Cloud-based file storage and transfer solutions change all the time, and it's often hard to keep up with their new features and plans. Here are seven excellent providers of cloud file storage and transfer, and each one has scalable solutions. I've made a quick list of their main attributes, but I encourage you to visit each site. Please share your own user experience, and let me know what you

Speaking of Passion-Driven Learning, Beth Schmidt sent us this guest post about the program she started to help passionate students reach their dreams! More and more educators are recognizing the vital role that passion plays in a student’s education. Even the brightest, most energetic kids can lose their interest in school, and it happens regularly when their classes don’t speak to their authentic passions. An aspiring engineer can be bored senseless in her algebra class even as she daydreams about an electric car she wants to design. The numbers don’t lie, either: 81% of high school dropouts report that they would have stayed in school if it had felt relevant to their lives.* How can we bridge this relevance gap in our education system? We created Wishbone, a new non-profit organization, for this very purpose. Wishbone sends at-risk and low-income high school students to out-of-school programs so that they can pursue their authentic passions. We aggregate funding from foundations, corporations, and micro-donations on our website to send these students to their programs of choice at no cost to their families. Here’s how it works: first, we identify promising low-income students with specific passions. We then help these students find and apply to high quality programs that fit their needs. We publish these students’ wishes on Wishbone.org, where donors can search by location or by a common interest to find students to support. Finally, once the wish is fully funded, the student will attend the program and keep donors updated with blog posts about his or her experience. Wishbone serves all sectors of learning, from math and science to athletics and the arts. For many of our students, this is an opportunity to dive into an advanced topic that their school doesn’t have the resources to support. For instance, Jesus wants to attend the LEAD Computer Science Institute to study electrical engineering. Deshawna wants to attend the Health Sciences program at Ithaca Summer College to pursue her dream of becoming an obstetrician. Through Wishbone, they have their first opportunity to get outside of the standard curriculum and study exactly what inspires them. Meanwhile, donors have the chance to directly and transparently contribute to a student’s education and his or her life goals. Our students have called these opportunities "a dream come true," "the experience of a lifetime" and "essential for finding the right college and the right job." For these students, their program experiences go far beyond summer fun. They recognize that this is their chance to learn the skills that they crave, meet a new community of peers and mentors, and take major steps toward college and their dream jobs. Wishbone exists to help underserved students meet these personal goals. But even though we’re a mission-driven organization, you can also think of Wishbone as an experiment in compassion. Some of our students have never had the opportunity to travel outside of their hometowns. What will happen when a student attends a program in a new part of the country, maybe even on the campus of her dream college? Some of our students have had to face incredible hardship with very little support. How will their outlooks on life change when complete strangers help send them to a new community that shares their passions? How much positive change can grow from the small seed of a single donation? We’re here to find out. It’s our passion to connect motivated students to the opportunities that will keep them engaged in learning, launch them toward college, and bring them closer to their dream careers. We’re betting that when the authentic passions of students are fueled by the compassion of donors in the public, education will take on a whole new dimension. Join us on Wishbone.org to try it out for yourself! Thank you Beth, for doing your part to inspire young learners to reach their genius potential! Check out this amazing video about all the work Wishbone has done. [vimeo clip_id="38342797"] ________________________________________________________________________________________ * http://www.ignitelearning.com/pdf/TheSilentEpidemic3-06FINAL.pdf   Related articles Wishbone Taps Power of the Net to Help At-Risk Kids(pcmag.com) Colbert County Schools Program Aimed At Struggling Students(whnt.com) IB program gets boost(timesunion.com)

Narrative milestones can be your secret to presentations that capture the hearts and minds of your audience for both technical and creative writing. Have you ever listened to a presentation or a story and lost interest because it's just a jumble of information? Did you get the sense that the forest was being lost for the trees? Or, even though the presentation was well organized and the

As always, a wonderfully thoughtful and entertaining post from Johnny Kissko! In our standards-driven classrooms, it’s easy to forget that our students are people. The reality of high-stakes testing puts us at risk of jading perceptions of our kids by reducing their value to a test score. Most educators enter the field with the noblest of intents but quickly find out that the system doesn’t always harmonize with their values and beliefs of what it means to truly educate. At the beginning of every year, I tell my students I have two indicators that determine our success. The first, obvious method of measurement has to be their test scores. This is a non-negotiable if I’m going to maintain my job and if they’re going to advance academically. However, the second indicator is far more revealing of my level of influence on their growth and development. If they come back to visit me the following year - when they don’t have to, when their motive is genuinely guided by a desire to simply reconnect - this reveals that the values promoted in class - values embodying lifelong learning - were well-received. This is how I ultimately measure my influence and success as their educator. It’s a tough balancing act. Many times, it feels that one indicator comes at the expense of the other.  Can we really integrate a whole-person paradigm of learning - a model of learning that taps into the body, mind, heart, and soul - where development is promoted just as much as content? One dimension of learning that I feel has long been ignored in our classrooms is active engagement. Even the most passionate teachers struggle with this. We’ve long known how movement and active engagement enhance academic performance. Most of us have even attended workshops that seemingly teach content while promoting high-levels of interaction, but we find out that this is hard to replicate in typical learning environments. I’ve launched a community, KinectEDucation, to promote this dimension of learning that has been neglected in many classrooms. With Kinect technology and new software that is emerging, we will be able to promote active engagement while still focusing on standards. Coupling passionate teachers with what this technology can do, we can integrate a "connected education" - an education that truly develops the whole person within the structure required by educational institutions. If you’re one of the educators who has felt this void, join the movement.  Tell your friends.  Share with your administrators.  We really can transform classrooms if we have people advocating for relevant software and this renewed classroom model.  It doesn’t require an overhaul of the education system, just a fresh perspective. Most importantly, we must continue to be passion-driven and guided by the philosophy that every kid matters. Tools like Kinect should serve to facilitate a higher purpose; the technology itself should not become the focus. Yes, it is a touch balancing act. But together, we can make it happen. KinectEDucation’s Facebook page is KinectEDucation.  If you have ideas for classroom software or videos showing how you have used Kinect, please share them! Johnny Kissko   Related articles Best Place to Find Technology For The Classroom (eduhowto.wordpress.com) Kinect offers creative expressions in classrooms (ubergizmo.com) Effective Teacher GPA Exercise (studereducation.wordpress.com)

It is not easy to find a GIS web app builder that takes you all the way from the basic initial steps of familiarizing yourself with HMTL, CSS, and JavaScript to fairly complicated web applications.  Building Web and Mobile ArcGIS Server Applications with JavaScript, by Eric Pimpler and published by Packt Publishing has two main advantages: first, you can use high-quality GIS data (or at least

I have the privilege each year of speaking to auditoriums full of aspiring young leaders, anxious to go out into the world and make their mark. They are looking for the "book", the "roadmap" , the "words or wisdom" that will guide them to the things they need "TO-DO" next. As we know, success in leadership and in the world is not only attributed to what you do; it is dependent on who you are and why you do.  Who you are comes across more strongly than what you sell or say.  We set young leaders up for a fall if we encourage them to envision what they can do before first considering the kind of kind of leader they want to be. In supporting the kind of leader they must be, we enable and elevate their ability to influence, catalyze, and transform the future in a way we have not yet seen. I have detailed the following TO-BE List for theirs and your consideration: Be a Learner: You may have graduated from school, but never graduate from learning. Being a lifelong learner is what empowers your relevance for the rest of your life. Eric Hoffer captured it best when he said, "In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists." Don’t be equipped for irrelevance- keep learning. Be teachable Teachability leads to excellence and excellence makes people take notice. Being teachable reveals your desire to improve, grow, and be excellent in all you do.  It’s the excellent that often lead in any given field or industry. Don’t fail to learn all you can from those who went before you or to grow from your mistakes.  Seeking out coaches and mentors will push you light years ahead of where you would be if you travelled alone. Be A Question Asker.  I have been teaching and writing about the importance of asking great questions for a long time.  Great questions are the best way to have a meaningful conversation, the best way to rope in a mentor AND the best way to look like a star performer.  Make it a priority to listen to people asking great questions. Be in charge of the questions you ask and keep a list of the best questions you hear.  Use this to create a question toolbox you use and can apply to every conversation and interaction you have. Be Courageous. If there was ever a time to dare, to make a difference, to embark on something worth doing, IT IS NOW.  I understand jumping into the world as leader can be scary, but now is not the time to be timid.  We don’t serve the rest of the world or ourselves by playing small. Humanity’s misfortune is when we don’t realize the very gifts we have, or the impact we have the opportunity to make. It is imperative that you own and honor your genius, and seek to make a contribution that matters. Be Kind:  We lead our lives in the company of others, and that is where we leave our legacy.  Truly kind leaders - regardless of their title or position  - are the ones we all remember. They’re the ones we are grateful to.  It’s the quality of our relationships that most determines whether our legacy will be momentary or long lasting.  Don’t ever pass up a chance to let others know they are noticedand that they matter to you. Be Patient and Persistent: I want you to be fully rewarded and recognized for your contribution to society. I also want you to realize, however, that most things of lasting value take time and discipline to achieve. HAVE FUN. DIG DEEP. STRETCH. DREAM BIG. Know that things worth doing seldom come easy. There will be good days. And there will be bad days. There will be times when you want to turn around, pack it up, and call it quits. Those times tell you that you are pushing yourself, that you are not afraid to learn by trying. I promise you the wait is worth it. Be Passionate- Passion is not only a differentiator; it is a difference maker. Passion makes the impossible possible.That’s what makes a passionate leader effective. He or she conceives of possibilities and opportunities for progress whereas dispassionate persons only see roadblocks and reasons why a vision can’t be achieved. The more passionate you are to achieve your purpose the stronger your fire and internal desire will be to strive for your mission and purpose. Be Confident:  You will not always be able to solve all the world’s problems all at once.  But don’t ever underestimate the impact you can have. Your efforts might not always draw the world’s attention, but as Teddy Roosevelt liked to say, "I hope that you will commit yourselves to doing "what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are," because in the end, that is what makes you a lion.  Not fortune, not fame, not your pictures in history books, but the refusal to remain a bystander when others are suffering, and that commitment to serve however you can, where you are. Be confident in your power to be the change. Be Hopeful: History has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own. No doubt, we live in challenging times. We also live in a time where nearly ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. As a leader your ability to be hopeful and dispense hope is crucial to helping those you serve thrive in face of difficulty. And there is much to be hopeful for. Believe in the incredible power of the human mind. Of doing something that makes a difference.  Of working hard. Of laughing and learning.  Of all the things that will cross your path. Of the ability to start something new. All these bring the hope of something great to come.  So, what do you think? Would you follow leaders with these traits and qualities? What can we add or do to help nurture those who seek or are called to serve? Leadership is a choice. The choice is ours to help them make; TO-BE or NOT-TO-BE. That is certainly of the question of our time.  This post was original published on switchandshift.com

While technical and professional writing goals have remained the same, the world in which such writing is being produced has not. Smartphones, tablets, social media, GIS-enabled extreme interactivity have changed the way we communicate dramatically in just the last 18 months. What is the impact on you? How must you change your approach to maintain effectiveness? View an archived webinar,

This is guest post by Drew McLellan We know… it’s crazy. But Gavin and I are ready to do it again. This time, we’d like Age of Conversation to take on a much more personal tone… how is social media impacting you, your work, your family and your view on life? Your chapter might be as elaborate as a real case study or it might be as simple as your best time saving trick. But it’s about you and how you "do" social. This time, we’re doing both one and two page chapters. (see below) Here are the sections for the book: ONE PAGE CHAPTERS One page chapters are grouped into "sections" to provide a sense of cohesion to the topics covered. (One page = 400 words or so) This year’s sections are: Secrets - what is a secret, what is your secret and what are the limits of privacy in the Age of Conversation? Transparency - what does it mean for a business to be transparent? How do you go about making your brand or business transparent? And what happens if transparency fails? Authenticity - what does it mean to humanize a brand? What happens when business gets personal and how does so-called "authenticity" impact you on a personal and professional level? Unexpected Consequences - anything from a painful lesson learned to an unexpected cross the globe friendship. Share your journey in this Age of Conversation How Do I … - share your tips and tricks on social media. What do you do well and how do you achieve the outcomes you want? CASE STUDIES - TWO PAGE CHAPTERS We’d love to have your case studies. (Two pages = 750 words or so) They need to be projects that you have worked on or have been responsible for. You must include measurable results of some sort. We’re not going to get into the whole ROI discussion…but you need to show how it played out. Please don’t propose case studies based on other people’s work. Want to join in on the adventure with us? We’d love to have you with us! To sign up —  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dGhydDdoTmVtZXFLT3V0YzY2ampDUlE6MQ We’ll be closing the sign ups pretty quickly so if you’re serious about writing a chapter — sign up soon!

If you are using GIS applications, you need a guide to help you install and manage a solid backbone architecture that will allow you to incorporate all the newest and most integrative GIS services.    Administering ArcGIS for Server Administering ArcGISfor Server (Packt Publishing, 2014) by ESRI award-winning Hussein Nasser is a clear, easy-to-follow guide which takes you all the way

Animated learning objects that bring together images, audio, and interaction are a perfect place to engage students. Now that many translate to HTML5 and are designed to be responsive so that they play well on tablets and smartphones (and on all platforms) as well as laptops, etc., they're a great way to deliver mini-lectures. Click to see one that I created for the purposes of this blog.

I am very excited and appreciative of the opportunity to celebrate and participate in the first, and hopefully annual, Learning 2.0 Conference celebrating the passion and power of Connected Educators. We invite you to kickoff your year and join myself and an esteemed lineup of keynote speakers for what promises to be an exciting week. The conference  will be held August 20 - 24.. All events, presentations, and discussions will be online, in multiple time zones over the course of five days and is free to attend! The Learning 2.0 Conference is a unique chance to participate in a global conversation on rethinking teaching and learning in the age of the Internet. Subject strands include social media, 1:1 computing, "flipped classrooms," digital literacy, maker spaces, gaming, open educational resources, and building a digital presence. You will have access to special interviews and hear from world renowned speakers and connected educators like:  Yong Zhao, Alfie Kohn, Howard Gardner, Rob Fried, Gordon Dryden, Tony Wagner,Heidi Hayes Jacobs, Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, Marc Prensky, Michael Strong and many more.  Keynotes and Conference Schedule is HERE  A full strand list is available 
HERE. To be kept informed of the latest conference news and updates, please 
join the Classroom 2.0 network. You do not need to join this network to attend, but doing so will also allow you to correspond with the presenters and other members, and to comment on sessions and discussions.  You can click HERE for more information about details of how you can participate. See you online; it is going to be an amazing conversation!

I am delighted to announce that E-Learning Queen's writing resources guide, Writing Survival Guide, which consists of a large set of original worksheets, templates, and flowcharts for use in writing and composition classes has been peer-reviewed by MERLOT and received a great rating! Here is MERLOT's portal page of the Writing Survival Guide. As you can see, the site has been in MERLOT since

  The Classroom 2.0 Book is now live, and I am proud to have a chapter ( No Genius Left Behind) in this free e-book that was created as part of Classroom 2.0′s 5th Anniversary Project.  This year’s book project was put together by three fantastic leaders in education: Steve Hargadon, Richard Byrne, and Chris Dawson. As of now, 40 chapters have been uploaded with contributions for our communities brightest and best minds. Here are just a few of the entries you have to look forward to:  (Did mention that the book was FREE!!!) Curation for Professional Learning - by Kristen Swanson Keeping Students Engaged in a 1:1 Environment - Ann Michaelsen The Flipped Classroom Model - By Jackie Gerstein Digital Writers Workshop - By Erin Klein Setting the Stage for 1:1 - By Patrick Larkin Tried and True Tools to Get You Going - By Lisa Neilson Happy Reading Friends!  

Moodle Course Design Best Practices (PacktPub, 2014) is now available! Designed to be an easy-to-follow guide to help you create or update your Moodle course, this book will help people who use Moodle for training and education in colleges and universities, schools for ages 5-18, corporations, professional associations, and other organizations. With all content rigorously reviewed by four

"I believe we all have a duty to share our genius and make a difference in the world; and it’s in tapping into our truth that you will ultimately unleash the genius from those we lead, love, and serve."  Recognizing genius in our students is more than an act of encouragement or a well meaning attempt boost self esteem; it is critical in our efforts in preparing our students for a global environment that thrives on critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, innovation and effective communication. To ensure "No Genius is left behind" , we must consider and commit to a culture and curriculum that honors, nurtures, and sustains the genius in every individual. A culture that requires and expects students to demonstrate their genius, and empowers them to share their personal genius with the world. What can happen when students are recognized by their teachers, peers, parents, and community members and understand that it is their duty to share their Genius with the world? Read On….

One of the biggest challenges in online math education is being able to show the students how to go through the process of working problems and equations. One solution has been developed by an automated math tutoring website, MathCelebrity. Welcome to an interview with Don Sevcik, president of MathCelebrity. www.mathcelebrity.com 1.  What is your name and your relationship to elearning?  My

My mom called him Crink. My sister and I called him Chrissy. To most he was simply Chris. He was funny, handsome, strong, driven and talented beyond compare. He was pilot, a wine enthusiast, a boater and made a mean BBQ. And two weeks ago today, he took his own life. For reasons beyond our comprehension, Christopher never saw himself as we all saw him and as he truly was - a loving husband, a devoted son, an army veteran, a wonderful friend, a great uncle, and of course a cherished brother. Chrissy lived in two different worlds. The real world in which he was so successful, and the world inside his head, where he couldn’t see what a positive influence he was on so many people. He battled depression and over the years, learned to mask his pain from the people he worked with, his friends and family. Even those who spoke with him that day were all caught off-guard by what happened. None of them could comprehend that he was even depressed, let alone suicidal! And for me, caught off guard does not even come close to describing my anger and dismay. It was just two short days before, I was talking with him about my upcoming trip to Arizona to see him. I still have the message, "Hi Big Sis, excited to see you this week; call me when your plane lands - Chrissy. I never got a chance to respond. Unable to get through to him that day, I called my sister from the airport, a bit angry that our "little brother"  was standing me up. I remember telling her that he had not returned my calls. I heard here say that he was dead, but at the time I was riding in a noisy airport tram, rushing to get to my gate. I think I responded with a quick and sarcastic " You bet he is, and I’m first in line." The train stopped and the words began to sink in. Still on the line, I hear my sister clearly now.  "Angela he is dead. He just shot himself. He’s dead. He’s really dead." I remember dropping the phone and sinking to the floor in the middle of the terminal. The next hours and days that followed are a blur in my memory. With the graciousness of strangers, I arrived in Phoenix to be greeted instead by my grieving family.  Each and everyone read and reread a note he left behind, searching desperately for answers to our most burning questions. How did this happen? What provoked it? Was he planning it? How could he do this?  Were there signs we missed? Why him? Why now? Why that way? WHY? WHY? WHY? Why could he not have waited a few more hours, and I would have been right there to talk it out with him. I would have told him that he was needed. He had options. He had help. He was desperately, unconditionally loved. I can’t remember if I ever told him these things while he was alive. That I appreciated him, I was proud of him, and most important that he mattered to me and so many. So Why am I telling you this? I am telling you all this because I am making a choice not to be silent. I am making a choice not to be ashamed of what he did. As much as I hate it;  I hate more whatever it is was caused him to feel that his life had no value. Most importantly, I am telling you so that you can make the choice to let the people in your presence know how much they mean and matter to you. It is my hope that in some way, I can raise a little awareness for this difficult subject. It is my hope we can talk about openly and honestly with one another about the need we all have to live a life that matters. It is my hope that by sharing my story, others will share theirs, and together we can work toward helping those who suffer among  us similar pain and hopelessness. My biggest ambition as an educator has always been to young children know how valuable their contributions and lives are to the world. As a teacher, I took an oath to elevate their genius, and prepare them to enter the world confident and ready to change it. When I’m talking to group of kids I ask them first of all who believes they are a genius and has something the world needs? In KG every hand fly into the air.  Not so as the years pass. I am lucky if one or two hands go up in a class of 30 high school students. When I’ve finished the lessons, my goal is for every single student to be raising their hand high.  I ask them to look at someone who is a world changer, a champaign for a cause, a courageous difference maker. I ask them to consider the difference between themselves and that person, and then I wait… Because there is no difference - we’re all given the same gift, and life’s greatest gift is free choice. Unfortunately, even with that privilege, humans make poor choices. The worst choice we can make as human beings is not believing that we matter and that our actions have no value. My brother was a gift. To honor his contribution to my life and to the world, I am making a pledge to work even harder to let people know they matter.  I have just launched a campaign called Choose 2 Matter. Please join in our fight to do work, live lives, and contribute genius to the world in ways that matter. Take the time today and let these words resonate with you. Words I wish I would have said and shared with my brother. Chrissy - you are missed and loved more then you will every know. Safe journeys little brother, rest in peace.  I love you and I forgive you. A.

Texture Press's Poems for the Writing: Prompts for Poets, by Valerie Fox and Lynn Levin with illustrations by Don Riggs, is a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards for 2014. The finalists will be officially announced in late May, but the editors and authors received notification in early May. Poems for the Writing: Prompts for Poets The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is the

The 2012-2013 school year has officially begun for thousands of excited teachers and students. I love reading the stories and hearing from schools who have planned to make this year a remarkable one. The faculty and staff in Orange City Iowa have kicked off a new school year with a bang. In this opening message from school superintendent, Dr. Gary Richardson, and this wonderful tribute to the teachers; there is no doubt these teachers and students know how much they matter. Wishing the same for you. Please share how you, your school and community are starting off the year right.   Have a great year friends!

With new capabilities for collaboration and posting performance, it is more important than ever to develop programs that inspire learners of all ages and from all background to develop their creativity and to share that journey. One great example is the Oklahoma Arts Institute at  Quartz Mountain, which offers two innovative programs for arts. Welcome to an interview with Emily Claude, Vice

This is a guest post by Laurie Hansen What enables you to create groups, each with a unique web address, host web meetings, manage events, share files, send emails, text, send video messages and voice blasts-all for free? Wiggio: An online collaboration tool that includes all of the aforementioned features and a whole lot more! See for yourself: Test drive Wiggio, no strings attached! Wiggio is widely used and very effective.  How do I know? Sarah Perez of Tech Crunch shares in her article that Wiggio "now reaches over 2,000 universities and 120,000 students groups around the world, as well as several national organizations." In the same article, according to founder and CEO, Dana Lampert, Wiggio is "designed to be dead simple." I can attest to that.  And guess what?  There’s even a Wiggio iPhone app! #Choose2Matter and use Wiggio for your school project, team collaboration or non-profit organization. As their tagline says, "Wiggio is the easiest free way to work in groups!" Yup. Totally rocks. Click on below to view the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jcsXTu93CU

Booth Tarkington’s novel, The Turmoil (1915), negotiates the psychological minefield of rapid industrialization / technological shifts / structural social change due to new innovation and rapid growth. While it was written almost 100 years ago, the disruptive technologies and their impact on social structure and individual psychology hold true today. The Turmoil is first of the Growth Trilogy, 

When I first began writing about The Habitudes, the conversations around "21st Century Skills" were in full swing. From business to education; classroom to community, the debate on what was a "new skill" or an "always skill" was both controversial and confusing. Despite numerous white papers, acts of legislation, and newly mandated curriculum, I am not sure if we are any closer to making clear to students the skills, strategies, and competencies they must embody for success now or in their future. So I set out on a quest to define "21st Century Skills" in my own terms. My research and experience led me to the following conclusions:   21st Century success requires: The ability to see the challenge and the solution, from every angle The ability know what questions to ask and when to ask them The ability to communicate one’s vision passionately and persuasively The ability to connect with others and create an enduring relationship The ability to understand your strengths and the discipline to improve your weaknesses The ability to stand out, stand up, and stand beside and knowing when each is required. The ability to dream, set audacious goals, and believe they can be accomplished The ability to lead, serve, and honor others Individuals and organizations with these attributes believe they can solve any problem and no challenge is too great. They approach problems with an attitude of optimism, persistence, confidence, and resolution to improve the situation, regardless of context and circumstance. These abilities are a combination of habits, daily disciplined decisions that successful individuals choose to make, but they also illustrate a new attitude, mindset, and way of thinking about the world and one’s place in it. Together, these disciplined habits and critical mindsets, or Habitudes as I like to call them, provide a comprehensive model for excellence in education. The new edition of the Habitudes outlines strategics lessons and conversations around the following key Habitudes: Imagination Curiosity Self Awareness Courage Adaptability Perseverance Passion It is more than a "how-to" guide for teaching 21st Century Skills and competencies. It is a "how-to-be" guide that provides a clear and explicit profile of the learner, worker, and citizen the world is expecting us TO BE. Whether you are helping students pass algebra or seeking to uncover their spirit of creativity within your organization, these lessons will improve the chances of success in both big and small ventures. Click here to READ A SAMPLE CHAPTER See first hand how the conversations look, sound, and feel by exploring the HABITUDES RESOURCE WIKI. Download any of the following FREE REPRODUCIBLES to help you in your lesson planning and implementation efforts. These reproducibles include handouts to copy and share, as well as forms you can fill in electronically. Defining the Habitudes Definitions and Descriptions of the Habitudes Dream Team Members General Habitude Reflections Genius Questions See ALL REPRODUCIBLES FOR THE HABITUDES HERE. You can ORDER YOUR COPY NOW  and explore first hand the over 60+ lessons and strategies.               My greatest hope for the new edition is for you to understand your own strength and power in students’  lives. The vast majority of your learners currently have or once had the Habitudes, but did not see their own ability for public and private greatness. They deserve to know that their passionate curiosity, powerful imaginations, and courageous abilities to adapt from their challenges and take chances matter. Happy Reading Friends!  

Writing prompts are no longer static when they are placed into an environment of active collaboration, reading and responding via any number of mechanisms (mobile, elearning, face-to-face, and hybrid). The key is to develop prompts that work in all environments.  Welcome to an interview with Valerie Fox and Lynn Levin, whose book, Poems for the Writing: Prompts for Poets (Texture Press) was a