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this isn't so much directly education-related as it is something we all need to consider these days - and so will our students. i'd be interested in knowing which one or more you've tried, and what you thought about the service. would you recommend?

In feedback and letters following the death of Jane E. Brody's husband, readers provide lessons on how to express condolences most meaningfully to those left behind.

map simulation showing CO2 emissions birth/death rate. Turn off the sound by clicking the icon in the upper left corner

In this must-read post, Lisa Myers says so many things right. So many of us teachers have shocked that people have seen into the heart of who we are but why did some teachers have to die for people to see it? "No, for most of us, our all does not include a sacrificial death, but it does include a sacrificial life. It means working a full day at school then continuing that work at home well into the evening as we grade papers and prepare materials that will lead to authentic learning in the classroom. That's our surface work. At a deeper level, however, we also do the following:""

This is an important issue. Google will be the first to let you designate what happens to your data when you die. This is a great move and something important but can be misused if it isn't handled properly

Guidance counselors and principals should read this article - not to share and tout as a defense of bullying for there is no defending meanness ever - not among adults and definitely not among children. However, it is time to de-escalate the frantic misreporting and hysteria that some are causing on the topic of bullying and suicide. Suicide is horrible and often the person who commits suicide is bullied -- here's a quote from the article that I thought was telling. This would be worth discussing with those who can maturely see the balance that is called for here and again, not to use it to excuse atrocious behavior. "Reporters are often reacting to other misinformed authorities.  For example, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd explained to reporters that he arrested two girls (one 12, the other 14) in Sedwick's death, after seeing a callous social media post from one of the girls, "We can't leave her out there, who else is she going to torment? Who else is she going to harass? Who is the next person she verbally and mentally abuses and attacks?" While it's a great quote, it implies that this girl has the ability, through random meanness, to inspire others to commit suicide. "Everything we know about unsafe reporting is being done here - describing the method(s), the simplistic explanation (bullying = suicide), the narrative that bullies are the villains and the girl that died, the victim," Wylie Tene, the public relations manager for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, wrote in an email to me. "She (the victim) is almost portrayed as a hero. Her smiling pictures are now juxtaposed with the two girls' mug shots. Her parents are portrayed as doing everything right, and the other girls parents did everything wrong and are part of the problem. This may be all true, and it also may be more complicated.""

June 1, 2010 marked the end of a tradition at our school - a tradition that awarded top students not for their efforts and learning but for their grades and achievements. The staff at Kent School decided to abolish the "awards" part of the year end ceremony.

reviews ratings, advice and all sorts of stuff like that. Great resource for parents, educators and students

Common Sense Media Education Program

Kevin Jarrett pointed out to me that Common Sense media now has movie reviews for kids to help you determine what is appropriate for your children. Again, you have to take everything under advisement ad make decisions for yourselves but as long as we go to whatever Hollywood dishes out, they'll keep doing it. (After all, they did research and found that a "G" rating was a "death sentence" for a movie. That is crazy.)

"Have you ever faked a restroom trip to check your email? Slept with your laptop? Or become so overwhelmed that you just unplugged from it all? In this funny, eye-opening, and inspiring film, director Tiffany Shlain takes audiences on an exhilarating rollercoaster ride to discover what it means to be connected in the 21st century. From founding The Webby Awards to being a passionate advocate for The National Day of Unplugging, Shlain's love/hate relationship with technology serves as the springboard for a thrilling exploration of modern life...and our interconnected future. Equal parts documentary and memoir, the film unfolds during a year in which technology and science literally become a matter of life and death for the director. As Shlain's father battles brain cancer and she confronts a high-risk pregnancy, her very understanding of connection is challenged. Using a brilliant mix of animation, archival footage, and home movies, Shlain reveals the surprising ties that link us not only to the people we love but also to the world at large. A personal film with universal relevance, Connected explores how, after centuries of declaring our independence, it may be time for us to declare our interdependence instead."

If your school doesn't have the health department to come in and brief your teachers - you are not only risking health but also something like this. The city of New York is being sued with a wrongful death suit for not addressing H1N1 in their school more proactively. Call your health department and get a 20 minute session on it - it should be free and you'll be responsibility. Do it because it is the right thing and not because you'll be sued (although that is a risk.)

Comfort Zone Camp, the nation's largest bereavement camp, offers bereavement camps free of charge to children ages seven to 17 who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or primary caregiver.

This is President Obama's speech on May 1, 2011 regarding the death of Osama Bin Laden.

"The time parents spend with their children has a powerful effect on their educational achievement, according to a large study with a novel approach. Researchers analysed data on children in Israel who lost a parent through death or divorce. They found that when it came to one measure of a child's academic success, the educational attainment of the surviving or custodial parent had more impact than the educational level of the parent who died or left the home."

My friend Beth Kanter, nonprofit fundraising pioneer, is honoring her late father by asking for people to donate to the nonprofit Surfrider Foundation. She has created a hashtag #oceanloveearl. IF you want to support or know more about this movement, here's the information on Mashable

Can be used to help student with presentations and rehearsing

Presentation guide for students. Not really technical, but might help students get away from the 'death by bullet point' syndrome

Excellent article about public feedback that flies in the face of what many are doing. Challenge your thinking.

To get twitter you need to follow the right people.

Designing better PowerPOint presentations. Has a Power Point presentation with do's and don't which is interactive and also an assessment tool which the authors shares with all educators.