Author Archives: Julie Rust

Like it or not, memes are a firm part of our culture. They can be offensive, problematic, overly-simplistic, derivative, and we could all go on with some not-so-nice adjectives. But they can also be incredibly witty, weirdly compelling and sometimes poignant, and they are most certainly quickly digestible and easy to share/adapt for other purposes.Continue reading “Dante’s Inferno Meets Meme Culture”

I don’t know about you all, but the theme of 2020-2021 has felt a lot like survival.  As if global pandemics weren’t enough to reckon with, we are all just now thawing out from a freak February ice storm.  So in more ways than one, it seems completely apropos that eighth graders are currently steepedContinue reading “On Teamwork, Survival, & Homework that Energizes”

Blog authored by Emily Jones Even though I teach world history, my course, like many other “world history” classes, still favors Western history more heavily than any other area. I would blame that on my backgrounds in both Classics and medieval European history (it is true that I can provide a depth of knowledge inContinue reading “Textbook Transformation: Ninth Graders Address Bias in World History”

I first learned about Darin Maier’s City Video project the way I learn about most everything of worth on campus . . . in a google chat message from the fabulous Hollie Marjanovic: “You need to showcase Darin Maier’s city video project from his US History class!  I just watched one and it was awesome!!!!!!!! Continue reading “Darin Maier’s City Video Project: Teaching as Indigenous Creation”

One of our 2021 i2 New Year’s Resolutions is to get this blog active again, reinvigorated with regular bursts of faculty voices and ideas. But make no mistake.  The low quantity of verbiage in the Fall 2020 i2 blog in no way correlates with the quantity and quality of innovation that has been going on inContinue reading “Spreading the Love as We Wave Goodbye to 2020”

I swear, every single day of anything virtual seems to fall under epic fail in my classroom: Trip over a cord while in front of virtual and in-person kiddos? Check. Look into the wrong camera while asking students a question and they only see the back of my head? Check. Pencil sharpener going strong whileContinue reading “2020 Epic Fails”

Idea 1: Take some time to reflect on your role in helping students navigate these times. PD Café: Reflect on your role as a faculty member in challenging class conversations with these professional development questions/activities from the Fall 2016 issue of Teaching Tolerance . Teach 2016: This feature from the Fall 2016 issue of TeachingContinue reading “5 Big Ideas for Teaching & Learning During this Election Season”

We are a month in the 2020-2021 school year. It is almost impossible that we are truly one month in.  One year and one month ago we threw t-shirts out into a crowd of laughing faculty. “You get a t-shirt” we shouted. “Failure IS an option!” we shouted. “I2! INNOVATE. INSPIRE.” We sat next toContinue reading “i2: A Year in Review”

“We are rescued by love when someone bequeaths dignity, worth, recognition, gratitude upon us, encouragement for us because of who we are and what we do. We simply cannot grasp this alone: that we are precious, and amazing, and of inestimable value, unless this truth is mirrored into our being by another person. We needContinue reading “i2 Resources for You: Wellness Edition”

This year is going to be interesting. After looking at all the possibilities and combinations of plans, I built a mission statement. Resources are not unlimited. Time is in short supply. Making decisions requires clear and understandable guidelines. This year to be ready for what could happen the mission is for every workflow, resource, andContinue reading “i2 Resources for You: Innovation Edition”

“Every student in our classroom has the ability to engage with the material and ideas we present.  Allowing  choices and student agency in how they demonstrate their knowledge and abilities might just blow your mind–in a good way.  Research has shown again and again that those with learning issues that might prevent them from beingContinue reading “i2 Resources for You: Inclusivity Edition”

 “We as a faculty not only are teaching and preparing our students to be leaders in the world, but want them to know they are seen, valued, and heard in our classrooms. We want them to know that this is not just a safe space but it is also a brave space.”   -Sarah Spann,  DiversityContinue reading “i2 Resources for You: Diversity/Equity Edition”

I have three children, and, despite the fact that it has largely been debunked, I still find the literature on birth order fascinating.  And although middle children often get a bad rap, I have found that my cream-in-the-middle-of-the-oreo son has reaped all sorts of benefits from entering the world between two very opinionated sisters.  HeContinue reading “Playful Experimentation: Middle School Faculty Take On Virtual Learning”

In my past life, the one in which people called me Dr. Rust and visited my office hours and I was always grading-grading-grading, I would often lament the fact that my undergraduates in Jackson, MS were just so dang polite.  It wasn’t the repeated “Ma’ams” that made me feel ancient or the way people rushedContinue reading “Keeping it Real: Upper School Faculty Make Strides in Virtual Teaching & Learning”

Lately I’ve been having a lot of school dreams.  The plot lines are usually illogical and impossible to follow, but they have one thing in common: I am surrounded by lots of people with no need to concern myself with six feet of social distance.  Perhaps this means we are all ready for a tripContinue reading “Remembering Schooltopia: Fostering Inclusive Fifth Graders through Project-Based Learning & Collaboration”

In a historical moment when everything is shifting rapidly, it feels good to say that one thing has remained the same: I love free stuff.  And probably the most beautiful thing to come out of this terrible crisis is to see gatekeeper after gatekeeper of content (from audio books to premium workout videos) raise theirContinue reading “NOT ANOTHER LIST OF IDEAS!: Information Overload in the Era of COVID-19”

We have all been blown about by a myriad of feelings these past few weeks.  I have had moments of “Hurray! No more driving to soccer practice!” alongside moments of deep grieving as my children shed tears about long-awaited events floating into oblivion like dandelion fuzz dispelled by the wind.  Some moments the feelings intersected,Continue reading “What can we do now? We teach.”

Back in late October, we blogged about Emmi Sprayberry’s community-engaged reimagining of Graphic Design.  At that time, we emphasized the steps Emmi took to plan for such a course, and we ended the blog with students in the early stages of working in small groups to come up with products they hoped would impress (1)Continue reading “Graphic Design, (Re)Designed: How it all went down”

Several weeks ago, I got a very welcome email from Perry Goldsbury, 7th grade science teacher.  In it, he wrote: I wanted to share a quick story of student innovation with you . . . Currently in 7th grade science, the students are working on a presentation related to a nervous system disorder. One ofContinue reading “Making the Move from Teacher Innovation to Student Innovation: Face-to-Face Interviews Bringing Science to Life”

I first ran across the concept of “Vintage Innovation” in an email promoting John Spencer’s new book on the subject: The idea is simple and yet, at the same time, counter-cultural. Vintage innovation rejects simple binaries and the notion that innovation always looks shiny and digital and instead asserts that “sometimes the best way toContinue reading “The (Vintage) Innovation Exhibition”