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"Let's just put it out there. December is exhausting for teachers. The days are shorter. The weather grows colder and (at least here in Oregon) wetter. Students are anxious - whether it's a buzzing excitement for vacation or a sense of dread that some kids feel in homes that are unsafe during the holidays. And teachers are tired. They're tired of redirecting behaviors and tired of the mid-year pressure of the test and simply tired of the sheer energy it takes to be a teacher. It's no wonder that so many teachers begin playing holiday movies around this time of year. They want to create a sense of fun and escape and enjoyment, and a motion picture promises exactly that. Maybe that's okay. Maybe that's a part of creating a culture of joy. So, please don't read this post as a slam on teachers showing movies before the break. If this is a part of a positive classroom culture, keep doing it. This isn't meant to be a guilt trip or a rant or a "you're doing this wrong" post. This is meant to be a yes/and post offering other options."

The role that education plays in issues of social equity and justice cannot be undervalued. It is acknowledged by the United Nations as a human right, 'Everyone has the right to education' (United Nations, 1948) and as outlined in the Melbourne Declaration on the Educational Goals for Young Australians 'As a nation Australia values the central role of education in building a democratic, equitable and just society- a society that is prosperous, cohesive and culturally diverse, and that values Australia's Indigenous cultures as a key part of the nation's history, present and future.' (Barr et al, 2008). Such lofty assertions of the importance of education as a right and national value should be sufficient to ensure that all Australians have access to an education of the highest standard with equitable outcomes for all, the reality is that this is not the case.

"For today's post we are sharing with you foster a growth mindset culture in your class. The visual is based on this post from Marcus Guido. We invite you to check it out and share with us your feedback. "

"On the surface, it seems like big companies and startups are worlds apart. Startups want to disrupt existing markets. Established organizations want to squelch the competition. But in reality, the big company-startup marriage may actually be the secret to sustainable innovation. It used to be that a key success factor of business partnerships was cultural fit. If the companies were too different, thing would fall apart. In today's world where disruptive innovation is the name of the game, you want to embrace differences of all kinds - in organizational culture, technology, business models, and anything else that will advance the business."

"Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday that celebrates the African community, family and values. Read on to learn more about this special holiday."

"This library of academic and cultural films features collections from the Academic Film Archive and the Media Burn Independent Film Archive, as well as a selection of documentaries created by Dorothy Fadiman. In addition, films from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology are presented including those by Watson Kintner who used film to document his world travels, and the popular television show from the 1950s: "What in the World?" "

this is an excellent powerpoint, circa 2012, which highlights the changes afoot in learning and teaching facilitated by facility with digital tools. The table of 8 essential elements in the periodic table of digital literacies organizes the discussuion. All 8 elements begin with the letter C and include critical, communication, creative, confident, creative, civic, constructive and culture. I think I would add connective...but I digress.

"Copy Me is a new webseries (here's its Indiegogo fundraiser) constituting a series of short animations presenting accessible, informative, concise information about copyright, copying and culture. It's marvellously promising, and, as Mike Masnick points out, it's a much-needed addition to a canon that includes such brilliant material as Nina Paley's Copying is Not Theft and Kirby Ferguson's Everything is a Remix."

A resource sharing community for educators interested in best practices and teaching with/about pop culture.