Today's Reads, Views, and Links

One of the best bloggers out there is Larry Ferlazzo.  Here is a link to Some Questions He Uses for Class Closing Activities.  I need to do a better job at this.

These are the three I want to start using more in my classes, especially my Lit and Lang 9R class

* How does something you learned today connect to what you already knew?
* How did it extend your thinking further?
* What questions do you still have?

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Here's a blog post - aimed at New York city teachers, but applicable to us all - that I found inspiring.  The author offers some tips on how to keep your chin up and to stay in tune with what I call your Noble Teaching Purpose (in Simon Sinek's world this is your "why").

* Read and get informed
* Practice your talking points
* Get inspired
* Show off and be proud of your many accomplishments
* Find strength in numbers
* Make time for play, and joy, and being creative
* Ask for help and support when you need it
* Sometimes you need to go on a march

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"The war between natives and immigrants is ending. The natives have won."

CNN asks the question - What does it mean to be a digital native?

I love the new terms "Digital Stupidity" and "Digital Poverty."

It's a crazy and amazing time in which we live.  And teach.

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I love digital essays.  This one is very relevant to our kids today.  It focuses on one of the biggest playmakers in college football, USC wide receiver, Marqise Lee.

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The Future of Education.  Click here for the full infograph.

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Another photo essay, this one on the topic of bore tides. What topics can we focus on specific to NW MN and our special events or traditions?

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This reminds me of one of my favorite lines: "If you don't like change, you're going to hate extinction."

The BBC recorded a train ride.  Then they recorded the same train ride 30 years later.  Then they recorded it again 60 years later.  Amazing.

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The Future of Technology in Schools?

I sure hope not!

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Practical suggestions from one of my favorites, Marc Prensky (if you haven't read his "Engage Me or Enrage Me," you're missing out).

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I think we can all use a little of this in our classrooms: Happiness.

Here are the five steps this blogger suggests for achieving happiness in the classroom.

1. Be yourself.
2. Act the way you want to feel.
3. Remember to be grateful.
4. Forget about results.
5. Ask for help.

I don't know if all five of those will necessarily work, but I think you absolutely have to be yourself.  Your classroom - as far as I'm concerned - has to ooze your personality.  Make it an interesting place for students to spend at least five hours a week.

I think forgetting about results is vital too.  The more we focus on the tests and teaching to them and prepping for them and all that other stuff, the more we move away from connecting with kids and making an impact on them.  If you do the latter, you can teach kids almost anything.  If you just focus on raising scores, you'll teach them nothing.  And that's why ever since NCLB began the scores haven't risen (and in most cases when they have, there's been cheating involved).

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I love this blog.  There are so many cool ideas for assignments.  There is just so much to steal here.

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Finally, one of my favorite people in education, Will Richardson at TEDx in Melbourne