We’ve been creating a steady stream of new products for educator and students. An e-book titled "Passion Matters" Our toolkit for transforming school culture, "Mattering IS the Agenda" A "class" on Remind.com that enables you to regularly receive "You Matter" messages. Coming soon will be more ways to experience our content, such as slide decks, videos and e-courses. Our email newsletter keeps you abreast of our new products, as well as: My most recent posts. My calendar looking forward, with conferences I’ll be at and where. Content from my archives, on teaching literacy, #You Matter and professional development Sign-up below for our newsletter and get your free eBook "Passion Matters." Of course, you’ll be able to easily unsubscribe at any time. I look forward to expanding our conversation! Angela

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On September 7, I was the guest for a Twitter Chat titled, "When People Know They Matter It Changes Everything," live from the Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation’s Transform 2014 Conference. It was so affirming to be invited to attend this conference. Nearly all of the speakers who preceded the Twitter chat referenced how vital it is to a person’s well being to have a sense of mattering or purpose. During the chat, we discussed some of the research on the health benefits of knowing that #YouMatter. Find the conversation on Twitter via #TXFMCHAT Here is a link to all of the Tweets that I sent or that responded to something I wrote. Here are the resources that we shared: Video: Angela Maiers Explains #YouMatter 33 Tweets That Tell How #YouMatter is Transforming Schools and Changing Lives. Excerpt from "Mattering IS the Agenda." "12 Things Kids Want From Their Teachers." "People Know They Matter When…." A scholarly article on the history of research on mattering. Our post on "The Science of Mattering." Article: "A Sense of Purpose Strengthens the Immune System." "Experts who examine these troubling youth trends say…adults have undermined the normal, healthy process of youthful exploration, engagement, risk-taking and idealism through overprotective, over-involved parenting, teach-to-the test schools, and a hyper-competitive, commercialized college admissions process…youth who feel pressured to adopt unfulfilling, short-horizon goals and meet ever-greater expectations along a narrowly defined path to success, without due regard to their own inclinations, health or well-being." Driven to Succeed: How We’re Depriving Teens of a Sense of Purpose. "Teenagers who are given responsibilities relevant to their world have fewer behavioral problems than those who did not." The Truth About Teenagers. "There is ever-increasing data that show that when we care for others and feel close to them, we improve our own health and even our longevity. We are designed to care and to connect. By helping others we help ourselves." - The Science of Compassion "When the impossibility of replacing a person is realized, it allows the responsibility which a man has for his existence and its continuance to appear in all its magnitude. A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life. He knows the "why" for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any "how." - Victor Frankl, Man’s Search For Meaning; excerpted in There’s More to Life than Being Happy, The Atlantic. In a survey of young people in the UK, 9% agreed with the statement: "I have nothing to live for." - Study: Young people ‘feel they have nothing to live for’ "When individuals adopt what we call a meaning mind-set — that is, they seek connections, give to others, and orient themselves to a larger purpose — clear benefits can result, including improved psychological well-being, more creativity, and enhanced work performance. Workers who find their jobs meaningful are more engaged and less likely to leave their current positions." -  Millennial Searchers  ****** Do you want to know more about how to use words to encourage, inspire and challenge, to change and save lives? See below for information on our toolkit that curates the best of Angela Maiers’ #YouMatter work. As a young teacher, Angela Maiers had an epiphany: people need to matter. They need to be noticed, valued, and honored. Ever since, the "You Matter" message has been changing hearts, minds, and lives. This toolkit curates the best of Angela’s "You Matter" content. It offers a low-cost, high-energy professional development day or retreat, and can be used every day, all year long. It includes an invitation to an exclusive webinar on creating a You Matter culture in your organization. Purchase "Mattering IS the Agenda - A Toolkit for Transformation" below. It includes: Videos of three You Matter-themed keynote presentations by Angela Maiers. A collection of articles on the topic. Links to outstanding writing by other leading voices. Field-tested workshop activities. Digital files for creating reproducible materials such as t-shirts, posters and cards. Examples of "You Matter" activities that have been held at schools and companies. Sample agendas for a professional development day. An invitation to a 90-minute live Webinar, including an extended Q&A, hosted by Angela Maiers and others. Please email MarkMoranMES@Gmail.com with questions about volume pricing or using a purchase order. Individual License - $39.00 School License (for use by one school) - $139.00 Organizational License (for use at a single location) - $249.00          

Do you know someone who is exceptionally innovative in their approach to education? Is there an organization or product that is having a substantial impact on the way technology supports learning? Then it’s time to give them proper recognition! The EdTech Digest Awards recognize the people and products reshaping the way we learn. The awards are divided into three categories: Cool Tool Awards Trendsetter Awards Leadership Awards Subcategories further recognize specific accomplishments, including everything from the best edtech blogger to the breakout mobile app for middle school students, and much more. Visit EdTech Digest’s Awards Program for more information and to submit your nomination. Submissions are due by Sept. 30, so don’t wait to nominate!  

The new school year is in full swing, and the jitters of the first couple weeks are subsiding. Students know which classes to go to when, and teachers are calling on students without glancing at the class roster (at least not too often). With procedures and protocols out of the way, I am reminded of one of the most essential jobs we have as educators: helping each child become all he or she can be.  It’s an exciting and challenging task—and a terrifically rewarding one. My challenge to my fourth graders from the beginning of the year: What is your genius? What is your contribution to the world?  How will you help others feel like "They Matter"? As each year starts, students and I have the opportunity of many "firsts." Each student is creating his/her own "verse" on a daily basis.  The first few weeks of school have set the tone for the entire year. Continuing to build a relationship with each child is so important as teachers embark upon a journey of a new year. Our team started off by watching Angela Maier’s video from this summer You Matter!  They sat silent and glued to the screen as she shared her passion. After watching the video students had lots of questions and comments. Madison - "What does contribution mean?" Brie - "I am not a genius. I don’t know what I can share." Eme - "Can I share more than one genius?" Peyton - "Can my genius be in sports?" Jaxon - "Will we be bragging?" Our fourth grade team decided it would be wonderful to share their genius with others. Ava thought we might be able to inspire others.  They each wanted to create and share their genius with the world.  So I kept my mouth closed and let them create. Before they began, we watched another video that is a commercial for the iPad.  It has become one of my favorites.  Even though it is really for the iPad Air itself, I love the idea of what "verse" the students will create.  What Will Your Verse Be? They began creating, collaborating, and sharing.  It is simply amazing what each of them contributed.  Each student used Notability to create his/her genius.  What they created was added to our classroom movie that we made (see video at the bottom of the page). Then our fourth grade team came up with a brilliant idea!  They worked in small groups and created Movie Trailers sharing the significance of "You Matter"!   They also wrote Bio-Poems. Below is an example of what two fourth graders wrote.   Our fourth graders collectively created a movie that represents our belief in making a difference in the world.  It is an awesome theme for our school year. How can we make a difference? There are myriad ways students can make their passion for change a reality, as shown by the many projects from these students at a school in California:  2014 #20Time Projects in 4 Minutes.  Our fourth grade team will continue to share throughout the year on Twitter and on my blog.  I hope our work will inspire change in your classroom, and will inspire you to share your students’ "verses" with the world. Monica Evon is a fourth grade teacher at Bellevue Elementary in Bellevue, NE. To keep up with her class, you can follow her blog here, and she is on Twitter at @mrsevon1.

Schools have a standardized system and protocols in place for every aspect of student learning — except one: Schools have no system at all in place to teach students how to bring about change in the world. Few, if any, schools offer a set of lessons and practices that guides students through the process of how to approach a problem, insist that change can happen and make it so. If we believe that today’s students are society’s change agents, creators of innovations that will disrupt the status quo and transform our world, then we need our classrooms to be a place where they experience the changemaking process. Over the past year, at 8 Choose2Matter LIVE events throughout the country, I have had the honor and privilege of helping 15,000 change-makers realize their potential and extend their reach and ability to make an impact in the world. I now know unequivocally that all children can be inspired, equipped and mobilized to make a difference in the world, if they understand and are taught the following lessons: 1. You Must Own and Share Your Genius When we spoke these following words to students: "YOU ARE A GENIUS and the WORLD NEEDS YOUR CONTRIBUTION," we were not just saying it to make them feel good. Each and every one of us has an opportunity and an obligation to take this message to heart. Our talents and skills are not intended only to be used for our own good. They’re meant to be shared as an offering to the world. A gift in the truest sense of the word. Answering the question, "What is my genius?" holds out the promise of achieving both power and impact. 2. Vulnerability is Power. At every Choose2Matter LIVE event, every student, teacher, mentor and speaker had the opportunity to tell their story. We listened to story after story of failure, of fear, of humility, of embarrassment, of projects gone wrong, of an idea not turning out as planned or desired. Yet, time after time, these so-called "failures" were in fact life-defining lessons, teachings that led to a transformative experience, a new life purpose and hard-earned success. It’s only when we expose our darkest fears and our greatest mistakes that true growth occurs. 3. Don’t Follow Your Heart — Follow Your Heart Break Rather than stressing about finding our elusive "passion," we embraced an attitude of compassion. Operating much like its close cousin, compassion opens us up to feeling others suffering so we can make ourselves useful to them in their moment of need. Perhaps it should not be surprising that the word compassion derives from the Latin root com and passio, as well as the Greek word patheia. Taken together, this literally translates as "[to] suffer with affection." In a process we call "HeartBreaking Mapping," we strategically and empathetically explored the suffering happening in the world and worked together to discover ways we could use our talents and genius to be useful to those in need. See this post and also this post for more information. 4. Passion Matters The world is not changed by people who sort of care. The world is not changed by learners who sort of learn. The world is not changed by leaders who sort of lead. Sort of caring will get you run over by someone who actually does care. Sort of learning is the path to ignorance-a road that starts comfortably enough, but soon leads to disengagement and despair. Who changes the world? People who are fiercely passionate The world is changed by people who are fully and completely, relentlessly sometimes, unreasonably committed to something they love. People with the focus and excitement to bound through the inconveniences and over obstacles. When you’re passionate about your work and about the people you are doing your work with and for, there are no limits to what is possible. Nothing in this world has ever or will ever be accomplished without passion. Download my free e-book, "Passion Matters," with all of my best free content about passion in the classroom. Also see the landing page for my book, The Passion Driven Classroom. 5. Take Your Ideas Seriously — We Do If students have an idea, however big or small or crazy or epic or ridiculous, we asked that they write it down, pursue it and most importantly, share it with others. Sharing your idea and asking for help can change everything. We practiced sharing our needs and gives and used every new and emerging technology to ensure this happened. 6. You can’t do this alone. (Seriously, you CAN’T do this alone). We are smarter together. Anyone that’s built a thriving business or led a successful project knows this already. You need to surround yourself with people who make you fulfilled, that make you smarter, that support you when you succeed and love you when you fail, that constantly push you to be the best you can be. Collaboration is disruptive - it’s replacing competition as the new way to work. To demonstrate the power of community, we invited our network to join us. Business Innovation Factory and other partners have provided a community of entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs, innovators, artists, teachers, mentors and friends, united in the pursuit of self-potential and social impact. When students understood that their community had their back, everything changed. 7. Dwell in Possibility Realize the impact you could have. Embrace the possibility, the insane possibility that you can make a difference in the world. These are powerful possibilities that are difficult for the average citizen, let alone the average high school student, to take seriously. The moment students began to dwell in the possibilities, they were capable of so much more than they had given themselves credit for. This was the moment creativity was unleashed. This new belief becomes contagious. And that’s when responsibility set in. Students started to realize their ideas, those possibilities are not just there to casually dream. They had responsibility to work collaboratively, honor all contributions and not let one idea or dream be held back. 8. Once you make an impact, you can’t go back.  I cannot tell you the joy I experienced watching these young learners and leaders working together as a community of intention, engagement, passion and love; with the mission of becoming their best selves, living the lives they were meant to live and creating positive social change. I cannot explain the feeling of gratitude and pride I felt knowing that the work we did in this past year directly impacted the way students (and myself, and other mentors and staff) see their lives and what they are capable of achieving in this world. And now that I’ve felt that, and having known 100 percent what it feels like day after day to NOT be making a direct impact in anyone’s life, I know we cannot go back to teaching and learning without meaning. We refuse to. Until we can ensure these lessons are taught in every classroom, we will not rest or waste my time doing anything less impactful. Which brings me to our last and final lesson. 9. Do Not Waste Time The most dangerous word in the English language is tomorrow. The time to dare, to make a difference, to embark on something worth doing, IS NOW. You already have permission You have permission to create, to speak up and stand up. You have permission to be generous, to fail and to be vulnerable. You have permission to own your words, to matter and to help. Do Something Epic — NOW! The world is ready. The world is waiting. When we asked students, which of these lessons was most valuable, they responded in this way. It is my hope in sharing this with you that we may we hold our world to this new standard we know it’s capable of. More than anything, that is what these events were about; to liberate the genius you have sitting in your classrooms now and leverage their collective abilities as changemakers to create differences in their lives and the world. A Plus’s for all!     Learn how to create a #YouMatter culture in your school with our toolkit, "Mattering IS the Agenda."  

  Technology transforms the world in which we live. It can make the impossible possible and is the key to doing more with less. Yet many school leaders are apprehensive about bringing technology into their school, much the way the fellow in this clip fears one of his first sightings of snow: Those who fear technology don’t realize that it’s not the technology that matters—it’s how you USE it and more importantly WHO we become because of that experience. Students are not motivated by technology. They are motivated and transformed when they get to use the technology to connect, create, collaborate and contribute to a world outside of their classroom. Technology CAN make all of that possible — but only if it helps the learner achieve these things. The following presentation and framework help reframe and refocus our attention on what matters most; the learner and the learning. In order to get "TECHNOLOGY right", we must first get "LEARNING right" and see the technology we use through these lens: Opportunity, not Obligation Impact, not Integration Compelling, not Cool Epic, not Engaged Significant, not Sufficient Today, I had the honor of having this conversation in person with education leaders in Seattle. The following resources were shared as a way to help them and other school leaders through the process of effectively deploying technology in a way that not only engages the learner but transforms them in the process. Flip through this deck of my presentation on Getting Tech R.I.G.H.T. Getting technology r.i.g.h.t from Angela Maiers Next, watch this video for a demonstration of how we should properly react to the prospect of introducing new technology, and new ways of doing things, in school.   Additional Resources:  An Open Letter to School Leaders, about using social technologies. This Google Doc for links to the resources referenced in my keynote, and more of my advice to educators, as leaders & learners. The Passion Gap 9 Essential Lessons for Changing the World Secure Students’ Hearts, or You Don’t Have a Shot at Their Brains Reframing, Rebranding and Re-Energizing the STEM Conversation STEM in Words: Let’s Make What We Say Count

I honestly proclaim that everything I have learned about social media, I learned from children. Children have no ulterior motives; they play authentically and transparently. In doing so, they place profound lessons in front of us. How do I know this? From the many times I was privileged to visit with children in their most sacred of habitats: the sandbox. It was there I recognized the sandbox as one of the most fitting analogies for the web and the world we find ourselves a part of now. As a teacher, I’ve seen extraordinary things happen in the sandbox. From friendships being formed to brilliant dreams explored, the sandbox was the place where we created, shared ideas, and learned to love, trust, and depend on one another. Somewhere between grade school and grad school, we moved away from the sandbox, forgetting the lessons that serve us best. As past "Sandboxers," we knew the value of play and the value of the people we had the opportunity to play with. We understood the sandbox was more than just fun and games; it was a privilege, as it was the space that brought extraordinary individuals in our lives together. We learned that everybody had a lot more fun when you played fair. Like the sandbox of our childhood, the web provides us with endless opportunities. It is a space where imagination, ingenuity, innovation, connection and discovery collide, and play is the exultation of the possible. We are entering the most marvelous of ages; an age where influence, power and success will no longer be determined by how hard we work, but rather how well we play together in this space. Our play here has rules, and often the rules mock all ideology and seriousness of work outside the sandbox. The Sandbox Manifesto is both a declaration and an invitation to keep the experience of the sandbox alive and to recognize and honor the wisdom we acquired through our experiences on the inside. As you read these ten tenets, think about these simple truths of leading and influencing others, managing failure, strategic thinking, and resolving conflicts and apply them to the global sandbox we now live and play in. What can we uncover, re-discover and create to make the time we have with one another the best possible experience for everyone involved? Even more importantly, what must we do to ensure that what we create and share has the possibility and potential to make our lives and the world a better place? Play isn’t something we do as a part of our life — it is life. Think of how much you discovered about yourself on the playground, how many friends you made, how sad you were when play was time was over. The Sandbox is a place where anything can happen. The Sandbox Manifesto1. Sharing is Caring. Those who share more, care more, and give with their full heart, find success. 2. Messy is Good. Befriend it. Embrace the opportunity to get dirty, to lose yourself. There is freedom and beauty in messiness. 3. Imagination is your greatest asset. Dream big and dream bold. Anything is possible, but you have to be brave enough to believe this is true. 4. Sand is for filling buckets. It is not for throwing. Throwing sand not only hurts people, it also wastes your playtime. 5. Hugs help and smile always matter. Never underestimate the power of these simple acts of human kindness. They define you. Love is the killer app. 6.Take it to the community. Even when having fun, one must prepare for problems to arise. When they do, turn to your community. There will always be someone in your midst that will help you through it, see it in a new way, and find a way to make it work. 7. The community means both friends and strangers. Strangers are friends you haven’t yet had enough time to play with. Remember what Aristotle said: one hour of play tells you more about an individual than many hours of intellectual conversation. Find a stranger, play with him or her, and see a new friend emerge. 8. You have one job — be remarkable. Nothing less. Do what you love, do it well, do it in the way no one else can or has the courage to do. You are your own genius, and the world needs your contribution. The future belongs to the awesome. 9. You are the master of the fate and the captain of your soul. Whether you’re new or a seasoned professional, the chance of success is equal. Your habits and character matter, and the only limitations are the ones you set for yourself. To win, you need only defeat your doubt. 10. Play is the work. If we honor the tools and the rules, and most importantly, honor one another, there is nothing we can’t accomplish. I invite and challenge you to play on purpose. Consider each of these tenets. Live the manifesto as these kids in the sandbox do. Play is the work. We work better, we play stronger, and we dream bigger when we know we this. The success of our students, communities, and organizations is waiting at the edge of the sandbox.      

Spreading the message of mattering Credit: Barrett Stinson What happens when you ask genius to show up? It usually does, right on time. Two weeks ago, it showed up in droves. 2,300 high school students heard the Choose2Matter message that the world needs their genius. The leadership at Grand Island Senior High believes that students should see themselves as much more than the sum of their test scores and extracurricular achievements. They want their students to believe they can change the world—not next year or after graduation, but today. I was joined by John Michel, a US Air Force General. Just a few months ago, he was serving in Afghanistan, overseeing a 14-nation effort to help Afghanistan build its own air force. Having served through several battles over nearly 3 decades, John knows that the world’s problems can be solved only if everyone contributes. Now back on home soil, John is pursuing his next mission: guiding young leaders. The no. 1 rule of Choose2Matter is "Be Brave." For the students, John puts a very credible face on our call to bravery. John Michel speaks to Grand Island students Credit: Barrett Stinson Barrett Stinson Our approach with the students of Grand Island is different than the one we employed in the past. We are giving students strategic control. We introduced Choose2Matter in a morning assembly and asked students to return later in the afternoon to be part of the leadership team that will help create a culture of mattering in Grand Island for generations to come. We hoped that 100 students would volunteer; we were blown away when nearly 400 did so! What will it look like in two weeks? In two months? No one knows, and that is incredibly exciting. These students are ready to have an impact right now, and it’s a privilege to witness their genius play out. Click these links for local news coverage of the event: Speakers tell GISH students they can make an impact on the world GISH Students Join Choose 2 Matter Movement

This is a guest post from Debbie Stephens, a sixth grade teacher of reading and social studies at Woodward Academy, North campus, in College Park, GA.  People have always asked how in the world I could find the time to include Angela Maiers’ Classroom Habitudes in my lesson plans. I ask, "How can I not include the most valuable lessons for my children?" I realized years ago that ancient civilizations sounded like a tough sell for sixth graders, but I thought, what if we could really get to know the people of those distant times? I looked at my to-do list of civilizations and realized I could easily fold in the Classroom Habitudes. Without curiosity, how would mankind have exploded from hunter-gathers into an agricultural revolution? I let my students use their own curiosity and imagination to explore and ask questions rather than the read-and-take-notes pattern of many social studies classrooms. As we began examining the Neolithic people and the effects of the agricultural revolution, my students were creating a cause and effect chain across my boards. I was facing our Classroom Habitudes bulletin board. The minute they reached the idea of specialization, I asked one question: What Classroom Habitudes would these people have as they began to meet the needs of a Neolithic village? The ideas exploded and the next thing I knew we were creating advertisements for the new "careers" that would be needed! One student remarked, "How could you do any of this without passion?" Here are some pictures of their creations: A student identifies the classroom habitudes a neolithic builder would need. Credit: Debbie Stephens Neolithic farmers would need Imagination, Curiosity, Perseverance, and of course Passion! Credit: Debbie Stephens