteem. (more…)

Hello! Ask a Tech Teacher is a group of tech ed professionals who work together to offer you tech tips, advice, pedagogic discussion, lesson plans, and anything else we can think of to help you integrate tech into your classroom. Our primary focus is to provide technology-in-education-related information for educators–teachers, administrators, homeschoolers, and parents.

Here’s how to get started on our blog (or click this link):

Read our columns

They include:

• Tech tips
• Dear Otto–questions from educators on tech questions
• Pedagogy that impacts tech in ed
• Reviews of books, apps, web tools, websites, tech ed products used in your classroom
• Subscriber Specials–monthly discounts (or FREE) on tech ed products
• Humorous life of a tech teacher

Find tech ed resources you need

Here’s where you look for them:

• Free Lesson Plans–on software programs, core tech principles, subject-specific topics
• Website reviews–on products you want to use in your classroom
• K-12 Digital Tools–for your digital devices
• Structured Learning--where all the Ask a Tech Teacher crew’s tech ed books are published; there’s an insane number of topics and formats. Some free, most fee

Subscribe to our newsletter

It’s weekly and always free.

https://forms.aweber.com/form/07/1910174607.htm

Copyright ©2025 askatechteacher.com – All rights reserved.

Here’s the sign-up link if the image above doesn’t work:

https://forms.aweber.com/form/07/1910174607.htm

“The content presented in this blog are the result of creative imagination and not intended for use, reproduction, or incorporation into any artificial intelligence training or machine learning systems without prior written consent from the author.”

Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, and author of the tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.

America, we love you on Patriot’s Day (formerly 9/11).

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvsN0Id4LEg?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en&autohide=2&wmode=transparent]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwcWVs4Eejg?si=nfBd6Unur6CmgiUH&start=35]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wucTW_Y5hgU?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en&autohide=2&wmode=transparent]

If you aren’t familiar with this terrorist attack on American soil, here’s a 2-minute overview:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uOn7xLYPbc?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en&autohide=2&wmode=transparent]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9oPmD6XJD0?si=LBKrjDQzQnYmLey2] (more…)