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I laughed so hard when I read this part: First, stop expecting kids to pay attention. They don't owe you anything. They're only in school because it's the law and their friends are there. He also lists some good strategies - none that are new, but it is always good to review!

"the hidden skills and cognitive processes that underlie reading comprehension. A number of researchers (see, for example, Pressley & Afflerbach, 1995; Wyatt et al., 1993) focused their attention on a simple but unexplored question: What do great readers do when they read? By studying the behaviors of skilled readers, these researchers reached some important conclusions about what it takes to read for meaning, including these three:"

""The reality is that to survive in a fast-changing world you need to be creative," says Gerard J. Puccio, chairman of the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State College, which has the nation's oldest creative studies program, having offered courses in it since 1967. "That is why you are seeing more attention to creativity at universities," he says. "The marketplace is demanding it." Critical thinking has long been regarded as the essential skill for success, but it's not enough, says Dr. Puccio. Creativity moves beyond mere synthesis and evaluation and is, he says, "the higher order skill." This has not been a sudden development. Nearly 20 years ago "creating" replaced "evaluation" at the top of Bloom's Taxonomy of learning objectives. In 2010 "creativity" was the factor most crucial for success found in an I.B.M. survey of 1,500 chief executives in 33 industries."

I have been thinking a lot lately about the challenge we face as educators when well-intentioned learners make incorrect, inscrutable, thoughtless, or otherwise off-the-mark comments. It's a crucial moment in teaching: how do you respond to an unhelpful remark in a way that 1) dignifies the attempt while 2) making sure that no one leaves thinking that the remark is true or useful? Summer is a great time to think about the challenge of developing new routines and habits in class, and this is a vital issue that gets precious little attention in training and staff development. Here is a famous Saturday Night Live skit, with Jerry Seinfeld as a HS history teacher, that painfully demonstrates the challenge and a less than exemplary response. Don't misunderstand me: I am not saying that we are always correct in our judgment about participant remarks. Sometimes a seemingly dumb comment turns out to be quite insightful. Nor am I talking about merely inchoate or poorly-worded contributions. That is a separate teaching challenge: how to unpack or invite others to unpack a potentially-useful but poorly articulated idea. No, I am talking about those comments that are just clunkers in some way; seemingly dead-end offerings that tempt us to drop our jaws or make some snarky remark back. My favorite example of the challenge and how to meet it comes from watching my old mentor Ted Sizer in action in front of 360 educators in Louisville 25 years ago. We had travelled as the staff of the Coalition of Essential Schools from Providence to Louisville to pitch the emerging Coalition reform effort locally. Ted gave a rousing speech about the need to transform the American high school. After a long round of applause, Ted took questions. The first questioner asked, and I quote: "Mr Sizer, what do you think about these girls and their skimpy halter tops in school?" (You have to also imagine the voice: very good-ol'-boy). Without missing a beat or making a face, Ted said "Deco

How do we engage more teachers in the conversation? We are doing it one by one...is that the only way? How do we get teachers to see themselves as professionals that need to be interested in not only their content but in their pedagogy as well?

You give me the chance and I will take it! Essential Quote: "If you want teacher buy-in, let the teachers buy!" - Damn straight, better-believe-it-buddy! What is this really saying? Give educators the chance to determine their own needs and allow them to create their own PD - WOW, democracy in the work place, professional autonomy, release of control...Stop right there Mister Radical Man! All this student centered, student owning the learning may be the cool buzz words of the day, and we may wave its flag high and proud, but we ain't goin' to apply it to the employee serfs charged with implementing that pith! Pahleese, teachers in control - teachers deciding how best to teach and facilitate learning? Chaos, Anarchy, Socialism! Dog and Cats living together, mass hysteria...Ain't happenin'...not now, not ever! I actually know this to be true. I designed, proposed, pleaded for a number of programs incorporating this approach and was rebuffed (vehemently and sternly) in two districts, ignored in two others in favor of completely top down, admin centered, and strictly dictated, carrot and stick approach of standard seat time, nothing required but attention or comment, 11, 23, (whatever) Tools! Shocking that we have the PD results we have? Hardly - Continuing to do the same things we have always done and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity - A. Einstein - what an idiot!

"But the best educational outcomes grow from a well thought out program of student empowerment - made both possible and attractive by adopting, adapting and mashing-up digital media."

I think I have a convergence of two (+) very important vectors that might actually make something along these lines be realized: (1) I have a three level green light - on one, my "real" boss actually wants me to step out and really do something different, my evaluator likes to see interesting things and realizes a certain challenge to ANY poor evaluation is not in anyone's best interest, and I have friends/support in higher places (Milk it as long as it lasts!); (2) I am too dang old and tired (saying I am tired is akin to referring to the Great Wall of China as a fence!) of making excuses for why I can't and this may actually be my last real opportunity! (BONUS Vector: No one, and I mean NO ONE that might object is paying attention!) Let's set a time - a good long block of time - to map out something SPECIAL!