Today's Reads, Views, and Links

One of my favorite TV series is Connections by James Burke.  Burke happens to be one of my favorite authors and intellectuals.  Steven Johnson might well be his heir apparent.

PBS just announced that - much like they did with Connections years ago - they will be producing a series based off of Johnson's work.  The new series will be called How We Got to Now. I can't wait, but I'll have to since it won't debut until the fall of 2014.

Reading about the subject matter, you can tell that it's totally in sync with Johnson's work -

Topics explored in the series include why and how ideas happen, and their sometimes unintended results, including how the search for clean water opened the way to invention of the iPhone, and how the nagging problem of overheating in a New York printing business led to the invention of air conditioning, which inspired mass migration and a political transformation.

If you aren't familiar with Johnson's work, I highly recommend Everything Bad is Good for You (which we read in College Comp 2), Where Good Ideas Come From (also read in College Comp 2), The Ghost Map, Mind Wide Open, and The Invention of Air.

Here is the man himself in one of my all time favorite TED Talks -




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Angela Maiers is another one of my favorite writers and thinkers.

She shares a great blog post on Two Letters That All Students Should Receive.

What would our school culture look like if we wrote out students letters like this?

If you're not familiar with Maiers, here is a great TEDx Talk she gave.




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Millennials: How to Get Your Work Noticed

Here's the simple answer on how to get noticed (millennials, take a deep breath, it's nothing revolutionary and it's simple) - work hard.

Millennials, you’ll need to work hard to defy stereotypes and pithy predictions about who you are, and what you are or aren’t capable of doing.

So how can millennials overcome these obstacles?

The blogger refers us to someone named Seth Godin.  The linchpin himself!

(aside here - what I love about the internet and technology is that it awakens me to so many things I never knew before.  I recall for discovering this when I went to grad and through the internet and the on-line BSU library system, found and devoured the works of Tom Romano, Peter Elbow, and Donald Murray.  How could I ever have attempted to teach writing without reading about those guys?  I was just groping in the dark.  They threw a flood light on my practice and opened my eyes.  Now, in the past two years alone, I've discovered others that have permanently changed my thinking and teaching.  These folks have made me wonder how I could ever have attempted to do anything without their insights before?  Those people are Dave Murray, Jon Acuff, Seth Godin, Angela Maiers, Penny Kittle, Geoffry Canada, and Don Tapscott)

Sorry for that quick aside, but it just struck me now and I had to get it out.

Here's the master - Seth Godin -



2013/05 Seth Godin | Backwards from CreativeMornings on Vimeo.

And here is a link I just saw today on busting myths about the millennials in the workplace.


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I quickly sent the original link on the South Korean teacher who is earning up to $4 million a year because he is so sought after to our principal, asking him when I can expect my raise.

But all facetiousness aside, here is a clip asking the question - what can we learn from South Korea


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Amen, amen, amen, amen

How Teachers Can Stop Being Scared of Twitter

Not only is it first rate professional development (just look at where I found all of these stories!) and intellectual stimulation, but it is also a great way to model intellectual curiosity and what it means to be a life long learner and responsible digital citizen for our young students.

And here is a great infograph on 22 Simple Examples of Social Media in the Classroom.

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Speaking of being a responsible digital citizen, this Slide Share presentation is a great resource for that.

Digital Footprints - Managing Your Online Reputation from Susan M Bearden

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I'm using this one in College Comp I next year before we read The Element: 5 Essential Questions to Lead You to Your Calling.

And here they are.

What am I here to learn?
What am I here to teach?
What am I here to overcome?
What am I here to complete?
What am I here to express?

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Since I've been listening to music on headphones regularly since I was 10 years old, Kristie always reminds me of how deaf I'm becoming, but thanks to this test, I have the hearing of someone under 40.  Which is exactly where I am.  Until another seven days!