Bold School: Old School Wisdom + New Technologies = Blended Learning That Works 2017

by Icle Icle (Preparation)

Endorsed by John "Bold School...needs to be an essential part of every educator's toolbox." Technology is awesome. Teachers are better. Blending new technologies into instruction is a non-negotiable if we are to help our students gain the skills they'll need to thrive in careers. And so too is educators' old school wisdom in planning intentional blended learning that works . Too often, sincere enthusiasm for technologies pushes proven instructional strategies to the wayside, all but guaranteeing blended learning that is all show and no go. Bold School is a book that restores teachers to their rightful place in effective instruction. Bold School thinkers embrace B lended pedagogies and Old school wisdom. In Bold School, teachers are put back into the blended learning equation. Blended learning is demystified and distilled into the powerful, yet simple Bold School Framework for Strategic Blended Learning(TM)--a methodology to help you meld purposeful technology use with your old school wisdom to enhance instruction and learning. After all, the goal of blended learning isn't technology--it's student achievement. With a Bold School mindset, every teacher is capable of finally delivering on the promise of blended learning.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Professional Development, Teaching

240 pages, Paperback

Published December 11, 2025

Reviews

[Zach Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot of really solid information and ideas for how to properly and successfully implement technology into "old school" teaching methods and learning environments. The book is split into two main parts:
Part 1) Kieschnick explains his overarching ideas relating to his coined term "Bold School" (a hybrid of "blended" learning and "old school"), breaks down some of the myths and spotlights some of the truths related to blended learning, and gives an overall framework for how to implement and successfully use the ideas of "bold school". The main emphasis being that technology should be incorporated into teaching only in that it accentuates the learning that is already taking place and is not implemented for its own sake.
Part 2) The second section is focused on giving specific examples of how to incorporate technology and blended learning into some of the most successful "old school" teaching methods. Kieschnick draws from his experiences working with teachers in order to give a real world application to the theories and ideas he presents in the first part of the book. Each chapter is devoted to a different instructional strategy, and is concluded with an example lesson plan for how to skillfully incorporate blended learning into the lesson.

As far as non-fiction reading goes, Kieschnick's sense of humor and movie references make this an entertaining read. Paired with the short chapters, this allows for a quick read that doesn't leave the reader feeling bogged down with all that information that is packed inside.

This book would be most useful for new teachers who are starting out and developing their own style and style of teaching, or teachers who have been teaching for a while and are having trouble finding inspiration or ideas to successfully incorporate technology into their lessons.

[Nolan Brewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good starter book for those interested in blended learning strategies. Kieschnick presents "Bold School" as his unique take on integrated learning lessons. Specifically, he uses "old school" methodology with a proven track record and augments its potentiality by implementing various technologies into the lesson plan. For those of us not from an educational background, this book is logically laid out and his writing is clear and digestible. What I found particularly useful from this title is his focus on what I would describe as case studies in the second half of the book. Here, Kieschnick draws upon his years of classroom experience, describing specific examples of individual teachers using standard "old school" methodologies in their instruction. He takes apart each lesson and introduces new technologies to better achieve the learning objective. Each case study ends with a newly formed "Bold School" plan. Overall, this is a good read for those interested in learning about new technologies and blended learning.

[Jenn the Librarian · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book may have some good ideas, but it’s sexist and condescending tone are major turn-off.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bold School: Old School Wisdom + New School Technologies = Blended Learning That Works by Weston Kieschnick is an engaging, insightful, and empowering resource for teachers looking to employ blended learning in their classrooms. As the title suggests, Kieschnick (2017) rejects the idea that old teaching methodologies must be thrown away in order to be a successful 21st century educator. Instead, he cleverly uses real world examples along with illustrations from popular TV and film to describe how tried and true teaching practices can be combined with new technologies to create effective blended learning instruction.
Kieschnick (2017) begins by dispelling some myths and highlighting some truths around blended learning. In the myths section, he discusses the idea that kids are digital natives and points out that “Where they might be able to teach you how to navigate through a certain device’s functionality, you still hold the keys when it comes to using technologies productively, smartly, and with purpose” (Kieschnick 2017). Just because a student can use a smartphone, doesn’t mean they can properly utilize the internet for research purposes. The truths focus on the idea that our teaching skills are not obsolete and that we should not be using technology for technology’s sake. He asserts that “instructional practices, pedagogy, and academic outcomes must drive technology decisions”. Kieschnick (2017) goes on to describe a formula for effective blended learning that starts with an academic goal, then the teaching strategy, and lastly the technology tool, ensuring that the technology supports the desired academic outcome. In this model, he also emphasizes the need for self-evaluation, pointing out that mistakes should be expected and valued as learning experience. “Bold schoolers do not run. We learn.” (Kieschnick 2017). He encourages teachers to not be afraid to make mistakes and recommends the use of the SAMR model or other evaluation frameworks to assess the effectiveness of blended lessons.
The remainder of the book highlights some established teaching practices and explains how to turn these into blended learning. Beginning with Questioning/Socratic Seminar, Kieschnick (2017) recommends scripting questions ahead of time to insure multiple levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy and utilizing technologies such as Kahoot!, TodaysMeet, or Socrative to allow students to respond anonymously in real time. Regarding vocabulary instruction, he affirms that it must be formal, structured, and taught in context. In addition, he stresses the necessity of picturing in vocabulary acquisition and suggests having students do a Google image search to come up with examples and non examples. Contrary to much of current thinking, he supports the use of direct instruction, but suggests that it only be used to each new knowledge. As with Socratic Seminar, various technologies can be employed to check for understanding. Kieschnick (2017) goes on to describe best practices for using peer tutoring, concept mapping, worked examples, student self-assessment, reciprocal teaching, and problem solving. He concludes with a discussion on spaced vs. mass practice. How can we get through all the content while also providing students the necessary time to review and refresh their learning? Kieschnick (2017) suggests the station rotation model, so that “as students learn new material, they can go deeper into it to support comprehension, while also revisiting past concepts to support and sustain retention”.
As someone who often finds it difficult to slog through informational text, I found this book to be extremely engaging. Kieschnick’s somewhat casual writing style along with the use of numerous pop-culture references as illustrations allows him to be simultaneously entertaining and informative. Beyond that, his message that old school practices are still valuable and can be transformed into blended learning truly resonated with me. He acknowledges that teachers are being asked to do things that most have not been adequately trained to do and gives us permission to try, fail, learn, and try again. He also provides detailed examples and descriptions of various practices. I consider this book to be a valuable resource moving forward and will be keeping it close by as I plan my blended learning lessons!
Weston Kieschnick is highly regarded for his leadership in the field of education. He is a former social studies teacher, assistant principal, department chair, and dean of education. He has been published in Education Week, Ed-Tech Magazine, and various other education publications. Kieschnick currently serves as Senior Fellow at the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE). In this role, he coaches school districts in the implementation of blended learning methodologies. School districts under his guidance have earned national recognition for their work in blended learning. In addition, Weston hosts a weekly podcast discussing various topics in education through the lens of iconic TV and movies.

Works Cited:
Kieschnick, W. (2017). Bold school: Old school wisdom new school technologies = blended learning
that works. Rexford, NY: International Center for Leadership in Education.

Teaching Keating [Audio blog post]. (2019). Retrieved June 28, 2019, from https://www.podcasts.com/teaching-kea...

[Carmel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a lot of new information here. Yes, blended learning. Yes, schools need to rocket themselves into the next century while staying true to the things that have worked since the beginning of teaching. The “how” remains somewhat unclear.

One of the biggest faults of the book was trying to stretch across disciplines. I think that technology as applied to an ELA classroom will look different than technology applied to another subject area. There is some crossover, sure, but since most secondary teachers teach only one, maybe two, subjects—reading anything that won’t work for your classroom just feels like... work.

That said, lots of nuggets to be found in the book if you’re willing to sift through the stuff that doesn’t apply to you. It would be interesting to hear him speak to a room full of educators about one subject area and hear his best practices in a short speech.

Book alike: Talk Like Ted provides some great ideas about incorporating technology into speeches (aka: direct instruction) that I found much more useful.

[Beth Lind · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the practicality of the lessons in this book. We will be using some of these ideas this upcoming school year.

[Kellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emphasis is back on the teacher and technology is a tool for instruction. Many have forgotten that direct instruction has the most impact on student.

[Nikki Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!!!


"Have clarity about your strengths. Double down on those strengths and work diligently to fill in the gaps."

"Learning is King. Growth is Queen. "Cool" is the court jester. The jester is technology. And the jester has value, but don't him in charge of the kingdom."

"Technology is awesome. Teachers are better."

[Karen Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bold School: Old School Wisdom + New School Technologies=Blended Learning that Works by Weston Kieschnick is a book I highly recommend for public school staff who are age and experience diversified. In his book, Kieschnick provides tools to transform teaching and learning in today’s schools. Because education is changing at a rapid rate, this book provides the perfect combination of pedagogy and technology. Kiechnick mixes educational theory with logical and updated real world applications.

This book is structured so that each chapter has a teaching strategy (with Hattie's effect size and focusing on best teaching practices) and marries them with technology to increase and enhance student learning. Each chapter looks at specific instructional models and shows how technology can be implemented to enhance those same models.

Two concepts Kieschnick really brings to the forefront is that technology will NEVER replace a teacher in the classroom. In his own words, “Any blended learning initiative that doesn’t give the wisdom of teachers at least 51 percent market share will fall flat-guaranteed.” In a society where teachers are constantly under the microscope, Kieschnick’s book reminds readers that without those same effective teachers, student learning would be ineffective.

Secondly, even though this book seems repetitive at times, I feel it really can be helpful for teachers to be reminded of their purpose in the classroom. It is a fact that people retain knowledge more effectively when they are reminded systematically and in various ways. As humans, we remember what is repeated, and this is so very true for education. Weston Kieschnick’s Bold School is great for any teacher looking for ways to use technology as a tool for enhancing solid teaching models.

[Jessica Liew · Rating 1 out of 5]

Took me forever to get through this book. The highly structured format made every chapter and strategy feel the same. I don't know that I was the primary target for a book like this, so I didn't get much out of it. I feel like this is a book for people who know they should be using technology in their teaching, but who are resistant to changing their teaching style to get the most out of technology. I think it would also be suitable for those who have avoided making such changes because they don't consider themselves to be techie.

Personally, a lot of the strategies proposed in this book feel like lateral moves to me. Not quite as bad as simply taking the paperwork sheet and putting it online, but not much better. I really believe that technology should be incorporated into the classroom in ways where the technology meaningfully enhances the learning. I think some of these techniques could probably be used to encourage meaningful blended learning, but most don't feel like bold changes despite the claims to be bold school.

Speaking of bold school, the author loved to constantly bring up that phrase. It got quite irritating after a while. As did the cheesy cartoons that went along with the tips in each chapter.

[Echo · Rating 5 out of 5]

My school invited Mr. Kieschnick to come and speak to us on one of our professional development days and I liked what he had to say, so I read the book. Now I LOVE what he has to say! THIS is what teachers (and their districts) REALLY need to be working toward. Kieschnick’s ideas build and teacher strengths and strategies to incorporate technology and make everything about school better. The technology never replaces the teacher and never interferes with the learning, it simply makes it a little easier and a little more accessible. His love of teaching and his experience in the classroom is evident on every page. This is not a book written by someone who only theorizes how their strategies will work, it is written by someone who has tried them over and over until they are refined. From using Hattie’s scale to measure the effectiveness of teaching strategies, to using real-life classroom examples that you could actually build a lesson plan out of, this is a book that real teachers can USE tomorrow. Highly recommend!!!!!!

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concept of blended learning is nothing new, nor is the conversational approach to educational writing. Weston Kieschnick combines both in a series of personal vignettes, recommended strategies, and real world, real classroom examples. I like the emphasis on simplifying the use of technology as opposed to using it for its own sake, and his assertion that traditional instruction is still a vital part of a modern classroom. His simple but detailed charts for planning processes are helpful and serve as a convenient method of evaluating current plans as well as developing new ones. Chapters are short and direct. This is a great read for teachers new to the one-to-one environment, and perhaps even for technologically experienced teachers looking for new ideas on how to properly integrate those skills in the classroom.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Blended" is a big buzzword in education right now, and schools and districts strive to be technologically progressive. The problem is that the zeal for technology overpowers research-based learning strategies. Humans still learn in the same way--it's the tools that are changing. Unfortunately, the tools are being confused for strategy. This book takes on that problem by putting the strategy at the forefront and technology in the support role.

This is a quick read full of ideas and resources. I like the organization--each chapter is a research-based strategy and specific tech tools to support it. I found things I could start using the next day, and it informed my approach entering this school year.

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book introduced to us by our principal at the beginning of the year. With schools shut down due to COVID, educators were thrown into learning how to teach remotely with a lot of technology we weren't familiar with. The author does a great job reminding us that teachers are still the best resource that students have and that technology is simply a tool to use to enhance good teaching practice and strategies. I really like how he walked through many different good teaching strategies that have always worked and then showed us what technology tool would fit for enhancing that strategy. He then gives us an example of how it would work in a classroom.

Overall it was a great book with lots of good ideas to try.

[Larry Jarocki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really disappointed with this one. It seems more like an article than full read. Like a Malcolm Gladwell book, it's got one idea that gets extended through too many examples. Here, the idea that we need to base teaching in good practice and then add the tech is a good one, but too often the chapters devolve into descriptions of apps. My favorite was the chapter on how to teach vocab more effectively. His advice? Use Google Images to find pictures to use in your class. Wish I'd thought of that one....
I do agree that we tend to fetishize tech too much in teaching, but that idea doesn't need to be spread over this many pages. Here's a case where the summary is better than the book itself.

[Kyle Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very practical and informative guide to blended learning from a person who understands the research and knows the pedagogy and tech tools very well. I have some minor qualms with Hattie's effect sizes, but the strategies he chose from all that are pretty much the right ones for a book meant to reach all subjects. I used to teach curriculum and methods classes to teacher ed. students, and there is a great deal of overlap between the strategies I taught them and what Kieschnick includes here. I have also benefitted from the services of the ICLE, so I trust publications with their name on it. If you are a teacher, I highly recommend this book!

[Tonya Pember · Rating 5 out of 5]

Educators; If you only have time to read ONE professional book this year, make it this one. Teachers are bombarded with information and excellent resources but working teachers cannot find time for this type of reading unless given opportunity to use if for formal PD. Weston Kieschnick's Bold School book is a MUST. The author truly gives practical advice on blending what teachers know works with technology and updated ideas. Every bit of it is backed by current research. This retired teacher would like to go back into the classroom with this information.

[Bob Lendzinski · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author is condescending throughout the book with section titles like, "What Mark needed to learn...". He has a clear attitude throughout the book, making it hard to get through.

Some of the strategies seem to be worth trying, but he also does not provide alternatives. For example, he suggests for one activity that students use Twitter to communicate with the teacher; however, some families do allow their students to use Social Media. He also does not give a reason why using Social Media is a worthwhile strategies.

[Frank Dahlman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is full of easy to follow principles for creating a blended learning environment. He has a great focus on keeping what already works, and enhancing the power of strategy with tech tools where they are helpful. Most importantly he tells us not to get dazzled by the bells and whistles of technology, but to always focus on the targeted learning. This is a great resource for teachers of any grade level in any content area.

[Rheetha Lawlor · Rating 4 out of 5]

For an instructional book, this one was fairly entertaining as well as informative. Blended learning which shows that old school methods are not to be thrown away in the wake of technology, but to use technology as a tool rather than the glitz of apps, computers, tablets. Weston (because I have no idea how to say his last name) incorporates movies to relate to each instructional strategy, and the best part is that they are all 80's and 90's references. So I got it.

[Heather Stringham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an amazing way to see how you can add technology to any classroom and change the course of typical education. I appreciated the way he spoke of different education strategies and incorporated how technology would add to the strategy. It gave me many ideas of how to be a better educator.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bold School is refreshing because it offers tools and ideas to add to what I already use in my classroom. In fact, much of what was mentioned is something that I already use. The aspect that I need to work on is using technology to create. And thankfully, this book isn’t putting pressure on me to use technology all the time, but for purposeful reasons. I know I can handle that!

[Gena Lott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic "how-to" for teachers who want to implement the best technology into the classroom without sacrificing the best of the "Old School" teaching techniques that we all know and use. Kieschnick is obviously a Master Master Teacher and his examples, stories and suggestions resonate with anyone willing to try the 21st century approach to teaching. Can't recommend it enough!

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weston has a wonderful style; reading his book is like having a conversation. And his comments make sense - concentrate on the teachers and what they do best, then see how to use technology to make those practices even more effective.

[Freddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how he introduced the tech as a tool to implement the STRATEGY you chose first.
He gives good examples of how to implement the tool as real blended learning rather than as a substitute.
There are some things I'd struggle to implement.

[Boni Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After being out of the elementary classroom for 11 years, this was a great book to help me get updated. Lots has changed, particularly technology and I like how the book recognizes the value of old school methods while enhancing them with new technologies.

[Trish Bodine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best PD ever! I read this twice before posting I read it. First time was to read it; second time, I marked it up! I would recommend to ANYONE wanting to effectively blend technology into their classroom strategies!

[Meghan Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book will be helpful in my classroom but the long anecdotes in the beginning of each chapter were kind of annoying. I skipped the analogies to movies and tv shows and focused on the stories from real classrooms.

[Nate Balcom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book #8 of my #30BookSummer Challenge!
The perfect read for the COVID summer of 2020. Great strategies for maximizing what's already going well in your classroom and innovating with digital tools. But mostly a book about GREAT teaching!

[Tweller83 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real-world, practical, things you can do in your classroom tomorrow. Took me so long to read because I resented having to read it when I worked so many hours, I wanted to read for pleasure. Totally my own bias. This book is fantastic and I look forward to reading his second one. Highly recommend!