{"id":20,"date":"2007-03-16T13:08:29","date_gmt":"2007-03-16T13:08:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/infinitude.maherpages.net\/index.php\/about\/"},"modified":"2025-10-26T18:05:24","modified_gmt":"2025-10-26T18:05:24","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/infinitude.maherpages.net\/index.php\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve worked in history and education on both sides of the information revolution and on both sides of the teacher\/administration divide. When I started teaching in the mid 90s, we only had textbooks, what we could grab at the local library, and whatever worksheets the previous teacher left behind. Now, after 12 years as a teacher, 18 years as a K-12 Social Studies supervisor, and 35 years as a devoted reader of history, I\u2019ve seen how the digital age has transformed our relationship with information\u2014and widened the gap between how history is practiced as a discipline and how it\u2019s taught in schools. Infinitude is just thinking out loud about that disconnection and how we can fix it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Observations and opinions expressed on this site are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of any of my present or past employers or affiliated organizations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">        <div id=\"ep-gutenberg-content-76b3684fbf595348bc3507c956110c7c\" class=\"ep-gutenberg-content aligncenter ep-percentage-width   ep-content-protection-disabled\">\n            <div class=\"embedpress-inner-iframe emebedpress-unit-percent ep-doc-76b3684fbf595348bc3507c956110c7c\" style=\"max-width:600%\" id=\"embedpress-pdf-1750931566352\">\n                <div >\n                    <div class=\"ep-embed-content-wraper\"><div class=\"position-right-wraper gutenberg-pdf-wraper\"><iframe title=\"Public Resume\" class=\"embedpress-embed-document-pdf embedpress-pdf-1750931566352\" style=\"width:600%;height:600px; max-width:100%; display: inline-block\" src=\"https:\/\/infinitude.maherpages.net\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php?action=get_viewer&#038;file=https%3A%2F%2Finfinitude.maherpages.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F06%2FPublic-Resume.pdf#key=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\" frameborder=\"0\" oncontextmenu=\"return false;\"><\/iframe> <p class=\"embedpress-el-powered\">Powered By EmbedPress<\/p><\/div><\/div>                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Professional Development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embedpress-google-slides-block ose-google-docs-presentation\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/presentation\/d\/e\/2PACX-1vT9LNMLFDm-7E1FLfgDYszHMM-Z-cqj97otHIxr3LcFEXCxnEVwlVcw8iKmRvZQ1Su6NG2gGhbtP8mZ\/embed?start=false&amp;loop=false&amp;delayms=3000\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"502\" height=\"376\" allowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen=\"true\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embedpress-google-slides-block ose-google-docs-presentation\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/presentation\/d\/e\/2PACX-1vSs2j63EOwYryGrafWLgFc9qQI2iehTPLU_zU9RaOlyky9LUbKDUVWK6m-JnF0khLp1cRo1iOwbHynQ\/embed?start=false&amp;loop=false&amp;delayms=3000\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"502\" height=\"376\" allowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen=\"true\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embedpress-google-slides-block ose-google-docs-presentation\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/presentation\/d\/e\/2PACX-1vQ9KIQaFWcdVe1NhogCLbDWt5LMVgUpxE9FU7Enj3_84Ta5eVkBZE_YhmDY1Pm_I6IrxkmXELYEZg8j\/embed?start=false&amp;loop=false&amp;delayms=3000\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"502\" height=\"376\" allowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen=\"true\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embedpress-google-slides-block ose-google-docs-presentation\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/presentation\/d\/e\/2PACX-1vRhG_HS3obC0UDV5uDr9g1Vjt58BwSIh5yza0hRtLVwJtx5nJii9BN9TZUCIjEXRH0hxcE9XX3dDFZW\/embed?start=false&amp;loop=false&amp;delayms=3000\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"502\" height=\"376\" allowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen=\"true\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Appearances &amp; Presentations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-e7107938-c00c-48ae-b7ba-e853a239e2d0\">Frontline: Growing up Online &#8211; 2008<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:65%\">\n<p>The internet was just became accessible to teachers and students when I started teaching in 1996. Twelve years later I was fully enamored with all of the documents, maps, images and video that was suddenly available to us so I was an active advocate educational technology. When Frontline filmmakers visited my school about a feature documentary about growing up online, the administration directed them right to me. I still stand by some of the comments I made i<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/pages\/frontline\/kidsonline\/interviews\/maher.html#1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">n the interview<\/a>, but many of them sound quite na\u00efve almost 20 years later.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:35%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"nv-iframe-embed\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Frontline  Growing Up Online 1 22 2008\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WhAFHvHNSGo?start=623&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" id=\"block-9eb12bf2-6c66-4358-8427-749c22ad63a7\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-a484f2fe-3200-4fda-b94e-639984e5f1cc\">NJN Digital Classroom &#8211; 2009<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:65%\">\n<p>New Jersey&#8217;s &#8220;Classroom Closeup&#8221; program featured my school&#8217;s use of the NJN&#8217;s Digital Classroom in 2009. The articles and video clips available in the classroom fit well into AP European History and using them allowed students to develop an information literacy. In retrospect, we were right to recognize the need for students to process information more than simply remember it, but we couldn&#8217;t have forecast what AI would do to that equation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:35%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"nv-iframe-embed\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Digital Classroom\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BlcmeCMK42M?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" id=\"block-cade40bd-3c4f-41bf-ac87-aee8f9b9a0f1\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-d46cb0d1-a9aa-48f4-b323-97ee9ed93d9f\">Teaching about Religion in Social Studies 2017<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:65%\">\n<p>I worked with teachers to develop a 7th grade World Cultures and Geography lesson for the middle east unit that introduced students to the basic tenets, culture and practices of Islam, while also teaching them a critical thinking lesson about generalizations. The lesson taught about the five pillars of Islam and included music and videos about Islam. A couple parents raised questions about the lesson at a Board of Education meeting, then appeared on the Tucker Carlson program, one of them claiming that we were indoctrinating her son, trying to convert him to Islam. The national broadcast brought national attention and threats from across the country, then a lawsuit in federal court. At the next month&#8217;s Board Meeting I presented a review of the K-12 Social Studies program&#8217;s teaching about religion to an overflow crowd, detailing resources and lessons that met the requirements of the New Jersey Social Studies standards.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"nv-iframe-embed\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"SDOC BOE Meeting 3\/6\/17\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZkHadG3Pl1s?start=651&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" id=\"block-55a655d9-5942-4eda-b7f6-3b022c921bc3\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-91d7c3a0-53ae-473a-b27e-67b1b1698ea8\">Racial Issues &amp; Social Justice 2020<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>While school districts across the country were navigating the constantly shifting pandemic protocols of hybrid learning, many of us were also reeling from the murder of George Floyd and all of the curricular questions raised by diversity and inclusion. Questions from concerned students and parents were addressed through curricular presentations at Board of Education meetings. This presentation outlines the lessons, learning activities and instructional resources we use to have students explore issues of race and social justice in Social Studies from Kindergarten through 12th Grade.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"nv-iframe-embed\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Chatham BOE Meeting 11\/2\/2020\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1dCFFjf9iHg?start=2175&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019ve worked in history and education on both sides of the information revolution and on both sides of the teacher\/administration divide. When I started teaching in the mid 90s, we only had textbooks, what we could grab at the local library, and whatever worksheets the previous teacher left behind. Now, after 12 years as a&hellip;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/infinitude.maherpages.net\/index.php\/about\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Read More &raquo;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">About<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"on","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-20","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/infinitude.maherpages.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/infinitude.maherpages.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/infinitude.maherpages.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/infinitude.maherpages.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/infinitude.maherpages.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/infinitude.maherpages.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2331,"href":"https:\/\/infinitude.maherpages.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20\/revisions\/2331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/infinitude.maherpages.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}