On the Blog…February 2022

In the Spring of 2020, we began an endeavour titled Code Breaker Presents. That summer, we held our first very Code Breaker Power Summit – a first for us, and a first in the pandemic-era professional learning space. The Power Summit was 3 full days of virtual learning across the globe, hosted over Zoom. 

In April 2021, We hosted our second annual Power Summit. Keynoted by Jennifer George, Legacy Director and granddaughter of Rube Goldberg. We hosted educational leaders across 5 continents for another 3 full days of incredible learning.

In the summer of 2021, we hosted our first hybrid event, Code Breaker Summer Camp. We hosted educators as far as Australia on various virtual platforms and in person at Whitman-Hanson High School in Whitman, Massachusetts. 

Our newest addition to the Code Breaker Presents series of events is DisruptED. DisruptED is our take on personal, professional learning. We are offering 3 different “courses” with monthly sessions beginning next week through to May, hosted by Charles Williams, Matthew X. Joseph, and Christine Ravesi-Weinstein. Visit www.codebreakeredu.com/DisruptED to find out more about each course.

Check out where #CodeBreaker will be this month!

New Partnership Announced…

This past month we excitedly announce our latest professional relationship with Wired Educator Consulting Inc.!

Wired Educator Consulting, Inc. is a publishing and educational learning network focused on transforming instruction and learning through inspiring and results-oriented professional learning and the publishing of podcasts, books, and other educational resources that help educators level-up and make a difference in the lives of students.

Like Code Breaker, Wired Educator is building a group of distinguished educators to make a global impact and celebrate and promote the work of the best in education.

READ THE FULL PRESS RELEASE BELOW

On the Blog…January 2022

New Year, Same You

Take some time as you ring in 2022 to look in the mirror and make a list of everything great about you! The goal to self-improvement is not the latest self-help book, finding cheerleaders, or changing who you are for others. Self-improvement comes from reflection, embracing your uniqueness, and empowering yourself to make mistakes, and learn from them.

“It’s okay to be where you are. It’s not okay to stay there.”

Brian Aspinall

Our Kid Collection Grows by Eight!

December saw the re-release of one of our favourites from the Code Breaker Kid Collection. Brian Aspinall and Deanna McLennan released a second edition of Think Like a Coder.

Coding is everywhere! Follow along with a girl and her dog as they explore computational thinking in their everyday activities. CCoding is everywhere! Follow along with Code Barker and his human as they explore computational thinking in their everyday activities. Readers will discover that so much of what they do everyday – cooking, playing, and even being outdoors – provides opportunities to explore and problem solve and most importantly, think like a coder! Pick up your copy today at www.CodeBreakerEDU.com/books.

Work hard and proudly recognize progress.
Reflect, adapt, and self-assess.
Courageously overcome challenges by
maximizing the power of YET.
Creatively persevere with a growth mindset. 

Erik Youngman released The Magic of Growth Mindset last month. His book, targeted at fourth to eighth grade readers, inspires us to focus on thinking, actions, and feelings to empower learning and improvement when encountering a misunderstanding, challenge, or mistake. Examples and questions empower courageous and reflective perseverance to identify new opportunities as well as changes to make. Rhymes help prepare readers to creatively and empathetically adapt with a growth mindset, while resiliently embracing challenges, adversity, and disappointment. Identify sentences you can read again for daily motivation, thus guiding your attention, adaptation, communication, reflection, and appreciation. Pick up your copy today at www.CodeBreakerEDU.com/books.

Meet hilton…a little boy with big dreams!

Have you ever imagined what you will be when you grow up? Hilton has. Have you ever wondered about all of the things you’ll need to do? Hilton has. Every night Hilton imagines what he will be when he grows up. Follow along in Matthew Woods’ six book series as Hilton discovers a new world every night!

Our Code Breaker Leadership Team Continues to Grow

Last month we welcomed three new members, Libo Valencia and Chey and Pav of the Chey and Pav show, to our growing team of leaders. Libo is a mathematics educator from New York. He is known for his use of different technologies to engage his students and bring math concepts to life. Chey Cheney and Pav Wander are two middle school teachers from Toronto, Canada with a passion for elevating and amplifying student voice while honouring students lived experiences and identity. Learn more about them and all of our Leadership Team at www.CodeBreakerEDU.com

December saw the launch of our newest imprint, X-Factor Publishing, headed by Dr. Matthew X. Joseph. The company’s first book, Stronger Together, was released shortly thereafter. Learn more about X-Factor at xfactoredu.org.

On the Blog…December 2021

Hello, December

On the Editor’s Desk…

Do you know Melissa Dean? If not, you need to! Melissa’s first book, Unschooled is on the editor’s desk this month. Stay tuned to our socials for release date updates.

“We all want our math classes to be bursting with dynamic, engaging, worthwhile learning experiences, and Melissa Dean shows you how to create this. Unschooled is her master class in how to level up, disrupt, and bring to life the experience of learning math.”

Allison Dillard | Math professor | Author
Host of Allison Loves Math Podcast

New on the Bookshelf

November saw the release of Fired Up Teachership by Michele Rispo Hill and Dr. Frank Rudnesky. We were met with rave reviews on this first release for Michele and second under Code Breaker for Frank. Dr. Christopher Jones, Educator, Speaker, and Author had this to say…

“Fired Up Teachership is an inferno! Dr. Frank Rudnesky and Michele Rispo Hill offer a roadmap to not only becoming a more balanced influential leader no matter your position, but does so in a step by step fashion so that the reader understands the bigger picture and is provided the tools to take inspired action! Starting with defining a passion that builds into the legacy you desire, Frank and Michele have filled these pages with Points to Ponder, personal anecdotes, and questions on which to reflect. If you are looking to level up by examining every aspect of your leadership from culturally responsive instructional spaces to community involvement you need to read this book. They not only say that “one of the biggest forms of identity theft is telling someone they cannot accomplish something,” but breathe life into the opposite by providing the means to achieve a level of servant and transformational leadership to which many strive.”

#CSEdWeek

December 6 – 12th, 2021 marks Computer Science Education Week. Called the largest learning event in history, Computer Science Education Week aims to get K-12 students excited about computer coding.

From CSEdWeek.org, The CSEdWeek theme this year highlights the impact that computer science is making everywhere and the relationship that computer science has to different subjects, industries, career paths, and our everyday lives. CS has helped unlock mysteries in math and medicine, it’s been used to create art. CS built your phone, the internet, your favorite games, movies, and tv shows. CS helped us eradicate diseases and enables us to explore the depth of space.

Computer Science is fundamental for student success. Studies show that those students who study computer science perform better in other subjects, excel at problem-solving and develop essential life skills that set them up for success! Share your #CSEdWeek activities all next week on Twitter with #CodeBreaker! And check out our socials for some great #CSEdWeek contests!

Happy Birthday Code Breaker

November 29th saw the fourth book birthday of the book that started it all! 4 years ago #CodeBreaker hit bookshelves across the globe!

From its author, Brian Aspinall, Four years ago today my dream of being a publisher author came to life. Today I am honoured, humbled and proud to have done the same for countless rockstar educators across North America and beyond.