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I love this very real post that includes a term I've never heard before "door knob lesson plan" -- this is as real as it gets and is on an important topic for November. "What am I most grateful for each day at school? My students. Classes are a sanctuary from the black funnel cloud, and let's face it, they are why I wanted to teach in the first place. Not for the paperwork. Not for the technology. Not for the budgets or schedules. Not for the data. For the kids."

eg EDUCATION RESOURCES, SEARCH ENGINES, COOL LINKS FOR KIDS,TECHNOLOGY LINKS, READING RESOURCES, ALL ABOUT WRITING, SCIENCE LINKS, MATH LINKS FOR EVERYONE, SOCIAL STUDIES LINKS GEOGRAPHY & PLACES IN THE WORLD, CELEBRATIONS BY THE MONTH,Links 4 SCHOOL LEADERS & SUPERVISORS, JUST FOR PARENTS

eg EDUCATION RESOURCES, SEARCH ENGINES, COOL LINKS FOR KIDS,TECHNOLOGY LINKS, READING RESOURCES, ALL ABOUT WRITING, SCIENCE LINKS, MATH LINKS FOR EVERYONE, SOCIAL STUDIES LINKS GEOGRAPHY & PLACES IN THE WORLD, CELEBRATIONS BY THE MONTH,Links 4 SCHOOL LEADERS & SUPERVISORS, JUST FOR PARENTS

Instagram is something kids are using. Here are some tips for helping your child be safe on instagram. I totally agree about talking to your child about the photo map. If you haven't already, talk to them today about NOT using the feature which puts their photos on a map of where they were when they took it. Like that paint in your new bedroom? Photo map it? Boom. The lat and long of your daughter's bedroom. Just a bad idea. I do think instagram and other location based websites are going to get into hot water. Lat and long disclosing by kids should be approved by parents.

Another one of my students has been writing and sharing on the Kindle Kids Corner. Here's an interview she did about trends in Young Adult fiction and I agree with so much of what she's written. This is another example of how authentic projects can transform a student. This happened to come out of one of my favorite kindle book sites - Kindle Nation Daily and an email conversation I had with the author Steven Windwalker (penname.) 

Help your kids submit their idea and work to Quest to matter. This is a great way to showcase what your students are doing. It will also open up opportunities for mentoring. If you know a kid who is doing something cool to change the world - SUBMIT IT. The end date is June 7th. Why not have your class create a quest to matter. If you haven't had a chance to do a genius project or some creative teacherpreneurship with passion projects - USE THIS opportunity. My friend Angela Maiers had this idea and many have joined in (like me) to help create a website showcasing and promoting all the great work that students are doing as social entrepreneurs to change the world. There will be a winning project that is showcased and mentored. 

A coding game for little kids. I don't know about teaching them to program before they learn to read, as it claims, but I do know that many are ready and moving head to teach their kids to code and that is awesome.

Must read letter over at Edweek from a mom of one child who died at Sandy Hook and one who survived... if you want to be affirmed and remember why you teach, this is the post you should share with everyone. "Your courage will support students who are left out and overlooked, like the isolated young man who killed my daughter. At some point he was a young, impressionable student, often sitting all alone at school. You will have kids facing long odds for whom your smile, your encouraging word, and your willingness to go the extra mile will provide the comfort and security they need to try again tomorrow. When you Google "hero," there should be a picture of a principal, a school lunch worker, a custodian, a reading specialist, a teacher, or a bus monitor. Real heroes don't wear capes. They work in America's schools. "When I asked my son's teacher why she returned, she responded, 'Because they are my kids.' " Being courageous requires faith. It took faith to go back to work at Sandy Hook after the shooting. Nobody had the answers or knew what would come tomorrow, but they just kept going. Every opportunity you have to create welcoming environments in our schools where parents and students feel connected counts."

Scientists are continuing to advocate that work and school start later. Researcher Paul Kelley CLAIMS that test scores and work productivity should start at 10am. Of course, what he doesn't account for that this would push sports to later in the day and kids would go to bed even later than they do already. You can only cram so much into a day. Anyway, it is interesting reading. One of the most important things is emphasizing and encouraging to parents that kids get enough sleep.

"Children of anxious parents are more at risk of developing an anxiety disorder. But there's welcome news for those anxious parents: that trajectory toward anxiety isn't set in stone. Therapy and a change in parenting styles might be able to prevent kids from developing anxiety disorders, according to research published in The American Journal of Psychiatry Friday."

Webonauts Internet Academy is a web original game from PBS Kids that gives kids 8-10 years-old an opportunity to have some fun while exploring what it means to be a citizen in a web-infused‚ information-rich world. It is an engaging experience on its own but becomes all the more powerful when parents and teachers use game play as a springboard for conversations about media literacy and citizenship in the 21st Century. Very nicely done and a great starting point. From Adam Bellow on EduTech

Information about paying people to pass ap tests.

Paying kids to pass the AP test isn't working... but those supporting it say give it time. In some ways, money is the easy answer. But money doesn't solve problems when you have a child who has low self esteem. A child who is beaten every night isn't going to want to learn more during the day for a one time incentive... they feel trapped. Although the average improved (there were more "5's") - the overall pass rate declined slightly -- but more tests were taken. I am glad that people are willing to put money into trying new things, but sometimes I think teachers are left out of the equation. If we look at brain rules, improving the family life of kids and making sure they get more sleep are two of the most beneficial things we could to improve test scores.

k12 online conference marketing flyer

K12 online marketing flyer -- this is going to be so exciting! The K12 online conference is a FREE conference for people who teach kids at the K12 level. You'll find tons of great information about how to teach today's kids and information on new tools and classroom best practice. Julie and I are working with the strand "kicking it up a notch" and are very excited!

Web only property for PBS Kids Fizzy's Lunch Lab is a vibrant, fun and kid-friendly media property featuring original characters and funny stories that entertain and educate families about the importance of good nutrition, a balanced diet, and physical activity. Join Professor Fizzy and friends in the super-charged Lunch Lab Test Kitchen, as they prepare healthy snacks, investigate the difference between good and bad food, and learn what happens once the food you eat goes into your body.

A website that teaches history as kids play an interactive video game. It is designed for kids as young as 4 and up to guide them through museums, churches and historical sites of significance.

"In this eBook, we'll discuss the opportunities and benefits of kids creating stuff online and give real-life examples of the amazing things kids have accomplished on the web. We'll offer tips, tools and resources for getting started, all while staying safe and smart online."

"The worry is we're raising a generation of kids in front of screens whose brains are going to be wired differently."

If you have kids you are already aware that the internet could be very useful, and this site gives you the chance to diminish to almost zero the harmful content they might be exposed to, augmenting their chances to learn only about what is cool and useful.