Steve Isaacs

Steve Isaacs is a game design teacher at William Annin Middle School and Ridge High School in Somerset County, New Jersey.

Steve started his career teaching students with developmental disabilities in 1992. He was at a science and technology magnet school and quickly realized the great power in using technology and games to personalize the learning experience for his students. In 1996, he and his wife opened a technology training and gaming center with another couple in Liberty Corner, New Jersey. Their mission was to engage their students in meaningful creative uses for technology. This led to taking a position at a technology teacher at William Annin Middle School where he taught a variety of courses and ultimately created a game design and development program that now spans grades 7 through 12.

Steve on Powerful Learning:

What’s a strategy teachers can use to incorporate powerful learning?

“Student choice! When we provide students with choice in learning, we provide them with an opportunity to find, pursue, and nurture their passion!”

What’s one student project that demonstrates powerful learning?

“This is a link to a playlist of the student-created Rube Goldberg machines, which students created using Fortnite creative mode or Minecraft.”

What book has influenced your thinking on powerful teaching and learning?

“The Game Believes in You! by Greg Toppo. Greg points out the beauty and simplicity of the power in games as a learning tool. The book has so much great content, but the importance of understanding how games work as teaching tools (academic or otherwise) really is powerful.”

Ask me about:

“Reach out to me if you want to connect about game based learning, gamification, esports, Minecraft in education, XR (AR and VR) in the classroom, or the use of Fortnite Creative mode in school!”

Learn more about HP Teaching Fellows.