Guest post: this post is from Carly Shields and Jennie Shaw, two rising juniors at Downingtown STEM Academy, which we visited in early June. Read it and you’ll understand why I feel so blessed to be able to work with students such as these. There are, indeed, Brighter Days ahead for this world. When Angela Maiers visited us, it was the final week of school, and we had finished finals. We thought we were done for the year, but little did we know that we were about to change the world. On the first day, we all met in the auditorium, and Angela spoke to us and inspired us all. It was the first time that everyone in our grade was on the same page. It only took two words — you matter. The meaning behind these two words is so powerful, and it changed our outlook on life. Well why were these words so important? For some, these words could simply put a smile on their face, or brighten up their day. But for others, it could save their lives. Just having someone tell you that you matter can make that big a difference. Angela then gave us our mission. She wanted us to use our genius and skills to create something that would change the world. And so we did. Seems too simple, doesn’t it? Well with a room full of young, innovative people, we knew we could do it. Usually, everyone thinks that it’s only adults who have control to change the world; but what a room full of us teenagers accomplished in a mere two school days will surely change that thinking. Over the next two days, we worked rigorously and passionately to create projects that addressed what we felt were important issues in the world. Angela connected us with several people via Twitter and other social networking sites, and this taught us that adults take our ideas seriously and want to help us succeed. At least 10 organizations were launched. This blew our minds. How could we make such an impact? Were people really willing to help us change the world? The answer was yes. For example, we created something that is very near and dear to our hearts - an organization called Brighter Days that seeks to put an end to suicide. Since we have both lost someone to suicide, we know the terrible effects that it has on family, friends, and the community. Watch our launch video. Brighter Days will strive to save the lives being lost by showing people their purpose in life, and that they do matter. It’s amazing how a community can come together when a valuable life is lost, and we want to tell people how to handle that. We will share our experiences in order to assure people that everything will be all right in the end, and that there will always be brighter days ahead! We’d like to thank our teacher, Mr. Staub, for introducing Angela to the STEM community, and for all of the hard work he put into making all of this happen. And of course, Angela Maiers, for being such an inspiration to us all individually and as a school. What we have accomplished in one week is unbelievable, and we hope she comes back to see our progress soon!

This Friday, we’ll be discussing the importance of "You Matter" and how we are connecting students with mentors in the workforce, to leverage the wisdom of both. The segment is part of a 21-hour program hosted by The United Way on Google Hangout. It’s a modern-day version of a telethon, but it seeks to raise volunteers, rather than money. My guests will include the following: Mark Moran Deap Khamby Justin Staub Tim MacDonald Mark Babbitt Ted Coine Shawn Murphy   The "You Matter" message is at the heart of our work as educators and, more importantly, our lives and the lives of our students. When we individually and collectively inspire others to remember who they really are, to educate them about the many ways that they matter, and empower them to make their greatest contributions to the world- we change their lives and the change the world. I stand in amazement at the depth and breadth of our young people. They have a way of looking at the world that gives me hope and excitement. Students are willing to lead the change. They are not asking for permission. They are asking for respect. They want to express their passions in meaningful ways. They want to show the world that in spite of their years, they are a force to reckon with. Visit the United Way site to join us on June 21.

Last Friday, I was honored to be the featured guest in Huffington Post’s Twitter chat about encouraging girls to pursue studies and careers in STEM. Huffington Post published this stellar re-cap, with highlights, of the chat, titled "Reimagining STEM At School: Education Heavy Hitters Discuss On Twitter." It noted that the discussion included "close to six hundred teachers, entrepreneurs and members of the STEM community." Here are my other posts on Huffington Post about Women in STEM: STEM in Words: Let’s Make What We Say Count You Matter: The Two Most Important Words to Motivate Women in STEM To-Be List for Aspiring Women Leaders Habitudes of STEM Leaders Reframing, Rebranding and Re-Energizing the STEM Conversation

Last week I had the opportunity to share Choose2Matter with two educators on their own quest2matter.  Tim (@tbed63) and Scott Bedley (@TASFair), aka The Bedley Bros, host a YouTube show that highlights educators who are striving to impact the world. I was excited to have the opportunity to share my heart with them as they carry the Choose2Matter torch to the west coast. Tim, the 2013 Riverside County Teacher of the Year, teaches 4th and 5th grade and is known for his edutaining rock band, Rockin’ the Standards. His younger brother Scott, the 2014 Orange County Teacher of the Year, is an innovator in connecting students to the real world and created the Technology Applied Science Fair. The three of us carried the message that kids truly matter and can impact the world. The Bedley Brothers (@BedleyBros) were eager to learn about my current passion, Choose2Matter.  I shared the thrilling story of the students at Dr. Justin Staub’s (@MrStabSTEM) Downingtown (PA) STEM Academy. Justin, like the Bedley Bros, is one of those people who makes things happen.  He cleared the way to give his students a chance to impact problems such as teen suicide, drug addiction, and poverty. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHlqjhBTHhU   The Bedley Bros are connecting educators to educational innovators such as Erin Klein, Steven W. Anderson, Rick Morris, and Adam Bellow.  My message was clear in our short, but passionate conversation: kids can be vessels of change.  I’m looking forward to connecting with Scott Bedley as he shares this message with one of the nations lighthouse districts, Irvine Unified, and adds to this global movement. Check out the Bedley Bros #Edchat to see our conversation and how they are taking steps to impact education. Watch their shows live on Tim’s blog  www.timbedley.com.

"Teaching people to produce innovative work, off-the-chart insights, and yes, art is time-consuming and unpredictable. Drill and practice and fear, on the other hand, are powerful tools for teaching facts and figures and obedience. Sure, we need school and we need teachers. The thing is that we need a school organized around teaching people to believe, and teachers who are rewarded for doing their best work, not the most predictable work." Excerpt From: Godin, Seth. "Linchpin." The following video illustrates what can happen when we believe in kids, trust the process, and then and get out of the way….. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v1ONw3agzY

This is a guest post by A.J. Juliani is a co-founder of Education Is My Life. He currently is a K-12 Technology Staff Developer overseeing a 1:1 initiative. He also founded the non-profit organization "Project: Global Inform" and wrote The 2.0 Teacher in 2009. Dorothy may be the most beloved and well-known teenager in any movie. Her line, "Toto, I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore…" has been quoted thousands of times. I think it is an apt metaphor for our current state of education. When Dorothy had a problem in Kansas, she deals with it the old-fashioned way: asking adults for help. When all of the adults in her life fail to help her, she runs away from her problems, thinking that there is nothing she can do besides hide. When she lands in Oz, one thing becomes clear: Dorothy will have to find her own path, make her own way, and solve her own problems. During her journey she connects with others who are "searching", and they help each other reach their final goal. Today in the world of K-12 education we have many students who are looking at teachers for all the answers. When they graduate from high school, they are left wondering what to do with their lives…and instead of living with purpose and following their passions, we have many young adults still searching well into their late twenties and early thirties. I was like this too. Bogged down by coursework I shied away from delving into my interests during high school and college. I spent most of my time worrying about what I "had to do" versus what I would like to pursue. I’ve seen the same thing happen to my siblings and friends as well. The last thing I want for my students as a teacher is for them to "go through the motions". I want to give them opportunities to explore their interests, create with purpose, and go deep into subject matter. This problem is what led to my experimenting with 20% time in the classroom, and it changed everything. 20% Time is a simple premise. Give your students 20% of their time to work on whatever they want in your class. The idea is derived from Google’s own 20% policy with their employees. In education we also have teacher running Genius Hour projects, Fedex Days, and Innovation days/weeks. Each of these ideas are rooted in the belief that students do much more, and learn so much more when we give them autonomy in their school work. When I first announced 20% time to my students they acted like Dorothy when she landed in Oz. They realized quickly that this was not the "same old classroom" they were accustomed too. I was not going to give them an assignment, set up their 10 steps, and show them how to succeed. Instead, they would have to create their own path, make their own way, and reach out for the help of others to reach their final goal. In the past year we have seen a boom in 20% projects and Genius Hour projects happening in the K-12 classroom. Amazing educators have pushed this movement forward, and Angela Maiers Choose2Matter campaign is another way for students to find their passions and learn with purpose. This July we are running a "20% Time MOOC". The course offers two outcomes. Teachers will learn about the research behind Google’s 20% policy and how it can be applied in K-12 education; and, learners will also participate in their own 20% project throughout the course and present as a final product. I want to encourage you to join this MOOC and connect with so many teachers who are giving their students the power to choose (Access Code for the course is ZXQ2B-8CWMV). When our students realize that it is them, and not the "wizard", who has all the power…we’ll all be on the path to making a difference. Let’s make it clear that we are not in Kansas anymore, and it’s time for all of us to work together to reach that final goal.

Does 2013 feel like it’s flying by?! It is turning out to be a very blessed year for us and we couldn’t be more thankful. To celebrate where we are and where we’re going, I present the top 10 posts of 2013 thus far: 1. People Know They Matter When… The beginning of this year marked my blog partnership with The Huffington Post, which made 2013 a winning year for us right off the bat! Thus, I chose HuffPost to publish one of the most important posts I’ve ever done - one that teaches all of us how to let the people in our lives know that they matter to us. 2. Genius Hour-Let Your Students Challenge Themselves Genius Hour has quickly become one of my favorite hours in the classroom. In March, I shared some of the amazing work students and teachers are doing in this hour. Please consider having your students participate in Genius Hour; it changes lives. Follow the #geniushour hashtag on Twitter for some incredibly exciting news about a new community, for students and teachers alike, that we’re creating around Genius Hour! 3. Offering Our Youngest Leaders a Seat at the Table On May 22 and as part of my blog partnership with Switch and Shift, I shared my strong beliefs on the importance of open communication with our students and how Quest2Matter allows students a stronger, louder voice. 4. The Science Behind Mattering I often write and speak about the importance of mattering and in May, I backed my voice with research studies that show just how important mattering is to every human being. 5. Teachers Matter After the tragedy in Newtown, CT and Boston, MA, I wanted to share just how much teachers truly matter in situations of tragedy and in the everyday life of their students. For it is in both the little and big events in the lives our of students that they look to their teachers for guidance. 6. Unlocking the Potential of Millennials to Change Our World At the beginning of June, we had the honor of visiting Downingtown STEM Academy in Pennsylvania where we met and spoke with 300 sophomores. After challenging these students to change the world, during their final two days of school, they created 12 companies to solve the world’s problems. Inspiring! 7. Secure Students’ Hearts, or You Don’t Have a Shot at Their Brains In May, I wrote about the importance of reaching students’ hearts before we can reach them as learners. This was part of a tribute to the great educator Rita Pierson, who tragically passed away just a few weeks later. 8. The Passion Gap In January, I spoke at a Dell Innovation in Education Panel. Out of that came this post on the cavernous passion gap between schools and the workplace. 9. To Be List for Aspiring Women Leaders At Choose2Matter, we encourage our students to be the change they want to see in the world. To that end, in February we wrote a detailed to be list for aspiring women leaders. 10. The Courage to Teach As teachers, sometimes the most important thing to know is that we don’t know everything and that that’s okay. To know and accept this takes courage; the courage to ask questions and learn new things.

I’ve recently begun writing for Switch and Shift, a blog about the "human side of business." My focus will be on how adults can help guide today’s youth, with their considerable energy and passion, to change the world. These articles are also often cross-posted to SAP’s Business Innovation blog. I’ll be alerting you to my posts through my social media accounts, and mentioning many of them here. My first post explained the need to bridge the gap between generations and create cross-mentoring opportunities. My second post discussed how Choose2Matter is helping to unlock the potential of today’s youth to change the world. My latest post was "An Open Letter to Millennials - Thank You for What I See in You," which expressed my appreciation for their passion, impatience and desire to change our world. Of course, I will continue to blog here on a regular basis.

Technology transforms the world in which we live. It can make the impossible possible and is the key to doing more with less. It’s not the technology—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 Last week, I had the honor of having this conversation in person with education leaders in the State of Maine. 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. GettingTechnologyRIGHT from Angela Maiers Additional Resources:  The outline for my full-day workshop on Getting Technology R.I.G.H.T. 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 Unlocking the Potential of Millennials to Change 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

From "Why," by Rascal Flats You must have been in a Place so dark You couldn’t feel the light Reachin’ for you through That stormy cloud Now here we are Gathered in our little hometown This can’t be the way You meant to draw a crowd   Oh why, that’s what I keep asking Was there anything I could’ve Said or done Oh, I had no clue you were masking   A troubled soul, God only knows What went wrong and why You would leave the stage In the middle of a song   These are the lyrics from a song that has been playing in my head for the last year, especially today, as I’m gathered with my family to remember my little brother, Chrissy. A year ago today, as I waited in the Las Vegas airport for him to pick me up, my sister called to tell me that he had killed himself with a handgun. Over the next days, weeks and months, the question of WHY consumed us.  A year later, a new perspective has emerged. My uncle, a cancer survivor, told me that he spent a great deal of time during his treatment asking that very same question, until he started to reframe the question in a new way: "WHY NOT ME?" Even more importantly, what can my family and I share with others in a similar place, to provide them with insight, help and support? My brother was and is a gift.  On this anniversary of his passing, I do not want to focus on the darkness that surrounds his past. Rather, I want to share with you the beautiful gifts he helped us "unwrap." The poet, Mary Oliver, wrote in her Thirst collection, "someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this, too, was a gift." Most people wouldn’t associate loss with being a gift. But because of Christopher, I do. The death of my beloved brother, my box of darkness, was a gift. It just took a while to unwrap it completely. Here are some of the things that I’ve learned in the wake of my loss: 1. Knowledge is Empowering My brother’s death was a beginning of a new and unwanted education for me. Learning about suicide was never on my "bucket list," but as my family and I are thrown into a world we did not seek out, a world where one is forced try to fathom the unfathomable, education and knowledge saved us. For the past year I have been trying to learn all I could about depression, suicide, mental illness, prevention and treatment. Between the books I have read, research I have done and the stories that have been shared with me since I made my journey public, the most valuable insights were these: A person who dies by suicide is often so consumed by pain that he can no longer  think of anything but ending that pain. The pre-suicidal state of mind is one of extreme mental anguish where one’s judgment is distorted and one does not have the ability to "make choices" or see options. Our rational minds can’t fathom how our loved ones could have "chosen" to take their lives, but in their grief-stricken minds, there was no other choice. This is why it is so critical to reach out to others whenever you have suicidal thoughts of your own; you may be in a tailspin that you cannot pull out of by yourself. While it can be very difficult to "spot" someone in this state of mind, we all need to be alert to the warning signs. Individual therapy and group therapy in any form is essential for helping survivors to deal with this grief. The group of people I know who are "survivors of suicide" is much larger than I would have ever guessed. Suicide is still so stigmatized by our society that most people choose not to speak about it publicly. It has amazed and saddened me to discover how many people I know that have suffered the loss of a loved one to suicide, and that they only felt they could share this with me after I had become one of them. 2. ABC: Always Be Capturing Noticing and noting have always been critical in my life and in my learning, but I have been more conscious and conscientious about keeping a record of important moments in my life, and more importantly, the people I get to share those moments with. Remembering you, Christopher, has been a gift: Airplanes, Colorado, Tevos, Jar of Hearts, Soup. I wish I had ALWAYS BEEN CAPTURING - my memories of you would be even greater. 3. Live in Appreciation; Forgive I know  it seems cliche. We don’t appreciate what we have until it is gone. There is a reason things are cliche….they are often somewhat based in truth. To say my brother and I had our ups-and-downs would be an understatement. But months before his death, we had made a lot of progress in our relationship. I was on my way to see him and hopeful about starting a new chapter. It excited me to think that my children might get to know him better. We never got that chance. As I look back at how much I anticipated our new relationship, I regret not appreciating what we had much earlier. Now, in death, rather than in life, I find myself appreciating him more for who he was, and forgiving whatever it was that drove us apart. I find myself wishing I had the opportunity to appreciate our differences as a window to learn about our similarities. I would so relish the opportunity to better know him, learn from him, and love him more deeply. Live in appreciation; forgive. Now. 4. Facing Death to Value Life The meaning I have found in my brother’s suicide is to realize that life is tenuous for us all. Facing death with grace is the fulfillment of life, regardless of what you believe will follow. Of all the gifts my brother bestowed upon me, this is the most significant of all. We have the choice of making every minute count with the people we love from now on, and valuing them and our lives in a way we never did before. 5. Grace and Gratitude The pain and loss of my brother’s death will always remain, but my grief is beginning to be transformed into grace. His memories remind me how ephemeral life is and how fortunate I am to be blessed with family, friends, and work that fill me up. His memories remind me to live every day to the fullest, to take nothing for granted and let those whom I love know how much they matter and I love them His memories remind me we live in a beautiful world that offers endless possibilities. Thank you.. from the bottom of my heart.. to all that prayed for our family.. to all that shared so generously … to all who reached out to me and to my family in the weeks and months that followed. You will never know how much you were a part of my learning, my healing and my ability to support others in their grief.

It’s already back-to-school time in many parts of the U.S. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be publishing, or re-publishing, much of my back-to-school content to help you start the new school year right. Today, I feature two "Dear Student" letters that I wish all students, of all ages, everywhere would receive from their teachers. The letters were written by Arin Kress, a self-described "5th grade teacher in Ohio who is constantly learning." Arin is on Twitter @KressClass and her blog is Hate Chalk. The first letter encourages students to think about what their genius is. The second tells students they matter, and encourages them to let others know they matter as well. They are succinctly written and full of hope and encouragement - shouldn’t every student start the school year this way? ***** Dear 5th graders, Hi! My name is Arin Kress and I will be your math and science teacher this year. We haven’t met yet, but every day this summer I’ve thought about you. I know that sounds odd - but please keep reading. I haven’t thought about you individually, because I don’t know who you are yet, but I’ve thought about you collectively. I’ve thought about the amazing group of 5th graders that will cross the threshold of my classroom in just a few weeks. I’ve thought about challenging you. I’ve thought about embracing your differences. I’ve thought about your strengths. I’ve thought about your weaknesses. And I have a secret that I can’t keep in for another few weeks. You Are All Geniuses. Shhh! Don’t tell anyone, but really you are. I know deep within you, your inner genius is ready to come out! I’ve worked with geniuses for seven years now, and let me tell you something - it’s amazing.  And this year won’t be different. So, before you walk through my door on the first day of school, think about YOUR genius. What are you an expert at? What do you enjoy? What can I learn from YOU?  How are YOU going to change the world? I can’t wait to share my genius with you and for you to share your genius with all the other geniuses in the room: your classmates! Ms. Kress ***** Dear 5th graders, Today I learned what it means to matter. I know it sounds silly, but it’s a powerful message.  Two simple words - You Matter. So many times we go about our daily lives and no one stops to thank us. No one seems to care if we go the extra mile. It’s odd really that we would find it odd for someone to tell us that we matter - because it’s such a simple thing to do. So, I’m doing it right now - I want you to know that you matter to me before I even know your name. YOU are why I became a teacher. YOU will make a difference in my life. I hope to learn as much from YOU as you do from ME! I want you to understand this:  YOU MATTER to your family, YOU MATTER to your friends, YOU MATTER to so many people - You already matter to ME! Stop right now and think about who matters to YOU. (Most likely you matter to them too!) So here’s your first assignment. Tell as many people in your life that THEY matter to YOU and, of course, tell them why. (Don’t just run up to strangers yelling, "You matter!" You might get a lot of confused looks!) Please take this seriously. It may be just one of the most important assignments you complete all year. I hope you are enjoying your summer, because the ride you’re about to embark on will be full of ups and downs and winding curves. One thing you will learn about me is that I hate roller coasters - but I can’t wait for the ride to begin that we will experience together! I look forward to telling you in person how much you MATTER to me. I hope to see you at Open House on August 19th! Ms. Kress P.S. If you have a mobile device (phone, tablet, etc.), bring it to Open House! We have some fun, interactive activities planned! J

Matt Gomez, from Plano, TX, is a "Teacher with the Habitudes." In his kindergarten classroom, there is only one rule- "Be brave!" This "rule" applies to just about everything a young student has to face; from bullying to trying new things to missing mom. Some may worry that a classroom would be chaotic with only one rule, but Mr. Gomez has high expectations for his class. He expects students to treat each other with respect, to clean up after themselves and to take ownership of class property. He feels these expectations are less restricting than rules, because he is able to handle each situation-and student-uniquely. We love how Mr. Gomez and his classroom embrace the habitudes! Below, Mr. Gomez explains the rule, which is cross-posted on his blog. *** This year will be my third year with a one rule classroom. Be brave! That is our only "rule." I wish I could put into words how powerful this rule has been in my class but really there is no way to for me to articulate it. Be brave is the perfect theme, motto or "rule" for any class. It helps with bullying, friendships, tying shoes, monkey bars, missing Mom, touching worms, tasting new food, etc. Be brave is exactly the type of attitude needed for young kids. Every day they are faced with challenges as they grow up into this big world. If the only thing I teach them is that they can "be brave," I have succeeded. Without rules my room must be a crazy mess, right? Well maybe sometimes but that isn’t due to the lack of rules. I have expectations in my class. I expect the kids to treat each other with respect. I expect them to carry the iPad correctly. I expect them to clean up their messes. I don’t have rules. What is the difference? Rules are restricting and demanding. In my mind, rules tell the class that I am in control of their behavior and my goal is they realize they are in control. Beyond that, I have learned that by removing the rules I have the freedom to handle every situation and every child in a unique way. I also do not use any rewards or a behavior management system in my class. I have written about my reasoning and journey to remove rewards from the class (read here) and it really has been a journey. I started with sticker charts and a treasure box just like most teachers. I also have used many different forms of behavior charts. My friend Miss Night does a great job of articulating the reasons I avoid using these systems on her blog post "Too high a price: why I don’t do behaviour charts." If you liked that post make sure and check out her follow-up post "Behavior management: relationships not systems."  The big "light bulb" moment for me was when I realized that most behavior management systems are a form of control. The teacher is the one in control and I want my kids to learn to be in control. They learn by practicing and through mistakes not by being managed. I think Mis Night sums it up perfectly, "I have relationships, not systems." I may have to work a little harder without stickers and treasure digs but in the end the relationships built and ability to customize how I handle every situation has led to a much healthier environment and happier classroom. I might just add these words from Christopher Robin to our class this year: "you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tRepZdoRmY

I had the privilege yesterday of leading the Smackdown at the 38th Annual School Administrators of Iowa Conference. The links and resources were flying furiously, and we did our best to capture them all: Tools: SweetSearch, A Search Engine for Students, via @AngelaMaiers YourSphere, a community platform that helps students connect, create & share their work via @AngelaMaiers Common Sense Media. digital citizenship curriculum for students, reviews & advice for adults Hello Slide - give voice to your presentations via @jenwoodley24 Voki, talking avatars, useful for ESL Remind101, safe texting FlipBoard, social magazine MobyMax, vocabulary development Flash Panel, Cloud Management for Google Apps  via @jenwoodley24 Blue Jeans Video Collaboration in the Cloud via @jenwoodley24 http://www.graphite.org/#.UgOdh9iCdaE.twitter Ingredients for Effective Teaching via @principaljgross Symbaloo, bookmarking site utilizes titles via @ahuseman Duo Lingo, Free Language Education for the World, via @jenwoodley24 Cedar Valley West School to Work, via @rcunningham78 Powtoon, A new kind of animated presentation tool  via @jensigirst Sites for Resources: Iowa AEA Pinterest Board via @iowa_aea findingDulcinea via @AngelaMaiers Cybraryman, Resources for all things cybrary via @ahuseman NY Times Learning Blog, search by content area for lessons/stories via @jenwoodley24 Connected Principals, a network of principals via @jenwoodley24 Symbaloo - Shannon Miller’s Resources, via @jenwoodley24 Teaching Channel, videos of teachers teaching in real classrooms, via @ahuseman FreeTech4Teachers, Emerging technologies/resources via @jenwoodley24 101 Great Sites for Social Studies Class, via @AngelaMaiers Presentations Transforming your teacher librarian into a leader (Resources) Transforming Your Teacher Librarian Into a Leader (Audio) Iowa School Libraries: A Student-Centered Vision Shaping a Vision for the Success of All Students Articles/Videos: Ted 2012 Remix, via @AngelaMaiers Hello Literacy, via @kimjtierney  Big Ideas Group ties innovation, community in Cedar Rapids (Iowa Public Radio) Vision for Iowa’s School Libraries  What Works: School Connectedness, a great resource on building a culture of excellence via @colinwikan The 5 Best Practices to Consider When Using Facebook with Students via @crescerance Jeff Bliss Remix- You Gotta Touch His Heart West Monona Facebook page ***** Additionally, at previous SAI Conferences, I have been asked to share tools and resources that will be useful when adopting the Common Core. Here is a list of resources I’ve assembled with my colleague and partner Mark Moran, CEO of Dulcinea Media, creator of findingDulcinea and SweetSearch: SUGGESTED RESOURCES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE COMMON CORE Evaluation of Online Material Ten Steps to Better Web Research Collaboration Tools Wiggio: An free online collaboration tool that enables students 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. Edmodo is a social network designed for students and educators. Bookmarking and Note-Taking Tools Evernote is a tool that helps students and teachers manage digital information. See the Evernote for Schools blog. Symbaloo enables teachers and students to save their favorite websites as clickable "tiles" on a single page. Tools for Students to Create and Publish Content Online Blog platforms WordPress is free blogging software widely used by professionals. WordPress.com is a free, hosted version, while WordPress.org is a more flexible version that requires your own Web host. This post explains the difference between them. KidBlog provides teachers and students with a secure, private classroom blogging space. Video Production ScreenFlow is powerful, easy-to-use screen recording and editing software for the Mac. Camtasia also offers screen recording and editing software for Windows and the Mac. We Video is a collaborative video creation platform. Video Publishing YouTube Teachers makes it easier for teachers everywhere to find, make, share, and use videos educationally. SchoolTube is the nation’s largest K-12 moderated video sharing platform for students and educators,and is endorsed by many national education associations. Vimeo is also a video-hosting platform that provides lessons for making videos. Presentations Prezi is a unique online presentation tool that enables students to create and share. SlideRocket is also a collaborative online presentation tool. SlideShare is a place to publish presentations; it is one of the most visited sites on the Web. Search Engines and Other Discovery Tools for Teachers and Students SweetSearch is a curated search engine that searches only 35,000 authoritative resources. It heavily emphasizes primary source materials in its search results. Science.gov "searches over 50 databases and over 2100 selected websites from 14 federal agencies, offering 200 million pages of authoritative U.S. government science information including research and development results." Europeana explores the digital resources of Europe’s cultural institutions. Wolfram Alpha is a "computational knowledge engine" that is great for math and science. It has created a guide for educators, complete with examples of how it can be used in the K-12 classroom. Twitter is a real-time discovery and interaction platform. Read Guide to Twitter in the K-8 Classroom. USING PRIMARY SOURCES Advice for Teaching with Primary Sources Primary Sources: At the Heart of the Common Core Standards Using Primary Sources on the Web, Reference & User Services Association, American Library Association, 2003. Top Ten Tips for Facilitating Effective Primary Source Analysis, Stephen Wesson, Teaching with Library of Congress. Smithsonian Source offers advice and examples for teaching with primary sources for topics in American history. Center for History and New Media offers several dozen case studies teaching world history with primary sources. The Primary Source Librarian, a blog dedicated to teaching with primary sources, by Mary Johnson, librarian. Curriculum specialist Glenn Wiebe offers the "DESCRIBE" method for analyzing a primary source document. Canton’s Class, "Using Your Life to Teach Primary Sources." Websites, Directories, and Search Engines for Finding Primary Sources National Archives’ Teachers Page provides eight links as starting points for locating documents. The site is searchable by topic, by state and by historical era. There are also focused lesson plans and activities available. The Archives also manages the online collections of the presidential libraries of all U.S. presidents since FDR. Visit the DocsTeach section, where students and teachers together create their unique activities, which build specific competencies such as historical comprehension or chronological thinking. The "Eyewitness" section hones in on particular events and episodes in history. Library of Congress also offers a teacher’s page. Browse pre-organized primary resource sets or search by state, or use the Today in History feature to find primary sources relating to a specific event. The LOC even offers a self-directed teaching module to help guide your search. The LOC’s American Memory project is a goldmine for U.S. History teachers. When using it, note the subject heading of the resources you find and the key terms you use, as links are deactivated from time to time. The World Digital Library is searchable by place, time (as far back as 8,000 B.C.), topic and type of item, such as books, journals, maps and sound recordings. The site was developed by the Library of Congress, in partnership with UNESCO. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History offers its own collection of primary sources, as well as thiscurated page of links to websites containing primary sources for history. The University Library for California State University has curated primary sources across 11 categories; the "Event Specific" category is particularly useful. The Institute of Historical Research at the University of London has a number of digital projects that assemble primary sources from British and Irish history. The University of Sydney has curated links to primary sources for Australian history. 101 Great Sites for Social Studies Class, findingDulcinea, 2011. 9 Sites to Find Interesting Interviews, findingDulcinea, 2011. Political Cartoons in America, by Christopher Coats, findingDulcinea, October 23, 2008. findingDulcinea Web Guides: Native American History, The American Revolution, The Civil War, The U.S. in World War II, Civil Rights Movement and Slavery in America. CybraryMan’s Primary Sources, a collection of links for teaching with and locating primary sources, aggregated by retired teacher and librarian Jerry Blumengarten. Newspaper and Magazine Archives Google Newspapers offers the ability to search thousands of historic newspapers at once. Time offers archives back to 1923; free to subscribers The Atlantic andThe New York Times offer a mix of free and paid articles going back more than a century. The Paris Review offers author interviews from the past six decades. The New York Times Learning Network bundles many of its articles into pre-packaged lesson plans British Pathé offers more than 90,000 images and newsreels, both silent and with sound, dating back more than a century; also on YouTube Chronicling America enables users to search and view newspapers from 1836-1922 The National Library of Australia’s Trove enables users to search historic Australian newspapers, recordings, images and other media Rag Linen is an online museum and educational archive of rare and historic printed newspapers Sports Illustrated Vault offers all the magazine’s articles since its 1954 debut Cornell University and University of Michigan libraries’ Making of America projects are collections of journals and newspapers from the antebellum, wartime and reconstruction periods Wisconsin Historical Society has scanned every issue of Freedom’s Journal, the first newspaper owned and operated by African-Americans

This is a guest post from Amelia Friedman, a senior at Brown University. Amelia is also founder of Student Language Exchange, which introduces undergraduate students to languages and cultures that they do not have formal access to through their college curriculum. Please support this essential program with a small donation to its crowdfunding campaign. To learn more, visit its website, Facebook page, or follow its Twitter feed.   ***** "The United States may be the only nation in the world where it is possible to complete secondary and postsecondary education without any foreign language study whatsoever." — Leon Panetta, Former Secretary of Defense About 10 percent of native-born Americans— individuals who went through our education system— speak a language other than English. Many of these people learned their language from immigrant parents or through an avenue other than our public education system. Compare that to the over 60 percent of Europeans that speak a second language. It’s not all bad news. In colleges and universities, enrollment is increasing, especially in languages like Arabic and Chinese. Increases in less commonly taught languages (e.g. Farsi, Kiswahili) have been particularly impressive at 31.2% between 2002 and 2006. Not bad at all. But, through all of this data, there are certain languages that aren’t even part of the conversation. I’m going to list the 24 most widely spoken languages in the world (in order), and I challenge you to identify where they are primarily spoken: Chinese Spanish English Hindi Arabic Portuguese Bengali Russian Japanese Javanese German Lahnda (Panjabi, Seraiki) Telugu Marathi Tamil French Vietnamese Korean Urdu Italian Malay Persian Turkish Oriya Some of these languages are studied by millions of students (K-16) every year. Some of them are only studied by a handful of eager college students. Some of them are not offered by a single institution. Language learning is important. But learning Spanish, French and German is not enough. If we want to prepare our kids to communicate with people from around the world, we need to diversify language learning in this country. I have just finished my third year at a prestigious American university that prides itself on creating spaces for free inquiry and promoting global learning. Here, I’ve made language learning the centerpiece of my education, studying five languages through the formal curriculum and several more in my free time. I’ve been disappointed to learn, however, that 10 of the 24 most widely spoken languages aren’t part of the 30+ languages offered here. More than half of our languages are European, and not a single African language finds itself in our curriculum. Three years ago, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told us that we need to ramp up our commitment to foreign language education, not just in European languages— 95% of college students are already studying them— but to these underrepresented languages. These languages are integral to our country’s success in our rapidly globalizing society. He challenged us to address "spotty" language education because, "today more than ever a world-class education requires students to be able to speak and read languages in addition to English." In 2004, the Modern Language Association reported on what they called "the nation’s language deficit": Students are not learning languages at a rate that supports our global interests. This remains true even for  those languages labeled critical languages by our State Department. This isn’t an easy problem to fix; three quarters of states report shortages in qualified foreign language teachers. And, in my experience, many students haven’t even heard of some of the languages from the list above, much less considered studying them. So, if we’re going to change the status quo, we need to renew our commitment to language education— we need to get American students excited about language learning now! The Student Language Exchange is a first step in bringing diverse languages to the American consciousness. We mobilize international students studying in the US (there are 1.7 million at last count) to bring these underrepresented languages to our college campuses. At our pilot institution, we’re pulling languages like Bengali, Thai, Kiswahili, Bulgarian and Tagalog into the campus conversation. By building spaces for our peers to teach language and share their culture, we are able to get kids excited about learning these often-forgotten languages, and motivate them to use their newfound language skills to do something important. We’ve had former participants teach or study abroad, find passion in international social justice work, change their entire academic trajectory, or even discover their ideal global career following a Student Language Exchange experience. At my university, we have been successful in diversifying language learning and cultural exploration. Now, we’re working to expand to new schools and build a larger movement that will begin to touch K-12 education as well. Last week, we launched our crowdfunding campaign so that we can execute our expansion plan. If you believe in the power of language learning, please join our movement! As we prepare the next generation of world leaders, we need to consider how they will communicate with their peers around the world. How will we learn from one another? How will we expose ourselves to new cultures? How will we build a global conversation that celebrates diversity and encourages global cooperation? Language education is only one part of the equation, but it’s the first step toward building an open, honest, respectful global society. Yes, English is becoming a global language. But language study is still critical. Encouraging language education encourages cultural awareness and appreciation. Learning another’s language can be a symbol of respect, showing people that you value their culture— even if they’ve learned your language, you are still working to meet them partway. And not everyone in the world has the opportunity to learn English: Children around the world are denied educational opportunities. If we don’t learn these underrepresented languages, if we wait until the rest of the world learns English, people at the bottom of the socioeconomic pyramid will continue to be left out of the global conversation. We cannot continue to put language learning on the backburner— when we scrimp on language learning, we are putting our future on the line. Help us remind our students that global communication is important, and that everyone’s voice— no matter how far or how small— matters.  

Today I had the honor of making a presentation to the employees of Strategic America, one of the leading marketing agencies in Iowa. My audience was 100 top corporate branding experts. I discussed personal branding, and how it has changed in the social media age. Here is my slide deck; I hope to make the video available in the next few weeks.   Why You Should Care and Be Aware - Brand You! from Angela Maiers

Wendy Bellagamba and Rachel Sepe, 4th grade teachers at Hough Street School in Barrington, IL, are "Teachers with Habitudes." They have a passion for helping students become involved citizens who fully develop their genius. This guest post by Wendy and Rachel describe how the mural posted above came to be on her classroom wall. The inspiration for the mural came from Angela Maiers’ book, Classroom Habitudes.  As we were studying the book at a staff meeting last spring, we brainstormed ideas to use "We Matter" in our room and with our students. Rachel suggested a mural. Wendy knew her daughter, Christine, would jump in to help this summer, using her art background.  We wanted the mural to illustrate that we all matter to each other in our classroom and school community. Christine found the design, and it was her idea to show diversity with the hands. We knew we wanted to list the Habitudes in the mural, and, when our class birthday wristbands arrived in the mail, we thought wristbands with the words would work! Christine created a stencil for the title, and we decided to keep it smaller so that photos of the students, or creations made by the students demonstrating the Habitudes could be added to the mural throughout the school year. It was so much fun to create this with Christine, and as Angela says in her book, "spread the message of the habitudes’ powers in our classroom." It is also "an important reminder that we do nothing alone." When Wendy was a student at Drake University, she read Inviting School Success by William Purkey.  Purkey’s book has always stuck with her and helped her form her philosophy of education. It reminds us of Classroom Habitudes because it was written to be helpful to those who wish to improve the education of all students and, at the same time, approaches it from a humanistic viewpoint.  Both books invite students, and teachers, to see themselves as able, valuable and self-directing. We’re looking forward to teaching your lessons in the months and years ahead!

  This spring, Choose2Matter sponsored the Quest2Matter,  which challenged students to take action to change our world. Despite this being the first Quest, its short duration, and its coming at the end of the year, more than 100 inspiring quests were submitted. Today, the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences announced that Mallory Fundora, founder of Project Yesu, will be the honoree for Student Initiative at the 2013 Bammy Awards in Washington, D.C.! Please make a small donation to help us send Mallory to Washington, D.C. to collect her award! Click here for the donation page. Mallory has raised tens of thousands of dollars to provide food, medicine and education to orphans in Uganda; it all started when she decided she no longer wanted Christmas presents for herself, but instead wanted funds used to support those in need. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouFqJLU0jGE Read Mallory’s reaction on the Project Yesu blog.    

At East Greenwich High School in Rhode Island, "Mattering" is on the schedule! Vice Principal, Tim Chace, believes that the relationship formed between a teacher and his student is more important, and will go further, than the content learned. Inspired by the "You Matter" Talk at TEDxDesMoines, Tim created a "You Matter" Form for his school where both teachers and students could fill out the form, letting a co-worker or teacher know that something they did made a difference. This "You Matter" form was met with great enthusiasm. Take a look at the forms and read all about the culture change of mattering at EGHS. Do the people in your life know that they matter to you? *** Mattering at East Greenwich High School, By Tim Chace It’s just a simple idea and a simple Google form. But the results were far from simple. In late April I decided to build it after seeing the You Matter speech and understanding the power of the message. It was a tough year, as it is for most public schools. There is a powerlessness and debilitating feeling among many faculties that feel overwhelmed with all of the regulation from outside agencies, trying to work independently with kids to help them improve while being forced to teach in a one size must fit all "accountability" system and while listening to constant attacks in the media and from politician, "reformers" etc. I make a regular practice of trying to notice at least 2-3 things a day that I can tell people face to face that they are making a difference and that they matter… but what if I could extend that… let everyone do it…. easily… quickly… as part of our culture… What would happen then? Attached is a screen shot of the form that I quickly developed… people have access to it through our student management system as well as through the emails that they receive when someone fills the form out for them. I started it out by sending 6 messages to people… no fanfare… no announcement… didn’t even sign them. By the next day 27 more had gone out. People were surprised at how receiving one affected them and their day.  One teacher (15+ year veteran) came to see me at lunch duty and said she was in tears because she didn’t think anyone noticed what she did and it was the nicest thing that’s ever happened at work. And those were the unsolicited ripples from my "original six"… a few days later I explained what I was doing at a faculty meeting and let it take off from there.  By the end of the year we had 361 "you matters" go out to a faculty of about 80.  And it did change our culture. Then with May being Teacher Appreciation Month, I decided to use it for another purpose, and chronicled it here. I hope that you can see and understand how You Matter rippled out into the world and continues to do so in our little neck of the woods.

This is a guest post by Maggie Maslowski, English teacher at Joliet West High School, Illinois. Her class Twitter account is @jthsmaslowski and they use the hashtag #jthsmas ***             Every new school year, teachers introduce themselves, their rules, routines, and expectations to the students. Many encourage the students to say a little about themselves.  Those first days have a lot of first day jitters.  The teachers might be anxious meeting new students and trying to learn all their names and faces quickly. The students are nervous about saying or doing anything awkwardly. I joined Twitter on July 26, 2013. I was skeptical, but quickly learned that Twitter is a teaching tool that allows me into the classrooms and minds of many extraordinary educators.  I learned more that first month I joined Twitter than I have learned in many years of courses and professional development, and I feel I’m contributing a little of my own successes. Here is information about a beginning of the year activity that this year has been extraordinary with the addition of the You Matter message. Students created a Poster about themselves to showcase in the classroom that I call a PDF because it stands for: Proud Moment, Dream Goals, and Favorites. Students wrote down their Proudest Moments to show off how amazing they are, their Dream Goals to ensure that they kept their eyes on the prize, and their Favorites to show their individual personalities that will enhance our classroom. They also added a favorite picture of themselves that was semi-current so that we could match their face with their name. This activity was a way to allow them to truly think about who they were and what made them who they are today. They were creating this for an authentic audience because their classmates would see these every day, and parents would see them on Open House. It was their creation where they were able to make many personal decisions about how it looked and were given a few days to think about it before we had class time to finalize the masterpieces that would be referred to as their PDFs. Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Students were given a blank sheet that had the four boxes that needed to be filled out. Proud Moments Dream Goals Favorites Own Picture Students could choose from a variety of colored cardstock and be creative with their final product. Daily, more and more PDFs were posted on the board. Students were excited to come in and see them.   Students LOVED being able to show their creativity in English.  They weren’t just filling out a worksheet or writing a small paragraph for me…that might be put away in some file folder and never showcased.  They had an authentic audience: their peers and their parents! Every day, students came to class and went to the WE MATTER wall to see whose picture was up next. And, their excitement showed when their own picture was up or one of their friends.  They wanted to come to my class and they felt like they mattered.  They do Matter and so do their Dreams and their Proud Moments. They learned a LOT about one another those first few weeks of school and shared each other’s Proud Moments.  The PDFs were definite conversation starters, and the excitement continued each day into each lesson. I loved coming to class every day and learning more and more about my students. They were excited as well.  They were well-behaved.  They felt they mattered.  And, to tell you the truth, we just finished week 4 of school and My Behavior Log is empty.  I have classes filled with students who want to be in my class and I feel like I’m facilitating learning not managing behavior.  Showing my students that this is THEIR classroom, not just MY classroom.  They MATTER here, their OPINION counts, THEIR voice is heard, and they have CHOICES.  Though the door says "Mrs. Maslowski," my WE MATTER wall is filled with my STUDENTS’ faces, dreams, goals, and favorites. They are what makes the classroom successful and I hope the joy of being in my classroom continues throughout the year. Open House was earlier this week and I don’t usually have many parents who attend this event.  This year was different.  Students brought their parents and wanted to show them their picture, but only after introducing me. It was amazing to hear from many parents: "My child hated school, but I had to meet the teacher who is his favorite!" And "My daughter told me you’re the best English teacher she ever had!" It was heart-warming to hear that, and we are only into the first month of school. I hope their love for English class keeps growing! When Angela Maiers asked me to do a post for my PDF activity, I was extremely honored and I decided to survey my students with Socrative, to get their opinion of the worth of the PDFs we completed. Here are some of their comments: "Working on the PDFs made me realize my goals and gave me motive to work towards my goals." (Allison) "It has made me want to work harder in English class." (Angela) "Taking the time to work on the PDFs have impacted the way I work in English class because one of my goals is to go to college and in English class I am trying to work to harder than I can." (Kylee) "Yes because I’m showing her the type of person I am and the type of person I will be this year." (Steve) "Yes because I feel more motivated to get work done." (Brian) "Yes, because the PDFs really help you think better of yourself and show that you really matter." (Alicia) "Yes because it reminds me of the goals I set for myself to become successful." (Waleed) I am truly grateful for my students and for starting off the school year positively and successfully.  We are motivated to Learn and Teach one another because WE MATTER. I hope this activity can be as successful for another teacher, as it has been for me!  

Can students really change the world? In 1999, students at a rural Kansas high school began work on a National History Day project, with these goals: extend the boundaries of the classroom; contribute to history learning; teach respect and tolerance; and honor the classroom motto: "He who changes one person, changes the world entire." When our team at Choose2Matter speaks of changing the world, this is the essence of what we mean. A person who makes an effort to let another person know he or she matters, can have a lasting effect on that person, and a resultant effect on how that person impacts the world. This is why Teachers Matter so much. Sometimes students change the world in broader ways, such as this amazing group of students whose achievements we wrote about this summer, and these students who declared their ambitions for changing the world when we visited their schools. Back to Kansas: two ninth graders, Megan Stewart, Elizabeth Cambers, and an eleventh grader, Sabrina Coons, were encouraged by their teacher to delve further into a clipping he had from US News & World Report about Irena Sendler, who the clip said had saved the lives of 2,500 Jewish children by smuggling them out of the Warsaw Ghetto before they could captured by the Nazis. The teacher assumed there was a typo in that number, as surely a person who had accomplished such a feat would be celebrated around the world. The  story is explained in this post: the students’ research found that Sendler’s heroics were very real. While they had been quietly recognized by two Jewish organizations, her story was little known, even in her native Poland, where the post-war communist government had suppressed the stories of war-time heroes such as Sendler and Witold Pilecki, a spy who actually snuck into Auschwitz. The three girls and other collaborators wrote a short play, "Life in a Jar," in honor of Sendler’s practice of documenting all of the children she had smuggled and burying them in glass jars in a friend’s backyard to facilitate post-war reunions with their birth families. They performed the play in many places in Kansas, and, learning that Sendler was alive, began to write her letters, through a Polish translator. Sendler responded with dozens of letters. A Kansas businessmen saw the play and funded a trip for the students and supporters to go to Poland and meet Sendler. One of the children whose lives had been saved by Sendler deemed these students "rescuers - rescuers of Irena’s story." Did this one little play, written by high school students in Kansas, really change the world? A post about the project on Chabad.org captures many of the student’s achievements: In Sendler’s own words to the students, "Before the day you had written Life in a Jar, the world did not know our story; your performance and work is continuing the effort I started over fifty years ago. You are my dearly beloved ones." At least 20 colleges in the U.S. and many more in Poland are using Sendler’s letters in their curriculum. Holocaust education in Poland has changed dramatically; other Polish rescuers came forward with their stories. Irena was given numerous awards—including the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest honor, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. In April 2009, the Audrey Hepburn Foundation posthumously awarded Irena Sendler its 2009 Humanitarian Award. In 2009, CBS aired a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie titled, "Courageous Heart" about Sendler’s work. In Sendler’s final words to the students before her death, she wrote, "You have changed Poland, you have changed the United States, you have changed the world. I love you very, very much." Students really can change the world. Choose2Matter.  

  If you want to find your passion, surrender to your heartbreak. ~ Umair Haque on hbr.com Passion matters. It is the differentiator and the difference maker. In our quest to be passion driven learners and leaders,we are often advised to "follow our hearts" as the way lead us to our true passion and purpose in life. What they fail to answer, is how exactly do we find that passion? I am going to suggest something that on the surface seems counterintuitive; even silly. I am going to suggest that you DO NOT follow your heart to find your passion and purpose. Instead follow your heartbreak. Although following your heart (feelings) can be useful while information-gathering, following your heart in decision-making does disservice.  . Finding your passion; surrendering to your heartbreak is really about finding what really moves you. Discovering what ticks you off and breaks your heart may be the first step in that direction. Here’s why: It identifies what you find interesting. When something truly breaks your heart, there is no doubt that you find it compelling enough to on to. It uncovers a cause you long to be called for; what some call your "life’s purpose." It unveils a process that you can and will want to use to learn skills you need to succeed and bring you closer to getting there. It brings congruency bringing what’s inside you to what’s outside you in closer alignment, When you believe that world out there needs what you’ve got; it becomes the exact motivation you need to propel forward and make change happen. And in my experience, following a heartbreak whether it is your own or the world’s is the single most effective way to help individuals, organizations and the world discover what they were meant and called to do. So here we go. Ask yourself this question: What Matters to You? An important aspect of choosing to matter is discovering what you are most passionate about; what you are willing to commit to. If we our going to change the world and ask others to do the same. then we need to find and articulate at least one thing that we are seriously, fiercely passionate about. The process of Heart Mapping can be done individually or as a group. Use the following template to get your started as you explore the questions below. What makes you happy? What do you love? What is the most fun you have ever had? What memory is your favorite? What things or objects are important to you? What things in your heart are sad?  Make you cry? What secrets are in your heart? What are your favorite things, toys? What activities do you love? Examples of Heart Maps done with students:  Aaron Maurer’s students at Bettendorf, IA MS 2. What Breaks Your Heart About That? This single question can cause some to  to lie awake at night, wondering what happened to our lives and to our world and for others it can light a fire so bright it propels them to a greatness they never dreamed possible. Give it a try. Here are instructions created by Karen MacMillan, a remarkable middle school teacher. In the center of your heart map, write and/or draw the things that you are passionate about. In the next level or circle, write and/or draw what breaks your heart about these things. In the final level or circle, write and/or draw your ideas for the ways to resolve these heartbreaks. Here’s what her students created. 3. Turning HeartBreaks into BreakThrough The process of uncovering pain points or what we call "mini heartbreaks" is what drives breakthrough innovation. Instead of jumping into something that we cannot do because it is too big, we tackle mini heartbreaks and search for solutions which uncover the fundamental drivers of new opportunities. Questions to Consider Person - who’s the specific person or people you’re innovating for? Activities - what are the everyday things they do, why, and to what ends? Insights - what are the processes, tools, or activities that they unnecessarily do or have invented themselves to "work around" the way things are "supposed" to be done? Needs - what are the biggest pain points that are the root causes of the problems, unmet needs, or desires? What are the workarounds, things that cause stress or concern, dissatisfaction, or anything else that’s responsible for their "pain"? Here’s the process in action (Video) The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to love, to transform, and to be greater than our suffering. Map Your Heartbreak and find out how strong you truly are.  

I am going to bed with a smile on my face. I was honored and thrilled to spend the weekend with cherished friends, colleagues and fellow change agents as an attendee and presenter at the second annual Bammy Awards in Washington DC. There is so much to celebrate in our profession and so much to be proud of.  I was anxiously waiting for some down time after the event, to go back into the tweet stream and see all that was captured and all that I missed. I was fully expecting the usual "why we shouldn’t have awards for teachers-because it goes against what we stand" banter that emerges when we try to showcase what is good within our field. But I was not expecting what came with it. The ceremony was not perfect; a few aspects of it upset some people. This was only the second time it was held, and it operates on a tight budget - tickets to the ceremony are free - and with no full-time staff. My friend and fellow educator Pernille Ripp fairly lays out her feelings on the issues here. I am not writing to debate what anyone perceived to be the shortcomings of the ceremony. What I find upsetting is the ensuing avalanche of negativity as educators "pile on," as though they want to bury the Bammys for good. As Pernille brilliantly wrote in the wake of the Bammy nominations in May, "We are so good at making each other feel bad….We are so good at taking moments that should be celebrated and turning them into moments of shame….if we squelch the movements that are springing up to turn the tide of teacher bashing, then we are giving those who hate us a helping hand." In the midst of my brewing and stewing, I sent this Tweet to 12yo Mallory Fundora, who I presented with the first Bammy for Student Initiative, for a fresh perspective:     And you will see in here response why I prefer to hang out with children!! "I feel like winning this award means that people take me seriously for the work that I am doing, instead of looking at me like I’m just a kid. I want the educators in the room to understand that there are other kids like me in their classrooms and they could be overlooking them every day. I started Project Yesu when I was in the 6th grade. From then to now (not including this school year) I have had 14 teachers and only 3 of them ever showed any interest in what I am doing in Uganda. This year it’s different, after my teachers found out that I won a Bammy, it’s like they realize that I am for real. It bothers me that my teacher didn’t seem to care about what I do outside of their classrooms. So what I would like to say to the teachers, principals, superintendents or whoever that were there Saturday night is its great that you blog or tweet your great classroom ideas and experiences, or that you found a great app to use with your students, or helped them to understand fractions better, but what about caring about their passions? Showing interest in their lives? Encouraging them, finding their spark and helping them grow it, even if it doesn’t make them better on a standardized test." Be The Change, Mallory Founder of Project Yesu How many teachers are in the same position as Mallory? How many are known around the country and around the world for their contribution to the field of education, for their innovations in learning, and yet utterly ignored in their own schools? The Bammys is a chance to celebrate all that is right in the education system, which is not done nearly often enough. That is what matters most about the Bammys.

Technology transforms the world in which we live. It can make the impossible possible and is the key to doing more with less. It’s not the technology—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. This 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 Yesterday, I had the honor of having this conversation in person with education leaders in the State of Texas. 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. Sai from Angela Maiers 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 Unlocking the Potential of Millennials to Change 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

  Leadership is a topic about which a great deal has been written. But if you want a clear definition of what it means to be a leader, just ask a kindergartener!  I recently had the great privilege of spending two amazing days working with the collective genius of the students and teachers of Coppell Independent School District in Texas.  The lesson showcased in the following response by kindergarten teacher Torrin Garrison came from the students in her class. Learners of all ages have important thoughts to share with the world! *** "Last week I had the privilege to hear Angela Maiers speak to teachers at my elementary school (Cottonwood Creek), as well as parents in the community. I also had the opportunity to watch her incorporate a lesson using the habitudes with learners of all ages, including two from my kindergarten class. Inspired by her lesson, and hoping to help my students reflect on what it means to  be a leader, we created a circle map, after partner brain-storming on qualities that we find in leaders. We had a class discussion, and much like Angela, I gave my learners freedom to speak up and tell me what it means to be a leader. We documented these in this Circle Map inserted at the top of this post. I was thrilled to hear my learners mention words found in Classroom Habitudes. We hope hope to add to the list as well as brainstorm ways that we can demonstrate these habitudes in our classroom." By Torrin Garrison