Arin Kress, a science and math teacher at Park Street Intermediate School in Ohio, is a member of the Choose2Matter team, and author of one of the most popular posts on this blog this year. She is tenacious in her quest to share the message of Choose2Matter and to effect positive change in the lives of the students with whom she works. This year, she began a Choose2Matter after-school club, which has attracted nearly 50 students, more than twice the number Ms. Kress had hoped for. During the first two weeks, students brainstormed about things they care about in the world and things they would like to change.  They came up with seven topics (staying active, homelessness, etc.) and were split into groups in which they’ll work for the rest of the year to create solutions. Arin chronicles her experiences and thoughts about Choose2Matter as an after-school club on the club’s blog. Follow along as it develops and see why Choose2Matter is the Hot New After School Club. Arin also wrote this brilliant guest post for Oliver Schinkten’s Compassion-based Learning blog. You can also follow along, and benefit from Arin’s other ideas, via her blog, Hate Chalk, and on Twitter.  She is a powerful writer with many positive, insightful messages and her blog is full of inspiring gems.      

My co-founder, Mark Moran, presented Choose2Matter today at EdTech NJ. Here are links to some of the resources he discussed: Video: Angela Maiers at TedXDesMoines: You Matter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FHdHUzRnms The Science of Mattering  Mallory Fundora, Project Yesu Easton LaChappelle Life in a Jar Young People Are Geniuses Who Are Changing the World Video: My Invention that Made Peace With the Lions Choose2Matter on Quora (Question & Answer site) YourSphere for Educators Angela Maiers: Two Days I’ll Never Forget Video: Choose2Matter at Downingtown STEM Academy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v1ONw3agzY   Video: Downingtown Students - How Quest2Matter Changed Our Lives http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJHdU0ZgT-A

  For many years, I’ve been visiting schools, education conferences and businesses to tell everyone who would listen, "you are a genius, and the world needs your contribution." This is a call to action; an invitation, and an expectation, that you will recognize your genius and contribute it to change the world. As the Choose2Matter movement has accelerated and begun to coalesce into a formal program, we’ve sought out opportunities for students to present their ideas to audiences outside of the classroom, and to be recognized by the world at large. A team of six students from Downingtown STEM accompanied Choose2Matter to the prestigious Business Innovation Factory Summit in Providence, RI in September 2013. These students had the opportunity to network with scores of business executives and other like-minded students, and to present their idea on stage to an audience of 400 innovators. Click here to watch the full video of the presentation at BIF #9. In a similar vein, a few days after the BIF #9 Summit, we presented the first-ever Bammy Award for Student Initiative to Mallory Fundora, a 13yo who has been affiliated with Choose2Matter for several years and who has raised tens of thousands of dollars to support a group of orphans in Uganda. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atKnB6yl-3k Mallory reported that being honored with a Bammy meant that many of her teachers took her work seriously for the first time. Mallory recently presented her work to educators at RSCON4. We’re also connecting students with mentors and advisors in the business community. For example, we’ve put into place a program where determined students coming through the Choose2Matter program can be mentored by graduates of an entrepreneur fellowship program at an Ivy League school. We’ve also just launched this page on Quora.com where students can ask questions about how to bring about change in the world; we’ll do our best to find qualified people to answer all questions. Please follow this blog and Choose2Matter.org for information on the new and exciting ways we plan to honor student initiative in the future. We will not let student genius lie dormant! Educators, click HERE to learn more about how to become a part of Choose2Matter. Follow this blog for announcements in the next month or so about the new Choose2Matter community on Yoursphere. Businesses, click HERE To learn more about Choose2Matter Sponsorship opportunities.  

  This week I appeared on "Resiliency Matters," a television program hosted by Dr. Mollie Marti, CEO of the Community Resiliency Project. The show appears in Iowa on Mediacom’s MC22 and is replayed often. It should also be hosted on the Community Resiliency Project website by the end of November. These are the currently scheduled replays: Thursday, November 7, at 7:30 pm Sunday, November 10, at 11:00 am Monday, November 11, at 5:00 pm. Resiliency:  What it is and Why Does it Matter? I want to "push" the definition just a bit. Most are familiar with relating resilience to  the capacity individuals and organizations have to cope with change and challenge, and to bounce back during difficult times But I also believe in and speak to leaders and learners about "Bouncing Forward" - going beyond what the naysayers said, and saying back: I matter. I am more than you say. I matter, and I am going to SHOW you just how much, and in the process, not only uplift myself but the naysayer who doubted. Once we realize we have that power, it must become our responsibility to convey this, especially to young people.This is the essence of You Matter and the Choose2Matter movement. We share with the universe all that exists within every one of us, in order to solve challenges that confront all of us. Raising "RQ" - the Resiliency Quotient: What Parents and Schools Can Do 1. ACCEPT: In our urgent attempt to prepare our children for unknown futures, we often forget to notice and honor who they are today. Accepting our child fully, especially when they are not "living up" to what we think they can be, is challenging. A key factor related to a child’s ability to become more resilient is the child’s ability to feel that he matters and has "everything you need to succeed." There are many opportunities for parents to convey to children that they are loved and appreciated. One of the most powerful messages we can give is that we accept them for who they are. 2. BELIEVE: Strength does not come from what you can do-it comes from overcoming the things you thought you couldn’t do In essence are saying we don’t believe you are capable of. In order to foster resilience, learners need to genuinely believe in their own potential. They need to know how to accurately assess their strengths and weakness, and adopt the practice of setting brave and bold goals. A child’s sense of what and how they believe is directly related to how often the adults in that child’s life child’s life-a parent, a grandparent, a teacher-reassure him/her their belief in their abilities to succeed. There is a strong correlation between a child’s belief that he or she can work hard and do well, and his or her eventual success. 3. CHALLENGE: When you have something so precious to protect, it is easy to worry too much or hold on too tight.  As parents and teachers it our innate instinct and desire to protect our children from the pain and suffering the world is full of. Yet, it is that behavior that proves the riskiest move we make. As they grow, if we don’t give children a chance to struggle, to experience adversity, to feel pain….they are not going to get the chance to find out how very strong they are. Children must encounter adversity in order to realize their human potential. As Aimee Mullins said in her brilliant Ted Talk, the question is not whether children will encounter adversity - but how they will deal with it. Our goal is no longer to solve the problem or circumvent the struggle; it is to help them understand and discover how capable they are by having the experience of handling a challenge. When kids realize that they are full partners in their learning and full participants in their own story of success; they will astound and amaze you, and themselves. Resiliency in Action Children don’t learn to read and write by wishing it; they learn to become readers and writers because they were taught. In that same spirit, kids can and need to be taught the skills, strategies and behaviors that will help them become more resilient. The good news is that we can start anytime. In my research over the past decade, documenting the learning biographies of hundreds of resilient people ages 5 to 105 — I’ve discovered that great learners — research scientists, leaders, entrepreneurs, writers, professors, and activists — had very basic, identifiable components and habits of mind. that pushed them to keep going beyond insurmountable odds. These great learners and leaders have what I call the Habitudes of Resiliency. These are a set of disciplined habits and a battle hard attitude to face all that comes their way. Please see my Habitudes lessons,resources, and support materials that support these conversations in and out of school.

  Last week I received a Tweet from Marialice BFX Curran. She was trying to get Internet users from all over the world to comment on a blog post to demonstrate the power of social media to her education students. Marialice mentioned that her 7 year-old son, Curran, took a great interest in the project and began to plot on a map every state and country in which commenters lived. This led to Curran wanting to create his own blog so that he, too, could interact with people from around the world. Because I know: that the act of contribution changes people, for the good; that digital literacy is a human right; and what an extraordinary opportunity it is for students to learn directly from others, I invited Curran to share his first blog post here. You will find below is the first entry in a life-changing journey for Curran. Please read it, visit Curran’s blog, and leave him a comment and let him know where you are writing from! ***** My name is Curran and I am seven years old. I live in Connecticut with my mom and dad and two dogs. I am in the first grade and I just started my first blog, Around the World With Curran. This weekend I helped my mom blog. She got comments from around the world and I found them on the map. I like to learn about new places and I like to travel. I also like to play baseball and hockey. I am starting my MLB park tour this summer in California. I like animals and sport teams with animals in the logo. My friend Jerry Pallotta is a children’s book author and I like to write books too. My blog will be a place for me to write and I like to get comments from different places. I keep a list and tally all the locations. Getting comments is like having a lot of penpals. I really like geography and learning new things about new places. My advice to other kids to start blogging is to write about something you know about already and something that you really like. My advice to teachers is to start a classroom blog. My mom said that KidBlog could be a good place to start and you can get comments from other students and classrooms around the world. Please read my blog and leave a fun fact about where you live. I hope I can get a fact from all 50 states and around the world too.    

Serendipity is the name given to those "happy accidents" we experience throughout life - finding a person, idea, or resource we didn’t expect, but greatly needed.  These encounters enrich our lives with new experiences, connections, and insights. Using social media is a great way to find and increase serendipity in your life.  I have built a network of fascinating and generous people online, and these connections have blossomed into everything from meaningful conversations to significant partnerships. I wondered how much of this was truly random, and found that my personal serendipity could be traced back to certain consistent, actionable, and replicable behaviors.  I now employ such tactics on a daily basis to summon and shape my own serendipity.   I call this process "Tactical Serendipity" — please read my full article about it on HuffPost, here.          

We are so thrilled that student blogger Kendall Haines took the time to share the story of what the YOU MATTER Manifesto means to her.  Please read on to discover how your life changes when you realize that YOU MATTER! ***** What does the phrase "YOU MATTER!" mean to you? I’ll give you time to think while I tell you what it means to me. When someone told me that I mattered, I rolled my eyes and blew it off. I didn’t think much of myself. I cared more about other people than myself. My teacher caught me rolling my eyes and asked me to come see her after school.  I went after school, and she spoke to me…for an hour.  I then continued to talk to her…about everything. Talking to her made me realize I mattered. Talking to someone you trust is always a resource for starting to see yourself in a better light. I now realize that I matter, and that I should believe in myself and think positive. The "YOU MATTER" manifesto, along with my teacher, saved my life. It means more to me than words can say. What does the phrase "YOU MATTER" mean to you? What do you stand for? I believe you matter because you have a great amount of potential. You’re smart and have a lot in store in the future for you. YOU MATTER!! Now what do you think?

  There’s a powerful new post on Seth Godin’s blog with an interesting take on bullying. It is not just a youth issue - it is a human one. A BULLY is a person of any age who intentionally uses power to cause physical or emotional distress with the purpose of dominating the other person. Period.  Bullies: Intentionally work to marginalize people. In an organizational (or online) setting, choose not to engage in conversation or discussion. Do not use legitimate authority or suasion; instead, they depend on pressure in the moment to demean and disrespect someone else—by undermining not just their ideas, but their very presence and legitimacy. Do you know anyone like this? Read on to see what to do about it.

Today’s inspiring guest post is from Joy Kirr, a 7th grade literature and language arts teacher in Arlington Heights, Illinois. During Genius Hour, she engaged her students in mapping the things that break their hearts and the actions they can take to resolve these issues.  Please read on to see how Mrs. Kirr guided her classes through the Hearbreak Mapping exercise and what they came up with!  You can keep up with Mrs. Kirr and her students on her blog, or find her on Twitter @JoyKirr. ***** I read Angela Maiers’ two books this summer, but the one I’m still getting a lot out of is Classroom Habitudes: Teaching Habits and Attitudes for 21st Century Learning… For one week of Genius Hour, I was going to do the lesson on pages 61-62 - a heart-mapping activity. But then I saw in my Evernote notes a link to Angela’s website where she talks about what BREAKS your heart. Forget Following Your Heart: Follow Your HeartBREAK. I followed this lesson, almost exactly. This was my script: We have experienced what a little of what it means to be Caine Monroy. The day prior, as we shared our writing prompts, we heard some people share very personal stories. Being able to hear these stories or experience something similar to what they’ve experienced helps us understand each other more, and helps us to build empathy. Because I don’t want to ever put someone on the spot, but we still need to know more about one another, I’m asking you today to create what’s called a Heartbreak Map. One of the best ways we can get to know one another is through our story. We know Caine now more because of his story, and each one of us in this room has a story. Great writers and storytellers speak from their hearts. I’ve asked you to blog about your passion, I’ve asked you many times to let us know what you love in life, but today I’m going to ask you what breaks your heart. It is this pain in your heart, or this anger that eats you up inside that will help you to act. Some people still have no clue what they want to learn about for Genius Hour. Many of us are still reading fiction and just waiting for inspiration to come to us. Today I’m going to give you a tiny push towards emotions that will spur you to act. We don’t always act if we’re thinking of solely what we love. We act when we’re sad, upset, or angry. So let’s begin. Ask yourself: What matters to you? This is what I put on the board, and I paused to give time to think between each one: 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? Who is important to you? What things in your heart are sad? Make you cry? What secrets are in your heart? What activities do you love? Now… what breaks your heart about these things? I jumped in with my own example right about here…      When I think of one of my favorite memories, I think of when my husband and I were dating, and we were in an awkward situation one time. We just started giggling. It was one of those infectious giggles that you have a hard time stopping. If you’ve ever heard a grown man giggle, you’d giggle, too - it’s a precious sound that doesn’t happen every day.      What breaks my heart about this, though? (A student in each class answered, "It had to end.")      Yes. He lived in Detroit, and I lived here, and we had to say goodbye.      So what do I do about it? (One answered, "You marry him!")      Well, yes, but every day - EVERY DAY - I do something so that it doesn’t break my heart as much, as I know we’ll be separated some day in the future… I make every moment with him count. I don’t argue with him, I don’t push him to do things he doesn’t want to do, and I, corny as it sounds, give him hugs and kisses and do small tasks for him whenever I can, so that he knows how much he is loved.      Now… what matters to you? REALLY matters to you? And what breaks your heart about it? THIS is what will motivate you to ACT. I showed these pictures from Aaron Maurer’s (@coffeechugbooks) students as examples. Then I left this on the board for directions: Give it a try: * In the center of your 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. I let students know they might not know what to put in their final step, and that’s okay. We can work on that together if they want our help. If not, it’s something they can work towards during Genius Hour. Or, sadly, it might be something they have no control over right now. When students came up to me to ask, "Is this right?" I told them that as long as it includes things that break their heart, there is no right or wrong answer. It’s all very personal. This is how they turned out… Check out our slideshow! These are on our bulletin board right now. Hopefully this is not all of them… Many students decided to keep theirs. But I think it’s a very good start, and even though it makes me sad they have these heart breaks, I’m happy at the thought of them thinking they can do something about it. I wonder where they’ll go from here…

I’m blessed to follow literally hundreds of education blogs that help me learn and grow as an educator. When it comes to the Edublogger Awards, it’s quite difficult to choose which ones to single out. However, because I am a firm believer in recognizing excellence in the education field, I’ve done my best to select some of the more worthy bloggers, blogs and blog posts in this list of nominations for the Edublogger Awards 2013: Best individual blog- The Innovative Educator, by Lisa Nielsen Best group blog- Connected Principals Best new blog- Hate Chalk, by Arin Kress Best class blog- Ms. Cassidy’s Classroom Blog Best student blog- Burlington High School Student Help Desk Best Teacher Blog- Coffee for the Brain, by Aaron Maurer EdTech Blog - FreeTech4Teachers, by Richard Byrne Best library / librarian blog- Never Ending Search, by Joyce Valenza Best administrator blog- Education is My Life, Jimmy Casas Most influential blog post of the year- Where Does World Changing Fit Into the #CCSS, by Lisa Nielsen, The Innovative Educator Best individual tweeter- Erin Klein Best twitter hashtag- #EGHSMatters Best free web tool - Zoom Best educational use of podcast- Edu AllStars Best Use of Video- Two Guys Show Best educational wiki- Genius Hour Wiki/Live Binder Best open PD / unconference / webinar series: RSCON 4, because it included students Best educational use of a social network - Choose2Matter at Downingtown STEM Academy Best mobile app-Remind 101 Lifetime achievement- Jerry Blumengarten, aka Cybraryman

This wonderful guest post comes from Josh Stumpenhorst, a teacher who found a creative way to introduce philosophy and deeper thinking into his classroom.  Read on to see how his junior high students surprised him with their reactions. You can keep up with Josh at his blog, Stump the Teacher, and find him on Twitter @stumpteacher. ***** Those of you that know me know that I run. I run a lot. On December 11th I will hit my 700th consecutive day of running without missing a single day. For those of you that run on a regular basis, you know the reflective and meditative power a good peaceful run can bring. I often find myself reflecting on life, on teaching, on my family and just about anything and everything in between. On one of those 4am runs, I found myself thinking about my students and specifically about what I was asking them to do in class. We were in the middle of the Ancient Greece chapter in social science and coming up on the section covering the work of Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato. As I was looking through the content I began thinking of my good friend Chad Miller, a fellow teacher of the year from Hawaii. Chad is a pretty amazing guy who teaches philosophy and English in a high school as well as some graduate level coursework at a college. I have learned a great deal from Chad over the past two years specifically about philosophy and thinking and how to get kids to be philosophers and thinkers. Around the same time these ideas were rumbling in my head, I stumbled across a tweet from John Robinson about a board they had up in his school. This white board was located in a common space in the school. It was used to write thoughts, questions, and ideas in a public space to spark thinking in an interactive way. This got me thinking about how I could do something in my class to encourage real thinking. Now some of you are thinking to yourself, "well, wait a minute, aren’t you thinking in class everyday?" I would like to believe that is true. I understand the vast majority of the content in the curriculum that I teach requires very low-level thinking. That’s not to say I don’t use activities that require a great deal of critical thinking but it just didn’t feel like I was doing enough "real thinking". As I looked through the standards and content I was teaching, there seemed to be a lot of "identifying" and "defining" but not a great deal of actual thinking required. If I am being completely honest, even those areas where thinking was needed, I am not sure it was truly valuable thinking. With this in mind, I touched based with Chad and got a couple of resources from him about how to get my kids thinking. The following day I had a conversation with one of my classes, which happened to be my language arts class. We started talking about thinking and how we could do more of it in school in a real and authentic way. I told them about my idea of starting a board we would post questions and thoughts. I wasn’t sure how the kids would react to it but they were totally all for it. That very afternoon one of the young ladies in my class designed a little sign to put up on the wall that is now called the Thinking Wall. The following morning I posted the first question "What does it mean to grow up?" I didn’t think this was too difficult or too abstract of a question because I know that plenty of kids in junior high think about growing up. What I didn’t expect was what really happened. I had only explained the idea of the wall to my language arts class. However, as I stood in the hallway waiting talking to a fellow teacher before social science class started I then turned and looked into my room. What I saw was nearly every single student standing at the wall either reading, talking or writing about the question. It was one of those organic moments that just happened. I had not even told them what to do, how to interact or what my expectations of the activity were going to be. They simply saw the question and ran with it. By the end of that first day, the chalkboards were full of comments and questions and ideas. Naturally there were some very superficial comments about being more mature or being taller. Yet, there was some pretty heavy ones I wrote down because I want to make sure that I use those are some follow-up discussions.           To take it a step further, I introduced the idea of the kids submitting their own questions or thoughts to be put on the wall. My ultimate goal is for them to generate the questions that will go on the board on a weekly basis. Some of the questions the kids have come up with for future use are already exceeding my expectations. One student wants to delve into the difference between knowledge and wisdom. I asked some of the students after the first couple of days of this first question be on the wall what they thought this new thing. The first response was from Rachel, who said, "I think the wall really brings out a different side of people…what surprised me was that the quiet people had some of the best things to say." As with many projects in my class, I don’t know where it’s going to go. However, I have high hopes as my student Sarah wrote, "I hope this continues the whole year!" In one short week with one simple question, I am beginning to see great value in intentionally bringing philosophy and thinking into my classroom. It feels as though we are too busy chasing numbers and tracking data to actually allow kids time to think. I can tell you personally, that as soon as I started letting kids think they surprised me with what they were able to do and just how much they had to say. ***** One of Josh’s students wrote this blog post in response to the Thinking Wall and the question, What does it mean to grow up? Isn’t it exciting and encouraging to see such genuine critical thinking coming from young minds?

  2013 was an utterly transformative year for me. It was when Choose2Matter morphed from a concept into a movement, producing many blessed moments. I began a relationship with Huffington Post that saw me regularly publish posts and appear on Huffington Live. I started writing for Switch and Shift. I entered into a partnership with Mark Moran, founder of Dulcinea Media; he became my co-founder at Choose2Matter and helped me process the staggering pace of change we’re witnessing. I could not have done any of this without you. With your comments, Tweets, replies and hugs, you have helped me grow as a learner, leader and human being. Thank you for taking the time to share your time and talents with me. I am smarter because of you. My 13 Favorite Posts of 2013 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 - in other words, to ACCELERATE the message of You Matter. 2. An Open Letter to Millennials - Thank You for What I See in You This year I began writing for Switch and Shift, a blog about the "human side of business."  My focus is on how adults can help guide today’s youth, with their considerable energy and passion, to change the world. These articles are cross-posted to SAP’s Business Innovation blog. This post, one of the most popular posts on Switch and Shift this year, expresses my appreciation for millennial’s passion, impatience and desire to change our world. 3. Whose Hope Were You Today? One morning, I asked my friends on Facebook to consider the question, "Am I Serving as Only I Can Serve?" My beautiful friend Joli Barker-Erwin shared it with her third grade class in McKinney, Texas. This is no ordinary class; it has its own moniker: The Fearless Classroom. With Joli’s leadership, these students are intrepid, determined and fully living up and into their genius. This post reports their incredible responses. 4. The Intersection Between Structure and Spontaneity Serendipity is the name given to those "happy accidents" we experience throughout life - finding a person, idea, or resource we didn’t expect, but greatly needed.  These encounters enrich our lives with new experiences, connections, and insights. I have built a network of fascinating and generous people online, and these connections have blossomed into everything from meaningful conversations to significant partnerships. I wondered how much of this was truly random, and found that my personal serendipity could be traced back to certain consistent, actionable, and replicable behaviors. I call this process "Tactical Serendipity." 5. The Sandbox Manifesto Play isn’t something we do as a part of our life — it is life. The Sandbox Manifesto is both a declaration and an invitation to keep the experience of the sandbox alive and to recognize and honor the wisdom we acquired through our experiences on the inside. As you read these ten tenets, think about these simple truths of leading and influencing others, managing failure, strategic thinking, and resolving conflicts and apply them to the global sandbox we now live and play in. 6. Student Innovators Take Center Stage As the Choose2Matter movement has accelerated and begun to coalesce into a formal program, we’ve sought out opportunities for students to present their ideas to audiences outside of the classroom, and to be recognized by the world at large. We WILL NOT LET STUDENT GENIUS LIE DORMANT! 7. 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. 8. 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. 9. 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. 10. 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. 11. Two Letters That All Students Should Receive In August, I featured two "Dear Student" letters that I wish all students, of all ages, everywhere would receive from their teachers. 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. 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. 12. Lessons Learned in the Wake of a Suicide The pain and loss of my brother’s death from suicide last July 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. 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. 13. Students Who Rescued a Heroic Legacy In 1999, students at a rural Kansas high school began work on a National History Day project, with the goal of honoring 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. The students wrote a play about Irena Sendler, then a little known heroine of the Polish resistance in WWII.  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 have changed Poland, you have changed the United States, you have changed the world. I love you very, very much." How are WE going to change the world in 2014?  With Love, Angela

As you surely know, I am deeply passionate about literacy and leadership in this digital age. Thus, I am so excited to announce the forthcoming publication of a new book by my dear friend, Eric Sheninger. I’ve known Eric for many years and I never miss an opportunity to learn from him. Eric is a highly accomplished principal and respected digital leader.  His new book, Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times, due out on January 14th, is essential reading for educators seeking to get technology right. With expertise, clarity of vision, and personal testimonies, Eric helps readers navigate the waters of teaching and learning in the digital age, and opens our eyes to how technology can enhance and transform learning.  I hope you’ll read Eric’s book as avidly as I did, and join us in promoting digital leadership and literacy in education! You can order the book here.

image credit: Jomphong via freedigitalphotos.net When it comes to tech tools, this past year has been a year of discovery!  The following tools have helped me and my team get organized, manage workflow, assign tasks, and more.  I’m excited to share with you my top picks for the new year! Bulb — Bulb is a new player in the app scene!  It’s a beautiful and fun space where individuals and groups can share their knowledge with the world.  Users can publish collections of their work - anything from videos to writing to art projects - and can peruse the collections of other Bulb users.  Bulb is currently still in beta, but I think it will become a great space for creating connections through the free exchange of knowledge! AroundMe - Having this app is like having a local guide with you no matter what city you’re in!  As someone who travels frequently with a lot packed into the time on the road, AroundMe is invaluable when I need to locate a place to eat, an ATM, a gas station - anything!  It’s so simple to use and helps me quickly get from point A to point B.  AroundMe could even be useful for discovering a hidden gem in your own town! Snippet — Snippet is an inventive new way to create, disseminate, and take in content.  Writers use the app to share their work in bite-size pieces (no limit to the number of chapters you can create, but each chapter is limited to 1000 characters), to make it more easily digestible for today’s busy readers.  Media and social tools can also be integrated into the writing to add vibrancy and connection to the work. Readers will find that Snippets (from $.99 to $4.99) are sleek, pleasing, quick ways to ingest great writing on a daily basis. Evernote — I’ve found Evernote to be one of the best and simplest organizational tools.  Evernote lets you create notebooks within which you can store notes, which act as folders, chapters, or whatever subdividers you require.  Notebooks can be kept private or shared with others for collaboration.  Whether you seek to compartmentalize information or need a digital space for your writing projects, Evernote could be the thing for you!  I’m currently using it to organize information for my website redesign, keep a list of potential new tools for my team, and collect recipes, among other things! Google Queues — After searching and searching for a basic, no-nonsense task management app, I finally came across Google Queues, or GQueues.  With this tool, you can create tiered lists of tasks which can be filed within customizable categories.  Then, through integration with your Gmail and Google calendar, you can easily assign tasks to team members and label each with a due date.  GQs has been essential for keeping me and my team on schedule with our time-sensitive tasks and I know we’ll be happy to have it in the busy year to come! Smore — Smore filled a huge need for my team as we searched for a way to send out information in response to requests.  We needed a way to consolidate links, information, and photos related to Choose2Matter, for example, in a digestible and visually-pleasing manner.  Smore lets us do just that!  It’s a totally free, fun, and easy way to create lovely digital flyers that can be customized with different colors, fonts, and backgrounds, depending on your information and/or audience.  These flyers can be shared through social media, distributed as an email, or simply linked to on a website. I hope you find these goodies helpful through the year ahead! Which tech tools are you pumped about?

Image credit: stockphoto via freedigitalphotos.net It can be a real struggle to keep students enthusiastic about learning, especially once the holiday break ends and the second half of the school year begins.  This very challenge makes January a great time to introduce new methods for engaging students and getting them excited to be in your classroom.  I’ve compiled some resources in this digital flyer - I hope you find them useful for engaging your students and shining the light on their genius and yours!

Just six months ago, we conducted our first Choose2Matter event, with a class of 350 sophomores at Dowingtown STEM Academy. The results were brilliant. In September, we conducted another event with 200 8th graders at Bettendorf Middle School, and those students have been pursuing world-changing initiatives ever since. So last month, we stepped up our game, presenting to an entire school of 800 students at Daisy Gibson Elementary School in Palmdale, CA. Those students are returning from winter break ready to tackle the problem of childhood hunger in this country. Now, we’re taking it up another notch. Because of the bold leadership of Douglas Killian and Steve Snell, we are visiting this week with Hutto ISD in Hutto, Texas and spending two days with all 5,923 students in the entire district! It will be unpredictable, nerve-wracking, chaotically beautiful, and utterly, gloriously life-changing for everyone present. Hutto ISD and all of its people will never be the same, and neither will we. Let the wild rumpus begin! Nearly 6,000 Hutto ISD Students to Choose2Matter Students challenged to collaboratively develop innovative solutions to social problems January 21, 2014 - Hutto, TX - This week, the nearly 6,000 students in Hutto ISD will be asked a simple question: "Do you believe that you are a genius, and that the world needs your contribution?" Studies suggest that nearly 100% of Hutto’s first graders will answer this question with an emphatic "Yes." For the second graders, the expectation is below 50%. For students approaching their high school graduation, typically only 2% still believe that they can contribute something meaningful to the world. Fortunately, the conversation won’t end there. All students in the district will attend a two-day live event at Hutto High School on January 21 and 22 to learn about changing the world as part of a social movement called "Choose2Matter." Students, educators and adults from around the world are also invited to virtually participate in and support the event. Opening and closing sessions will be broadcast from approximately 8:30 am to 10:00 am CST and from 3:00 to 3:30 pm each day, and also archived, on Choose2Matter’s YouTube channel athttp://www.youtube.com/choose2matter Updates will be posted regularly to Choose2Matter’s Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/Choose2Matter and to the Hutto ISD Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/HuttoISD Huffington Post will be collecting and publishing pictures, video and first-person accounts from the event. Pictures, videos and other content will be shared by participants on Twitter and other social media channels using the hashtag #C2MHutto The Choose2Matter team is led by Angela Maiers, a nationally renowned speaker and veteran educator; Mark Moran, a corporate lawyer and online research expert; and Laura Thomas. They will be joined by: Mark J. Carter of ONE80 Solutions, a mentoring expert; Frank Hughes, who worked in Space Training for NASA for 33 years and now focuses on STEM education; Robert Pohl, an education consultant on 21st century classroom collaboration technologies & Director of Professional Learning for Collaboration Solutions, Inc. Sam Read, online organizer for No Kid Hungry; and Bryan Wempen of ceVoke and BTC Revolutions, an expert on leadership, entrepreneurism and talent management. A lineup of special guests will appear via videoconference, including General John Michel, the Commanding General of the NATO Air Training Command in Kabul, Afghanistan, who will discuss courage and bravery with the students. General John Michel The Choose2Matter team will work with Hutto students, staff and community members on the concept behind Choose2Matter - that when someone believes that they matter, they approach life and work in a manner that understands that their actions can have an impact on the world. This will be by far the largest group of participants at a Choose2Matter event to date. Angela Maiers, Founder of Choose2Matter, says, "I applaud the courage of the Hutto ISD leaders in bringing this movement to all of their students. Choose2Matter changes hearts, changes minds, and changes lives. It is an awe inspiring message that must be heard, and we don’t want a single student to miss the opportunity." Steve Snell, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum at Hutto ISD, said "It will be a tremendously rewarding experience for students to articulate their passion, communicate their idea for solving a problem, begin the process of doing so and see it through to completion. This is more valuable than any worksheet or textbook we can give them." During a 2011 TEDxDesMoines presentation, "You Matter," Angela Maiers spoke of how these two words can change lives and change our world, if we understand them and we leverage them in the right way.  Students everywhere reacted powerfully to this call to action, completing jaw-dropping quests to address problems in our world. Choose2Matter was created in response to this breathtaking response. It is a call to action that challenges students to make "mattering" a way of life. Choose2Matter is developing a program of "mentoring at mass scale." It will leverage the wisdom and experience of adults to guide the energy and passion of youth. For students, the mere knowledge that adults take their ideas seriously profoundly impacts that seriousness with which they approach their contribution. Hutto students and staff will begin work on their call to action, develop an action plan, work with experts and professionals, review plans, and implement their plans. The goal is to create an authentic, social entrepreneurship learning experience for students, in which they learn skills that are relevant to the modern world. "This is going to be a unique experience for students. It’s going to be messy and chaotic but it’s going to empower students to take ownership of their learning and do something that will better their community," said Emily Grobe, Information Director at Hutto ISD. Mark E. Moran, Co-founder of Choose2Matter, said, "Most schools pay lip service to producing students who are college and career ready, but fall short on both accounts. Choose2Matter liberates the genius of students and reminds them that they can achieve great things, even at a tender age. Hutto ISD has embraced the notion that passionate students who believe in themselves are unstoppable." #### Contacts: Emily Grobe, Public Information Officer, Hutto ISD Emily.Grobe@Hutto.TxEd.net; (512) 759-3008 Mark E. Moran, Co-founder, Choose2Matter, MarkMoranMES@Gmail.com; (917) 597-3815

image credit: khunaspix via freedigitalphotos.net This powerful guest post by English teacher Brian Denesha challenges us to deepen our students’ experience of learning by infusing lessons with emotion and storytelling.  In making this leap, we can take students’ experience of stories to the next level and create a more memorable and formative learning environment for them — something that will stay with them for years.  Please read on to see how Brian incorporated this idea into his teaching! ***** Too often, I feel that we as teachers take for granted the opportunities that we are presented on a daily basis to truly affect the lives of our students. Just the other day, upon completing a text that is near and dear to my heart, I let my true emotions spill out in front of my class of seniors. While we have built a great relationship, and are unfortunately coming to the end of our one semester together, I don’t think I would have been able to say that I had impacted all of them in a way that could stick with them and make an indelible mark on their lives…that is until the moment I thought of my own father’s mortality. The text, "Big Fish" by Daniel Wallace, ends with the main character dying and his son finally understanding that the stories and memories of those we love are the gifts that are left behind long after their physical presence has left us for the Elysian Fields that mythology promises for the truly great…our parents. My own father is dealing with his fourth bout of cancer, the same evil that steals Edward Bloom’s life in "Big Fish", and I took the opportunity to share what I have learned from reading the text multiple times over the past few years. My own father is a storyteller, a jokester, and man of words and wisdom, so the connection to Edward Bloom is a beautiful and cruel one for me each time I read the book. As we finished the last chapter, when Edward’s son William finally realizes the "truth" that he has been wanting from his father for so many years has always been within his reach and memories, just as our truths are within our own stories; some that are still waiting to be told. The stories that we share, the jokes we tell, the moments we spend with those we love are the snapshots that will linger for years and years. It was this realization, plus the realization that my own father is in truth mortal and will leave me someday, that brought out of me my true self. How many times have we as teachers wondered what our students will remember from our lessons tomorrow, next week, next year, or even further down the road of their lives? Will they stop and think about the grammar rules we struggled through, or how we tried to find the writer’s voice that was hiding in them all this time? I know I do. What I know now is that my seniors will remember the class period we shared; the class period where I cried for my own father, the still living Edward Bloom. Literature is emotion. It is the emotion that the author brings to the text as well as what we bring to the text as readers. We are the collection of stories we read, hear, and sometimes tell. I heard my dad’s voice telling me the story of the two young Indian Warriors challenging the wisdom of the Medicine Man, just as William heard his father’s stories over and over throughout his life. I shared my emotions with my students. I let them see me cry. I let them feel what I was feeling. I helped them understand what Wallace was trying to teach us all: cherish every word, every story, every joke (even the bad ones) that our loved ones share with us throughout their lives. I encouraged them to listen to the stories of those they love, as those will be the memories that will live on long after the tellers are gone. I implored them to celebrate the lives of their friends and family everyday. I reminded them that the lives we lead and the stories we tell are what live on forever. I can only hope that this one period in time affected them as much as it affected me. I truly felt that I TAUGHT them something that transcends the four walls of our classroom…a life lesson that I hope they remember and use for the rest of their lives. In this way, I hope to live on beyond this moment. We are teachers. We are the ones that form the future. We are the storytellers and the main characters in the stories of our students. How humbling and beautiful to think that we will be the main characters in at least one chapter in the story of each one of our students. The question I have to ask is, "What kind of story am I writing each time I step in front of my class?" No matter what the story is, I can only hope that it is a story that will be told over and over again; even many years after I join my father in the fields of paradise. In this way, I will live on just as all of us can. That is the power of story, the power of teaching, the power of loving what we do. We are teachers…we are immortal!

As I wrote last May, Classroom Habitudes, published in 2008, is more popular now than ever, with book studies popping up every week and entire districts and even states full of teachers reading the book. To celebrate, we’ll be announcing an online course about the Habitudes next month, and we’ve launched this Facebook page that spotlights a different Habitude each day. It is curated by the remarkable teacher-in-training, Maggie Moran. Click here to LIKE the Facebook page and enjoy Maggie’s work each day and to keep abreast of new developments relating to the teaching of Classroom Habitudes. Some recent examples: Habitude: Curiosity "I keep six honest serving-men, They taught me all I knew; Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who." - Rudyard Kipling Habitude Quote of the Day: Adaptability "When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves." -Viktor E. Frankl Habitude Quote of the Day: Perseverance  "The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places." -Author Unknown

This morning, I had the pleasure of joining, via Google Hangout, the Amplify team at FETC, where lots of passionate teachers and leaders are wondering how to bring passion into their classrooms and schools.  We started the conversation with a clear definition and distinction of how passion-driven learning is different from project-based learning. Take a listen, and if you want to know more check out the resources below! A collection of online resources My white papers and books Here is my presentation channel plus presentation notes and a few resources. Here is my video channel- there are almost 200 videos of lessons, trainings, speeches, and more! Leadership in the Digital Age: Getting Technology RIGHT Rethinking Literacy in the Digital Age

Seventh grade teacher Silvia Zanatta recently shared with me the ways in which she and her students are engaging in the You Matter movement.  Through heartbreak mapping, memoir writing, and even slam poetry, Ms. Zanatta helps her students feel empowered to channel their genius and share it with the world.  Ms. Zanatta is definitely a teacher with the Habitudes!  Please enjoy her special post and follow what her students are up to on their class blog and on Twitter @Mszclass. ***** I began the new school year last September with a plan to embed social media more into my educational practice. I was also interested in making the theme of Identity a focal point of the year. I knew that these would meld somehow, but I wasn’t yet sure how. After "bumping into" Angela Maiers’ work on the net (what she calls "tactical serendipity"), the shape of the year became clearer. Her messages about education, student voice and genius, and how everyone can make a difference in the world, resonated with me. Particularly at this age, kids begin searching for who they are, what they believe in, and what their identity is in the greater world. I knew that Angela’s "You Matter" movement would be an important part of my teaching. We started the year talking about how we were going to share our learning with the world, on our class blog, through Skype and on our class Twitter account. I told my students: "I believe in you, you matter to me, and what you have to say matters to the world. And the world has a lot to teach us! So this year we are going to delve into who we are, and share it with the world through our social media activity." I started out by focusing my language arts unit around teaching about memoirs, reading many of them, and then writing our own. We talked about the reason people write memoirs: what people experience, what they contribute to the world, matters, and there is something to learn from everyone. My students’ memoirs surprised me with their honesty, and emotional descriptions of difficult and joyful times in their lives. I believe they shared such personal stories because they were beginning to realize that what they had to say, and what they experienced, really mattered to me. The memoirs then became a springboard for an idea that would take greater shape, as I began reading about Angela’s ideas around #followyourheartbreak. Angela’s blog post, and then Joy Kirr’s heart mapping activity that I read on the "Teachers with the Habitudes" blog series, went perfectly with my theme of identity. After talking and thinking about their passions, my students did a similar heart mapping activity. (see picture). Coming up with how they could address what breaks their heart about the things they love was remarkably easy, because now they were really beginning to believe in their own genius and most importantly, that they matter! So what followed was no less remarkable. I had toyed with the idea of teaching slam poetry for a while and as we were doing our heart maps, it struck me: slam poetry is emotional and it has a powerful message. What better topic to slam about then your heartbreak?! My students loved the idea. After watching many videos of other kids slamming, and being petrified about performing slam themselves, the poetry they wrote was stunning. Emotional, raw, honest and authentic. They told their stories of heartbreak, of what matters to them, in powerful language that left nothing unsaid. The culmination of their writing was a "Slam Café" morning, when we drank hot chocolate, wore our hipster outfits, dimmed the lights, and listened to everyone perform their slam poetry.  Here’s a video of one of our amazing poets. Immediately following our Slam experiences, we have begun discussing and reflecting on the Habitudes, and how they manifested themselves through the process of writing and performing our poems. Examining our heartbreaks, writing about them, and then sharing them in an emotional way taught my students how the Habitudes can elevate each of us to not only be our most authentic genius selves, but how we can share our full genius potential with others. We have represented the Habitudes artistically (see picture), used them as the reference point of our current novel study, and delved into how they can manifest in our lives by reflecting and connecting with each other, through things like blogging and Genius Hour sharings. The experience of writing and performing Slam based on their own personal heartbreaks, has given my students insight and experience of the seven Habitudes, and they have no doubt: they can imagine possibilities and change in the world that does not yet exist; they are curious learners who share their passion through things like Genius Hour; they have learned to persevere and be adaptable when faced with new things like performing a slam; they have had courage when sharing their work through Skype or our blog; and they have gained greater self awareness through our exploration of identity. If you would like to read my students’ blogs about the Habitudes, Slam Poetry, or Genius Hour, our website is mszanatta.weebly.com and you can follow our class on Twitter @mszclass.

What happens when students are encouraged to become leaders and change the world with their genius? They do it. On January 21st, I asked 6,000 students in Hutto, Texas to realize that they are geniuses whose contributions to the world are desperately needed.  With this spark igniting their hearts and minds, the students of Hutto embarked on a two-day adventure in discovering genius and acting on passion. They formed groups around the big problems in education, human and animal rights, child hunger, environmental issues, and STEM.  Students of varying ages interacted, shared their stories, and collaborated to design solutions to things that break their hearts about the world. Not only that, but when the challenge of working through this process with 6,000 students became overwhelming, guess who stepped up and saved the day? The creativity, drive, and courage of these students did not go unnoticed!  Teachers, families, and the community at large were awed by what transpired and came together to support the students’ inspiring ideas and efforts.  Truly amazing things happen when students have the freedom and support to follow their passions and live their genius. This video, created by a Hutto sophomore, is just one product of this event.  Please watch for a glimpse of what we can accomplish when we boldly choose to matter!

image credit: samuiblue via freedigitalphotos.net In the midst of this frigid winter, my heart was warmed during a visit to Estherville Lincoln Central Community School District in northern Iowa.  The teachers and administrators there are extremely passionate and are ready for change in the classroom.  With the support of his colleagues, history teacher Tony Klein boldly made the leap to bring Genius Hour into his classroom!  In this post, he shares his reasoning behind the decision and his vision for the journey.  Stay tuned to Tony’s blog and follow him on Twitter @tklein11 for updates and to support him and his genius students! ***** I recently surrendered eighteen of the ninety school days this semester for my students to work on Genius Hour.  As it was, ninety days in a semester was not enough to teach all the lessons I would like to teach.  SO WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I DOING?  Implementing Genius Hour is a big change-revolutionary, perhaps-and like all big changes (such as the decline and fall of the Roman Empire and the French Revolution) there are many influences: Daniel Pink’s Drive, a professional Development day with Angela Maiers, support from the administration, current trends in popular historiography, and most importantly, my instincts. Genius Hour is, simply, the opportunity for students to spend twenty percent of their time on a topic that intersts, excites, and challenges them.  On Friday, January 24, 2014, I introduced Genius Hour to my Civics, Geography, and World History students.  Genius Hour in my classroom uses models other teacher have used, primarily Chris Kesler’s "Genius Hour" website.   There are three requirements:  1.  The students must choose a topic they are passionate about or interested in. 2. They must do research.  3. The students must have a larger purpose in choosing their topic, such as "How can I make a difference?" or "What do I want others to know about my topic?" Now for the ideological origins of Genius Hour in my classroom… 1. I am currently taking courses for a second master’s degree, this one an MS in Education through Southwest Minnesota State University.  Each month, a course requirement is to read a work on an educational topic.  During the first week of January, I read Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink, an option for our January meeting on motivation.  Pink hypothesizes that most people in our contemporary economy are motivated by the desire for more autonomy, the opportunity to achieve mastery, and doing work that is purposeful.  He argues, therefore, that a system of rewards and punishments, which dominated the twentieth-century business and education systems, no longer works today and must be replaced.  Among the alterations he suggests is Genius Hour, which originated with Google.  Though intrigued by this idea, Pink’s argument was not enough to sway me to give up twenty percent of class time to my students’ interests. 2. On Wednesday, January 15, Estherville-Lincoln Central teachers had a professional development day in which Angela Maiers, a nationally known educational consultant from Des Moines, was the key-note speaker.  Among Maiers’s major messages was that students need to be told that they matter, they are geniuses, they have the opportunity to follow their passions, and they can make a difference in their world.  What really resonated with me was when she off-handedly mentioned how her vision for schools were similar to Pink’s vision for businesses.  In a moment of extreme clairvoyance, I instantaneously committed myself to implementing Genius Hour in my classroom.  Whatever concerns I had vanished and I became certain of the benefits of providing students the time and support to pursue their interests and passions. 3. Pay close attention to the previous sentence: the words "I …committed" imply autonomy.  So I have the autonomy to give students autonomy!  (There’s a great lesson in classical early modern European political philosophy here, but I’ll avoid that.) I have this autonomy because the leadership at ELC is reading and thinking the same way I am.  Or vice versa.  Regardless, I decided on my own without asking because I knew that I would have the support, and encouragement, of Mrs. Paul, Mr. Christenson, Mrs. Jensen, and Mrs. Nitchals.  They cultivated an atmosphere in which my ideas could be implemented in my classroom, and more importantly, students’ ideas could be pursued to further their own learning. 4. So what will students be working on? (This will be the subject of my next post)  Won’t they be pursue topics that are not academic, like wake-surfing, the history of volleyball, or Dr. Who?  Yes, they will.  Other students, however, are working on profound historical topics or projects that can help others, such as the origins of chess, the Sun Tzu’s Art of War, and the Battle of Mogadishu.  But even the seemingly academically questionable topics ARE WORTHY of study because framed the right way, topics such as wake-surfing, volleyball, and Dr. Who can highlight much larger principles or trends in history or the contemporary world.  Moreover, having my students turn the superficially trivial into the deeply profound is a model that can be seen in the popular historiography today, which uses everyday objects, places, and events to illuminate larger concepts or principles in history.  Throughout my course, I have students read excerpts from works such as Tom Standage’s A History of the World in Six Glasses, An Edible History of Humanity,  Neil MacGregor’s A History of the World in 100 Objects, and Niall Ferguson’s Civilization: The West and the Rest.  Each of these titles tells a world history through a series of everyday objects or ideas.  The authors use coffee, pop, canned food, fertilizer, plates and dishes, coins, blue jeans, and myriad other items to highlight larger forces in world history.  Thus, students exploring their own interests, with my guidance, can do the same kind of thinking as these renowned scholars. 5. Let’s revisit the second sentence of this piece: "As it was, ninety days in a semester was not enough to teach all the lessons I would like to teach."  Did you catch that?  "…the lessons I would like to teach."  That statement encapsulates a perspective that values the teacher’s interests more than students’ interests.  I teach history and social studies, in part, because I love history and social studies.  My pleasure reading is almost exclusively history and social studies.   But what about students who do not love history and social studies?  As long as I’ve taught, I’ve recognized that no matter how relevant I try to make history to students’ lives, some do not see the value of the social studies.  In the past I have tried to find manageable ways to make the subject matter more individualized, and I had never found something what seemed to balance teaching skills and content with student interests.  The genius of Genius Hour is that it recognizes that teachers still have four days a week to teach the content, skills, and lesson that s/he thinks will help students learn.  Genius Hour recognizes that there is value to very well-established academic disciplines such as history, but on one day of the week  students who may not enjoy history or the social studies have the opportunity to pursue a topic that they want to learn about it.  I believe Genius Hour will be a very worthwhile pursuit in my classroom because it recognizes students desire for autonomy (the opportunity to select a topic and the time to work on it), mastery (sharing the topic with their peers or the public), and purpose (the opportunity to select a topic that will inform or help others). 6. So what about those eighteen or so lessons that won’t be taught?  No problem.  The students are generating replacement lessons to share their learning with their peers.  They have the opportunity to do what I do everyday-share my passion with others.

Good morning world changers! Mother nature decided we would not meet face-to-face today, but it is Game On! We will be choosing to matter all day long, by sharing our passions and genius with each other on Twitter and other social media outlets. Further, now we’re not limited to East Greenwich HS - snowed-in schools from around the country, and plenty of adults, will be participating as well! This is going to be so much bigger than the day we had planned. Here is a scheduled of suggested activities. Of course, with #Choose2Matter, the only rule is BE BRAVE, so feel absolutely free to participate in any way you see fit! 1. Participate in a Twitter chat at 11 a.m. titled "How Big is Your Brave?" Use hashtag #C2M_EGHS Suggested reading: How Big is Your Brave? The Only Rule in My Kindergarten Class: Be Brave 2. Starting at 12 noon, students are invited to create a Vine on what students can do today to stay engaged with #C2M_EGHS and tweet it out with the hashtag. 3. Watch "Write Your Story, Change History," create a response to it (writing, photo, video) and, starting at 1:30, share it via Twitter, using #C2M_EGHS (@findingDulcinea) 4. #Choose2Matter in 140: (@MarkBabbit) An activity called "#YouMatterin140". Starting at 3:00 pm, reach out to a mentor or someone who has made a difference in your lives and tell them, in 140 characters or less, how they had an influence in your life. If you want to write more, create a longer post somewhere and Tweet a link to it. Use #C2M_EGHS 5. Starting at 5 pm, students to send out Tweets asking their teachers, parents and others adults to support them and participate alongside them as they pursue their audacious goals for changing the world. This is a chance to leverage youthful exuberance and optimism to renew the same in adults. @KnowledgeBishop) 6.  24 Hours of Community Challenge (@Joli_Barker) What’s your passion, and what drives it? What’s your heartbreak? How will you use your genius to change the world? Any time in the next 24 hours, write something, post a photo or a Vine or a longer video. Use #C2M_EGHS Further Reading and Viewing: People Know They Matter When - Wonderful Ways to Let People Know They Matter to You "You Matter" - the TedxDesMoines talk that begin the Choose2Matter movement. Note: the video freezes several times but the audio continues uninterrupted. "Whispering to the World" - Angela Maiers at Business Innovation Factory Summit #9, with student leaders.  

image credit: master isolated images via freedigitalphotos.net As lifelong learners, our growth should never cease - least of all our growth in knowledge about ourselves.  Without fully knowing ourselves, self-acceptance and change are all the more difficult. Self-awareness provides us with a system of checks and balances that equips us to understand ourselves and to make conscious choices and deliberate decisions about the direction and quality of our lives.  Powerful, right? For learners to become more effective, they must first become more self-aware.  Here is a simple self-awareness inventory that anyone can use to easily define and discover their traits and interests: - My best trait is… - I struggle most with… - My favorite learning environment is… - I help myself most by… - Something that gets in the way of my learning is… - I learn best by… - I am interested in… - My goals are… Once you’ve tried the survey out for yourself, give it a go it with your students!  With new knowledge of their learning strengths and preferences, students will be well on their way to being the independent, thoughtful, and self-directed learners we desire. What other questions would you add to a self-awareness inventory?  How would you dig deeper into discovering what makes you who you are?