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It is amazing the number of people who attribute their success to a significant background in music.  Granted, I am a music teacher, but there seems to be more and more articles/stories/studies that point to a correlation.  It is not a particularly causal relationship (that is really hard to prove), but there is definitely a relation.

"The news reports say that the test scores of American students on the latest PISA test are "stagnant," "lagging," "flat," etc. The U.S. Department of Education would have us believe-yet again-that we are in an unprecedented crisis and that we must double down on the test-and-punish strategies of the past dozen years. The myth persists that once our nation led the world on international tests, but we have fallen from that exalted position in recent years." BUT....is what we're being told really the whole story? This blog post will help you see that our nation's creativity and innovation has NOTHING to do with our place nationally & internationally with test scores. So...how should that influence our approach to education?

terrific tool to help create color-coded QR codes

Print QR Codes Generate printable QR mobile phone-readable 2D barcodes containing a website URL, an email address, a phone number, a pre-formatted SMS message or just plain text to use as paper prints, DIY stickers, temporary tattoos or iron-on T-shirt transfers. Design A Custom QR Code T-Shirt Generate your own QR Code and then you and your code are sent to the Zazzle print-on-demand website to complete the selection of your shirt style, size and color for immediate purchase, printing and delivery direct to your door.

Generate QR codes. Encode any text, such as poems, letters or short stories, website links, contact details... the list goes on. You can even choose the colour. They make great displays. All this is free, but you can also buy 'stuff' with a QR design printed on it.

An entertaining website that shares strange and curious stories from history, language, literature, math, science, art, philosophy and more.

First in a series of interactive stories, promotes literacy, for middle grade students 9-12. Story of Mrs. Wobbles, her magical foster care home, and the children who encounter her healing powers. CYOA-style.

Ideas, Exercises, and Encouragement for Teachers and Writers of All Ages. Free online preview of the entire book.

Taking Yourself Seriously: Processes of Research and Engagement is the working title of a book by Peter Taylor and Jeremy Szteiter that assembles the tools and processes from research and writing courses taught in the Graduate Program in Critical and Creative Thinking. The most up to date version of the book can be viewed at http://cct.wikispaces.umb.edu/TYS (and associated links, including a link to a full pdf of the book). "For your research and writing to progress well, your questions and ideas need to be in alignment with your aspirations, your ability to take or influence action, and your relationships with other people. Shorten these items to head, heart, hands, and human connections. Your efforts to bring these 4H's into alignment is what we mean when we invite you to take yourself seriously." Some comments from former students looking back on the influence of the research courses out of which this book has arisen: Jane, a healthcare professional and story-teller: I learned is to 'hold my ideas loosely', which means accepting my own idea as a valid one but always leaving the space open to take in the counterarguments. I learned to give myself permission to be circular and come back to previous steps or thoughts, and I actually became more comfortable doing so. I was able to get engaged in a project that I was able to actually use in work, which was extremely satisfying. The whole process encouraged me, and I felt very empowered as a change agent, which could be an exhilarating feeling.

This is a "field-book of tools and processes to help readers in all fields develop as researchers, writers, and agents of change." For more details and how to purchase: http://bit.ly/TYS2012. (Printing and distribution in Australia and Europe begins end of March.) Comments on the influence of this book's approach "I was able to get engaged in a project that I was able to actually use in work, which was extremely satisfying. The whole process encouraged me, and I felt very empowered as a change agent, which could be an exhilarating feeling." a healthcare professional and story-teller "I really had not been used to thinking about my own thinking, so learning to do that also helped me to slow down and start to look away from the career path that I had been taking for granted." a biologist-turned-web designer "I found that the experience helped me to accept feedback from other professionals. I am more comfortable with listening to why my own ideas might not work or need further evaluation. This even happens to the point where I find reasons now to seek out this kind of feedback." a teacher "I had viewed research as a process of collecting information into a sort of database and reviewing it effectively. I have now revised my notions to include a more broad understanding of interconnectedness between people and ideas. An important part of research is to keep relationships going." an adult educator "One of the most useful ideas was the use of dialogue, which helps to slow down the procedures used by the company. There's a tension between management's need to make quick decisions and desire to have real dialogue around proposed changes-changes to the internal company operational procedures as well as to evaluating the quality of what the company is doing with its publications." a teacher, currently working in publishing "I was asked to pay attention to what I actually could do instead of what I could not. This enabled me to (1) step back and let go of a huge technic

The tool selected to capture learning is secondary to the 'big idea' itself compiling a dynamic collection of information from many sources, in many forms and with many purposes, all aimed at presenting the most complete story possible of a student's learning experience.

This site walks you through the process of creating a digital story.

An introduction of the basics of plagiarism and how to avoid it, told via a story of a student completing an assignment

Youth Voices is a vibrant home for young writers seeking an authentic audience and a space to publish writing across a wide range of genres. The site is essentially a social network, so students can easily align their interests and make meaningful connections with other young writers. Students touch on issues ranging from the environment and politics to personal narrative stories and video gaming. Some students also add multimedia components like video.

Intriguing site lets students or teachers read along to stories with audio, movie-style soundtracks or create their own soundtracks for creative writing assignments. Includes a few sample lesson plans for using the site with elementary, middle, or high school students.

An iPad and junior version of the well know programming platform Scratch. The app has been designed for 5+ year olds and boosts simplified versions features of the more mature version. Children still snap programming blocks together to build amazingly creative things. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/ICT+%26+Web+Tools

Scratch for ages 5 to 7

"Coding is the new literacy! With ScratchJr, young children (ages 5-7) can program their own interactive stories and games. In the process, they learn to solve problems, design projects, and express themselves creatively on the computer."

Learn about the people who died needlessly in the Charleston church shooting. There is a face and story to each victim.

Historypin is a way for millions of people to come together to share glimpses of the past and build up the story of human history.

2nd in an NPR series on School Improvement. Transcript and link to audio. "Long before the Obama administration started talking about turning around failing schools, Annapolis High School in Maryland embarked on a radical transformation. It went to a 12-month school year. Teachers and administrators had to re-apply for their jobs, and those who were rehired vowed to never again let a single student fall through the cracks."

First in a series of NPR reports on School Makeovers. Transcript and link to audio of broadcast. "If a school is consistently failing and kids aren't learning, shut it down. Start over with new teachers and administrators willing to do something dramatically different. Closing failing schools and turning them around has been in vogue since No Child Left Behind, and now the Obama Administration is embracing the idea. It's even offering millions of dollars to school districts to help them do it."

Ripley's Believe It or Not site that has several realted links to stories printed in the Daily Cartoon section.