Growing up in an Irish family outside of Boston, St. Patrick’s day was a special holiday – especially since my dad and his siblings are first generation Irish Americans.  One of our traditions … skipping school on March 17th and spending it together as a family.

March 17, 1977

This picture was taken on March 17, 1977. I’m sitting to the left of my dad, my sister to the right.  I was in the second grade, Diane in the 6th and we were attending a political breakfast with our dad.

At that point, in our lives, our mom cut our hair.  She meant well…  And even though my haircut made me look like a boy :o, the memory of this day classifies this as one of my favorite childhood photos.

In 1977,  call waiting wasn’t an option yet. Smart phones, personal computers, the internet, ipods and flat screen TV’s didn’t exist and being the youngest in the family, I was the remote control.

Fast forward a few years 😉  

It’s 2015.  Now that I live on the west coast, St. Patrick’s Day falls during my spring break. I still don’t have go to school and I’ll be celebrating with family. But times have changed. My children and students have grown up with the internet, ipods and smart phones.

Technology is a constant in our lives and should be in our classrooms.  A computer will never take the place of a teacher, but technology should be a partner in education.  A resource used regularly to enhance discussions, inspire inquiry and demonstrate understanding.  So to connect a beloved holiday with the future of education, I turn to technology (and Desmos) to wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!  or the  (2016 Animated Verison)

J.J. Martinez

I special thanks goes out to colleague, J.J. Martinez, for showing me how to fill in the shamrock leaves.  I knew how to shade in a circle and an ellipse but the leaves were created using two equations.  I struggled to find the correct command.

Being a true teacher, he showed me how to shade in one leaf.  I then took over to learn and practice.  As a result, I was able to finish the shamrock on my own and with my newly developed skills created the rainbow.