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have been struggling with whether or not to go this route...what do others think?

The reading process involves two separate but highly interrelated areas - word identification and comprehension. It is well established that difficulties in automatic word recognition significantly affect a reader's ability to effectively comprehend what they are reading (Lyon, 1995; Torgeson, Rashotte, and Alexander, 2001). Even mild difficulties in word identification can pull attention away from the underlying meaning, reduce the speed of reading, and create the need to reread selections to grasp the meaning. Many students who struggle to learn to read are able, with appropriate instruction, to compensate for initial reading problems by becoming accurate decoders but fail to reach a level of sufficient fluency to become fast and efficient readers. Thus, the development of techniques for improving automaticity and fluency is critical. Although the research is clear that a systematic alphabetic approach to teaching beginning readers is more effective than a whole word approach (Adams, 1990; Chall, 1996; Snow, Burns and Griffin, 1009), the most effect ways to develop fluency are less well understood.

A movie about the unbanked in America and their struggles by Tyler Perry in association with American Express

School behavior problems often originate outside of the classroom. For example, asthma is the number one cause of absenteeism. When asthmatics are unable to sleep at night, they miss class or arrive at school so sleep drunk and irritable that disruptive behavior ensues, getting them tossed out of class. Consequently, they fall more behind in classwork, which increases academic struggle. More outbursts and further truancy results.

Great tips to help teachers to become better tech users.

"Examiners will struggle because the HSC exams have a degree of predictability. They are based on known content and skills. They use the same, known format. If the exam drifts too far from past norms people scream and the media vent complaints of unfairness. The consequence is that parts of exams are readily exploited by prepared answers."

Intersting implications when we rely on state wide examinations to assess students.

A four slide introduction to diigo as a research tool. This does good job of explaining the concept of social bookmarking while highlighting various features of diigo. I've found that many struggle to grasp the foundation concept of social bookmarking. I think this overview will help answer basic questions for many new users. Of particular use to me as an online teacher is this slide style orientation that can be used to introduce someone to diigo as part of the account creation process. (The slides end with a sign up button.) If you're a new diigo user, this orientation will point out new features and put things in context. If you haven't yet tried Diigo, this is the way to get started.

School administrators should have a plan for dealing with students struggling with mental disorders. This is from the perspective of a church minister.

The standard adminstrative response is to try a new rule--like texting only during lunch--that might or might not alleviate the problem, when the answer to almost every educational mishap or distraction is not more rules, but more good teaching.

Great video showing how much has changed and how much we continue to struggle with the same ideas. In October 1995, the House Committee Economic and Educational Opportunities and House Science Committees held a nearly three-hour hearing to examine "technological advances in education."

Holistic learning is a process for learning more effectively.  The concept for holistic learning came out of several small articles I wrote beginning with a popular entry entitled, "How to Ace Your Finals Without Studying." The main idea I presented was that some people effortlessly learn new concepts and material while others struggle.  I believe that the difference between these factors is mostly due to a process called holistic learning.

From the website: "You've heard the common refrain, 'Oh, I'm so bad at maths!' But for up to eight per cent of us, a condition called dyscalculia means numbers are a serious struggle, with serious consequences. Scientists are now revealing its biological basis, and in Australia there's a push for it to be seen as a legitimate and unique disability."

TED@Palm Springs presentation on game-based learning; creation of "immersive learning environments." Meyers, A. (2009). A Vision for 21st Century Learning [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mirxkzkxuf4

I disliked this video. Is my classroom extraordinary? The rest of the classrooms in the U.S. have unmoving, silent children stuck in desks all day? The students don't talk to each other? They don't collaborate to solve problems? They don't read? They don't write in order to analyze and express opinions? They don't use math manipulatives, do science experiments, build, draw, and do projects? They don't laugh together, digress, and then get back on track? Because that's what we do. It doesn't strike me as a response to the Industrial Revolution as much as a response to students' curiosity and to their future needs. "If we get it right, kids won't even know they're learning something." So, we're doing it wrong if the kids are actually aware that they're learning? Better they should be metaphorically anesthetized by the computer experience? We don't want them inoculated against feeling the discomfort of struggle. Every respected neuroscientist on the planet says struggle is necessary to wire neurons together, which is the physical manifestation of learning. The simulation of the village looks very cool. I love computers. But if all their learning about ancient Rome is based on this simulation, where are the primary sources? Will students encounter any? Or is their experience of the village based on someone else's interpretation of primary sources? If so, then someone else gets to decide what is important to include in the Roman village. They get to choose and interpret the facts that are used to create the virtual ancient Roman experience. That goes against best practice teaching of the social sciences.

"Last year, Apple introduced the iPad, a computing device many have struggled to classify. It's bigger than a smartphone or iPod, smaller than a computer, but can do some things you'd otherwise do on both of these. You can type a document in Pages or find your way with GPS and Google Maps. So what makes it so special? "

Nice analogy that sits well for teachers trying to figure out where tablet devices fit into schools filled with traditional computers.

The Montgomery County Public Schools system here has a highly regarded program for evaluating teachers, providing them extra support if they are performing poorly and getting rid of those who do not improve. The program, Peer Assistance and Review (PAR) uses several hundred senior teachers to mentor both newcomers and struggling veterans. If the mentoring does not work, the PAR panel - made up of eight teachers and eight principals - can vote to fire the teacher.

A case for rethinking how we generate ideas.

Good for looking up discipline plans for struggling students.