Today's Reads, Views, and Links

Ahhh.  Summer. It's almost here.  That means more blog posts!

In honor of this year's graduation, here is a guide to this year's commencements speakers to watch. I could watch these (once they're posted to Youtube that is) all day. In fact, whenever I mow the lawn or drive anywhere alone, that's exactly what I do!  Well, I mean I listen to them. I don't actually watch them.

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Speaking of great commencement speakers, here is one that has gone viral.



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In some of my senior letters I tell my graduates that there is no better time to go to college than now (there are so many more opportunities to take part in, organizations to join, and connections to be made). I believe that, however, the main drawback is the vast cost.  This article outlines the dire economic situation millennials have as a result of their student debt.

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Here is an article from one of my favorite bloggers. Instead of initiating wholesale change, the author argues that sometimes it is the small incremental changes that have the biggest impacts.  This is true for me.  All it took about 7 years ago was for me to buy my first BlackBerry.  That sent small ripples throughout my teaching that led to major technological changes that happen in every one of my classes today.


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Here is a TED Talk from one of my favorite people on the planet: Simon Sinek.  This is his follow up to his classic "Start with Why" TED Talk.




Here is the actual footage of Captain Williams Swenson that Sinek mentions.

This is quite fittings as today is Memorial Day and what our soldiers do every single moment is nothing short of amazing.



In fact, I was reminded of that yesterday afternoon as I drove home from the store.  It was a very nice Sunday.  People were at the beach and out in their years.  As I drove home, I saw two young boys, maybe six or seven years old, turning the corner on their bikes. Each was carrying a fishing pole.  That, I thought with a smile, is what we all should be serving/fighting/working to protect.  That simple image of the two boys having the freedom and time to enjoy their youth biking to the river to fish is what (at least it seems to me) is what America is all about.