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"Staying motivated and driven is one of the easiest topics to deliberate on but truly one of the toughest to actually execute especially when the going gets tough. So what is it that keeps the fire in your belly burning.....unfazed by challenges and disappointments along the way ? "

"In a new report, 24 researchers from eight different countries gathered to create a consensus on the impact of physical activity on kids' health. They focused primarily on studies that examined the health of children aged 6 to 18, and analyzed the effects of exercise on children's fitness, health, cognitive function, motivation, and mental and social health. The report defines physical activity as "an overarching term that consists of many structured and unstructured forms within school and out-of-school-time contexts, including organized sports, physical education, outdoor recreation, motor skill development programs, recess, and active transportation such as biking and walking." In short, they found that exercise was beneficial for nearly every aspect of a child's wellbeing: physical health, cognitive ability, motivation and psychological wellbeing, as well as social inclusion. First, exercise leads to improved cardiorespiratory fitness, which in turn improves brain development and intellect, they said."

"Do you have students who rarely raise their hand when you ask a question? When I think back about kids in my classroom who didn't participate at first, I remember Jared and Maya (whose names I changed). Jared was polite, listened to his classmates, and did his homework. But when I asked questions or set up class discussions, Jared remained silent. Maya was really creative and an avid reader. She also didn't participate, frequently had her head down in class, and was reluctant to start work. Some of our students might sit quietly through each lesson or be visibly disengaged. Maybe they don't understand the lesson, are embarrassed, or hesitantly wait for another peer to share. Jared and Maya certainly aren't unique. "

"ducators have lots of ideas about how to improve education, to better reach learners and to give students the skills they'll need in college and beyond the classroom. But often those conversations remain between adults. The real test of any idea is in the classroom, though students are rarely asked about what they think about their education. A panel of seven students attending schools that are part of the "deeper learning" movement gave their perspective on what it means for them to learn and how educators can work to create a school culture that fosters creativity, collaboration, trust, the ability to fail, and perhaps most importantly, one in which students want to participate."

"I've been a #MakerMom since my daughter learned to walk. I didn't label it that way, though, until she was in first grade and received a copy of Fashioning Technology from one of the editors of O'Reilly media. This book changed the course of her life in many ways, and how she thought of herself. For the first time she had a way of thinking about what she did so naturally - make things - and a community of support, encouragement and learning where she could develop her passion fearlessly. The Maker Movement is more than electronics, robots, 3-d printing and drones. It is a way of thinking and a stance towards learning and community that is collaborative, participative, critical without being judgmental, and inclusive. One way that Making supports education is the natural evolution from any of the myriad entry points towards facility with electronics, design, coding, engineering, and iterative approaches."

Online classes may be a relatively young instructional practice for K-12 schools, but experts already generally agree on one point: Research shows that virtual schooling can be as good as, or better than, classes taught in person in brick-and-mortar schools.

Educators must work to understand and motivate a new kind of digital learner.