Districts ban Facebook & social networking:

Chicago Public Schools:  http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/district-299/2009/08/school-board-bans-facebook-twitter-for-teachers.html
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6639197.html?nid=2413&source=title&rid=140246606
Cyberbullying:  http://cyberbullying.us/blog/teachers-prohibited-from-using-facebook-to-communicate-with-students.html
Should districts ban teachers from social networking?:  http://ow.ly/oEXp
Dallas-Fort Worth area district bans then unbans Social Networking:  http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/tech/McKinney-ISD-May-Pull-Plug-on-Teacher-Student-E-Mail-Text-Ban-61266222.html AND http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local-beat/McKinney-ISD-Backs-off-Teacher-Student-E-Mail-Text-Ban-62679187.html
Two Mississippi districts ban social networking:  http://www.aim.org/don-irvine-blog/doh-school-districts-ban-texting-between-teachers-and-students/

Podcast Awards Nominations due October 18th.  http://podcastawards.com/

Jokes:

How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?

The correct answer is: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.

2 How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?

Did you say, Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the refrigerator?

Wrong Answer.

Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of your previous actions.


3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals
attend …. Except one. Which animal does not attend?


Correct Answer : The Elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator. You just put him in there.  This tests your memory. Okay, even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true abilities.


4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles, and
you do not have a boat. How do you manage it?


Correct Answer:? You jump into the river and swim across. Have you not been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the Animal Meeting. This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.

According to     Anderson Consulting Worldwide, around 90% of the
Professionals they tested got all questions wrong, but many preschoolers got several correct answers.    Anderson Consulting says this conclusively disproves the theory that most professionals do not have the brains of a four-year-old.

From the Twitterverse:

• blairteach RT @ShellTerrell: RT @ozge: Free lecture videos
• willrich45 I think like the idea of Twitter as “mindcasting” instead of lifecasting. Though I will stop to congratulate @jonbecker on his new baby!!!
• web20classroom Collaborative Story Telling with Storybird….http://is.gd/4puhj
• web20classroom Another free curriculum to teach Digital Citizenship, Grades 6-12….http://is.gd/4pu2i
• mmkrill Checking out eduperience.com | Bloggings for Teachers and Students via www.diigo.com/~mmkrill
• thetechtiger I am really enjoying Google’s Fast Flip! It could be useful for students and their current event podcasts.
• kjarrett RT @web20classroom RT @bethstill New post Looking forward to hearing ur comments. <–Why You Need A PLN! Thx @bethstill

Advisory:

Body Image:  http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1130618347958&ref=mf
(Alternate:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqlzBKFPxyE)
(Submitted by AK Jenny)

This idea is simple enough to implement in any size advisory group, in any amount of time, and in any way that best suits the needs of the students and teacher in the group. Students can be asked to list 5, 10, 20, or 25 random things about themselves. Students can create written or verbal lists or both. Lists can be kept private or volunteers can be asked to share them.

Students can be asked to tally how many things they have in common with other students if the lists are shared. Students can be asked to choose their 3 most random things to be explored at a later date, possibly as an assignment in another class. Depending upon how often advisory groups meet and how long each advisory class lasts, the “25 Random Things” can be done in one day or spread out over one week.
http://middle-school-lesson-plans.suite101.com/article.cfm/found_on_facebook_an_advisory_activity

Chad Fry:  Illustration Guy:  http://www.chadfrye.com/  Monster a day for a month.  Not so much an idea as a resource for an advisory . . . http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/notes.php?id=66977838632 .

Webspotlight:

Wolframalpha Homework Day:
http://homeworkday.wolframalpha.com/
Meet us here on October 21, 2009, for the first Wolfram|Alpha Homework Day. This groundbreaking, live interactive web event brings together students and educators from across the country to solve your toughest assignments and explore the power of using Wolfram|Alpha for school, college, and beyond.

Comic Creation Online:
http://www.wittycomics.com/

http://www.toondoo.com/ (Demo)

http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/

Seven Free software Apps (6 for Mac users):
http://www.digmo.co.uk/news/software/7-free-apps-for-education/

News:

This time, we are starting out with our Brainypics flashcard contest, in which students create interesting sentences and pair them up with memorable pictures as a visual cue.  Between now and Dec. 7, we’ll be selecting 5 Brainypics each week which will qualify for our Grand Prize of $200.  We are also giving out iTunes songs for every 5 Brainypics created and gift cards to the runner ups of the finale.  Full details here: http://brainyflix.com/main/contest_rules.

Growing Up Scripted

And Losing Freedom Along the Way

By Christopher L. Doyle

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/10/14/07doyle.h29.html?tkn=PPZFBvRZ3nUselC6N3%2FU%2BX%2FYmVRt9PQZn6gb

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:
NMSA News:

1. NMSA’s Annual Conference:  NMSA ‘08 Technology Focus Video.  NMSA ‘09 Invitation Video:  Indianapolis, IN Conference  November 5-7, 2009.  Individual Registration is now open.  September 30th early registration deadline is approaching  (Use MAMSE09 as your source code.)
   • Video Competition:  NMSA is looking for student based videos for the transitions between events at their annual conference.  Information is at their website.
   • Indiana schools may apply for a waiver and send their staff to the Friday sessions as a professional development day.
     • Steps to obtain waiver request
       • Franklin Community Schools Request (example)
     • NMSA teacher session sheet (Note:  It only has four, so if you’re not part of the Indiana crew, you’ll want to print one off for each day of the conference.)
       • Concurrent Sessions
     • NMSA follow up sheet.  (Note:  This is geared to the Indiana group.  I would suggest simplifying this for your own group.)
2. Dan Pink is keynoting the conference.  Here’s a teaser at TED.
3. NMSA 09 Housing Information now available.  Some hotels are nearing full if not so already.  Special housing rates end October 5th.
4. NMSA 09 Conference Connection:  Stay connected before, during, and after the conference!  Start your packing lists for the conference using packwhiz.com!

Other News:

1. ISTE Eduverse Talks are the recorded sessions held on ISTE Island every week.  Join ISTE in their Second Life conference location for their weekly talks on education.
2. The Ohio Middle Level Association will hold their annual conference February 18 & 19, 2010.  Jack Berckemeyer will be keynoting.
   • OMLA Registration Form
   • OMLA Presentation Form
3. The Michigan Association of Middle School Educators Annual Conference is coming up March 4-5, 2010 in Dexter, MI.  MAMSE will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary!
   • MAMSE Exhibitor Form
   • MAMSE Registration Form
   • MAMSE Presentation Form
4. Theater Education Opportunity:  Eastern Michigan University’s Quirk-Sponberg Theater has announced their Fall 2009 Season.

   “The Prince, the Wolf and the Firebird”
   By Jackson Lacey
   Directed by Pam Cardell
   December 4, 5, 10, 11 at 7PM
   December 5, 6, 12 at 3PM
   School Matinees: December 9 and 10 at 10:00 am.  Tickets $4.00 for students and every 15 students gets a chaparone in for free.

5. Classroom 2.0’s Live Calendar.
   
6. Classroom 2.0’s Ning Blog:  Archived content is available. 
   
7. Second Life:
   • No Events specified.  Regular Tuesday meetings are scheduled.  See the board on the ISTE Island for up to the minute details.
   • Video:  Educational Uses of Second Life

The past two years we’ve tried to fill a bus of 7th and 8th graders for a Washington DC trip. It’s a select bunch we have to draw from (6th graders are excluded) and there’s a cost involved.  Folks have to pay for it beyond the normal school costs and the kids usually have to pester their folks to let them go on the trip.  There’s hemming and hawing to be done, negotiations about dishes and chores, allowances and souvenir money to discuss as well.  Nevertheless, it must be tried.

It’s tough to do and you have to cancel ’em sometimes.

CMU has their bus about filled I’m told.  The MAMSE bus . . . not so much.  So with sadness we were informed that the MAMSE bus to Indy has been cancelled.

Jokes:

Homework usually takes about 90 minutes. Here is how most high school students spend those 90 minutes.

* 15 minutes searching for assignment while reading your text messages.
* 11 minutes calling a friend for the assignment.
* 23 minutes explaining why the teacher is mean and just does not like students.
* 8 minutes in the bathroom.
* 10 minutes getting a snack.
* 7 minutes checking and answering e:mails.
* 6 minutes telling parents that the teacher never explained the assignment.
* 10 minutes sitting at the kitchen table waiting for Mom or Dad to do the assignment.

A mathematician, statistician and accountant were finalist for a position as VP in a large corporation. The hiring committee asked them all the same last question:

The mathematician was first.”How much is 500 plus 500 ?” , they asked”1000″ he replied without hesitation.”Thank you”, they dismissed him.

Next the statistician.”How much is 500 plus 500?””On the average, 1000 with 95 % confidence” replied the statistician”Thank you”, they dismissed him.

Next the accountant.”How much is 500 plus 500?””What would you like it to be?” responded the accountant.They hired the accountant.

LITTLE BOY: “My math teacher is crazy”. MOTHER: “Why?”

LB: “Yesterday she told us that five is 4+1; today she is telling us that five is 3 + 2.”

From the Twitterverse:

* karlyb WOW! – 5th grade math resources by unit: http://www1.center.k12.mo.us/Edtech/edm/5.htm
* karlyb Promethian giveaway contest at The Henry Ford: http://thehenryford.promo.e…
* paulallison Download Troy Hicks and The Digital Writing Workshop, Part 2 of 3 – Exploring Author’s Craft – TTT171- 10… http://bit.ly/1a4Zq0
* rmbyrne Free Technology for Teachers: Musopen – Free Recordings and Sheet Music http://ff.im/-9yQW0 or http://www.musopen.com/
* cliotech New blog post: Sharing Best Practices is OK! http://bit.ly/GtCzo
* vtdeacon RT @DeborahMersino RT @russeltarr: Great ‘classic’ stories in comic form, awesome : http://tinyurl.com/okjoyc
* Twilliamson15 @paulbogush we have more in common now…I’m quoted in Rick Wormeli’s new book 🙂 …preview at http://snipurl.com/wormelibk
* gardenglen Now available: CALL FOR BETA TESTERS OF NETS DRAFT RUBRIC http://url.ie/2m63
* vtdeacon this looks like a pretty cool lesson on using excel in math class- plus connection to halloween:) http://tinyurl.com/yl9susr
* web20classroom RT @ejulez: by end of 2013, 70% of businesses will have behavior/dress code policies for employees online avatars. http://ow.ly/tEZV
* schoolwise Children’s Good Manners Month and Thank You Notes: http://EzineArticles.com/?i…
* JoHart RT @coletteamber: Laughing at: “pencil metaphor – Leading a Digital School” ( http://bit.ly/EtSFT )
* ambermac OK, I’m moving to Sweden if this keeps up! RT @jeff_andersen Tune in to another invention by the Swedes: http://bit.ly/e8Eoe
* web20classroom Good Advice for School Leaders- Decisions You Can Live With…http://is.gd/4765z

On Our Mind:

Technology:

Project RED
http://projectred.org/

Netbook News (from Twitter)

Larry Ellison’s take on Cloud Computer (think netbooks)

Advisory:

National Children’s Good Manners Month: http://ezinearticles.com/?id=3016989

Middle School Advisory 101
http://middleschooladvisory101.blogspot.com/
Webspotlight:
ClassTools: Classtools.net allows you to create free educational games, activities and diagrams in a Flash! Host them on your own blog, website or intranet! No signup, no passwords, no charge!
http://classtools.net/
See an example:
http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=78798&title=Classtools_net

Timeline Creators:

XTimeline
xtimeline is a free web-based timeline. Easily create and share timelines with pictures and videos.
http://www.xtimeline.com/

TimeGlider
There is a time traveler in each of us. Whether you are a litigator or an 8th grader, TimeGlider can quickly enhance your experience of the past, present, and future. Once you’ve explored a TimeGlider timeline, you’ll wonder why you’ve never seen information organized like this before.
http://timeglider.com/index.php

Mind42.com – Mind Mapping software that fits in a browser: http://ow.ly/truL

Seven Free software Apps (6 for Mac users):
http://www.digmo.co.uk/news/software/7-free-apps-for-education/

News:

More Time on Task:
Obama and his education secretary, Arne Duncan, have called attention to the amount of time students spend in school, because school calendars in the United States are based on outdated priorities and are too short to give students the tools they need to compete on a global stage. Since the 1960s, schools nationwide have adhered to 6½-hour days, five days a week, 180 days a year. Individual schools have extended days for students to participate in certain advanced classes or extracurricular programs, but most follow the shorter day, established in a time when farmers needed their children to help out in the fields part of each day, and all day during the summer. Summer vacation didn’t come about because that’s when the swimming pools are open.
There are many who will criticize these suggestions. A seemingly opposite trend is exemplified by an October 2008 study for the American Academy of Pediatricians, which concluded that children are overscheduled, under stress and in need of more unstructured time to play. …cautioning only that “improving the quality of instructional time is at least as important as increasing the quantity of time in school.”

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091006/OPINION01/910060315/Editorial++Give+kids+time+to+wrap+heads+around+learning

Netbooks:

http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?&i=61122

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:
NMSA News:

1. NMSA’s Annual Conference: NMSA ‘08 Technology Focus Video. NMSA ‘09 Invitation Video: Indianapolis, IN Conference November 5-7, 2009. Individual Registration is now open. September 30th early registration deadline is approaching (Use MAMSE09 as your source code.)
* Video Competition: NMSA is looking for student based videos for the transitions between events at their annual conference. Information is at their website.
* Indiana schools may apply for a waiver and send their staff to the Friday sessions as a professional development day.
o Steps to obtain waiver request
+ Franklin Community Schools Request (example)
o NMSA teacher session sheet (Note: It only has four, so if you’re not part of the Indiana crew, you’ll want to print one off for each day of the conference.)
+ Concurrent Sessions
o NMSA follow up sheet. (Note: This is geared to the Indiana group. I would suggest simplifying this for your own group.)
2. ATTENTION Michigan Association of Middle School Educators & Friends: MAMSE is putting together a bus for the trip to the National Middle School Association’s Annual Conference in Indianapolis, IN this fall. Ride down to the conference in a luxury bus. With all the conversations with middle school teachers on the bus, I wonder if we could call this a mini-MAMSE conference? There’s nothing like getting together with people who love the people we love: our students. Getting together with folks like that is energizing and priceless. Email Teresa Sutherland for information and details. Don’t forget to mention you heard about it on Middle School Matters.
3. Dan Pink is keynoting the conference. Here’s a teaser at TED.
4. NMSA 09 Housing Information now available. Some hotels are nearing full if not so already. Special housing rates end October 5th.
5. NMSA 09 Conference Connection: Stay connected before, during, and after the conference! Start your packing lists for the conference using packwhiz.com!

Other News:

1. ISTE Eduverse Talks are the recorded sessions held on ISTE Island every week. Join ISTE in their Second Life conference location for their weekly talks on education.
2. The Ohio Middle Level Association will hold their annual conference February 18 & 19, 2010. Jack Berckemeyer will be keynoting.
* OMLA Registration Form
* OMLA Presentation Form
3. The Michigan Association of Middle School Educators Annual Conference is coming up March 4-5, 2010 in Dexter, MI. MAMSE will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary!
* MAMSE Exhibitor Form
* MAMSE Registration Form
* MAMSE Presentation Form
4. Theater Education Opportunity: Eastern Michigan University’s Quirk-Sponberg Theater has announced their Fall 2009 Season.

“The Prince, the Wolf and the Firebird”
By Jackson Lacey
Directed by Pam Cardell
December 4, 5, 10, 11 at 7PM
December 5, 6, 12 at 3PM
School Matinees: December 9 and 10 at 10:00 am. Tickets $4.00 for students and every 15 students gets a chaparone in for free.
5. Classroom 2.0’s Live Calendar.
6. Classroom 2.0’s Ning Blog: Archived content is available.
7. Second Life:
* No Events specified. Regular Tuesday meetings are scheduled. See the board on the ISTE Island for up to the minute details.
* Video: Educational Uses of Second Life

Jokes:

I’m failing geometry because I refuse to believe that pie are squared.
The school board decided to remove speech and debate from the course schedule; there was no argument.
Today in Art class we were going to paint a nude model, but the teacher sent her to the office for violating dress code.

How does a blind skydiver know they’re nearing the ground?  The leash goes slack . . .

From the Twitterverse:

• DigMo Anyone interested in the competition, slow to get started this one 🙁 very easy too iStopMotion 2 would appreciate it
• kentmanning Just blogged about one of those “teacher moments” in a busy week. http://tinyurl.com/yesbxvb We’ve all had them. Looking forward to more.
• bruingeek No, Honey. With the GPS we don’t have to ask directions. And NO, GPS is not the acronym for General Purpose Shopping. *blondejoke*
• zemote RT @tvanderark How will digital learning replace print? Here’s 7 (sic) change forces
• russeltarr How to Green Screen Using iMovie ’09: http://tinyurl.com/rdvzkn
• stevehargadon New Weebly for education is awesome. Great for both teachers & students to building their own web presence. http://education.weebly.com
• russeltarr Creativity in the Classroom, Innovation in the Workplace (by @sirkenrobinson): http://tinyurl.com/q45hfy
• russeltarr 70 Authors to Follow on Twitter (good for literature students?): http://tinyurl.com/plkkrj (Note: mostly for you, some for your students.)
• eduinnovation PLC that confuses talk for action, confuses meeting for getting results, confuses time together for benefiting students…..just confused.
• russeltarr Formal Education will make you a living; Self education will make you a fortune. Jim Rohn.
• jonbecker Standby efforts failed. Gonna be at JFK for a few hours. Keep me company?
• stevehargadon RT @jonmott Great summary of DoE meta-study concluding that online learners perform better than others.
• AngelaMaiers “Habitudes” of Professional Learning Communities http://digg.com/u1DX4W Great stuff from @eduinnovation

On Our Mind:

Clocks. Is it necessary to know how to read an analog clock?

MEAPs coming up, state mandated testing.  Do you put the pressure on or do you soft-shoe it into the testing period?

DropBox
http://www.getdropbox.com/iphoneapp

Advisory:

Return to the overview:
During the first month of school have every student take a piece of string and place one end under their shoe then stretch the string so it reaches the top of their head. Cut the string and fold it up. Place a piece of masking tape with the student’s name around the folded piece of string. Put all of the strings into a bag and do not open it until the last week of school. Then have them take their string and see how much they have grown over the last year. Many of your students will be amazed at how much they have grown.
A way to show what adolescents stand for is to have them outline their foot and then list all of the things they believe in inside the outline.
http://www.nmsa.org/portals/0/pdf/publications/On_Target/advisory/advisory_8.pdf

October is MOYA!  www.nmsa.org/moya

Webspotlight:

Educon 21 at the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, PA.
http://educon21.wikispaces.com/

Stumbleupon
http://www.stumbleupon.com (or in Troy’s universe:  stumbleupon.com)

VUE 3.0- The Visual Understanding Environment (VUE) is an Open Source project based at Tufts University. The VUE project is focused on creating flexible tools for managing and integrating digital resources in support of teaching, learning and research. VUE provides a flexible visual environment for structuring, presenting, and sharing digital information.
http://vue.tufts.edu/

News:

Surfing the Net with kids: Phonics

Phonics is a widely used method of teaching children to read. It is based on connecting sounds of spoken English with the letters that represent those sounds. Today’s websites stand at the intersection of education and recreation, using games to reinforce phonetic concepts.
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/family/articles/2009/10/02/surfing_the_net_with_kids_phonics/

House Panel Targets Teacher Distribution, Pay

Differing opinions about incentive-pay programs, the role of test scores in pay and evaluation, and how prescriptive the federal government should be in seeking to boost teacher effectiveness were aired at a House hearing.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/10/02/06teach.h29.html?tkn=XLXF2b3tQQks2uYCPFvfd64lCGoFEfUQJLwE

Online education expanding, but awaits innovation

The online education sector grew 13 percent last year, but it had been growing at about 20 percent in previous years, Reuters reports — leading some to suggest that online learning is starting to plateau until further innovations are introduced.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/around-the-web/index.cfm?i=61047

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:
NMSA News:

1. NMSA’s Annual Conference:  NMSA ‘08 Technology Focus Video.  NMSA ‘09 Invitation Video:  Indianapolis, IN Conference  November 5-7, 2009.  Individual Registration is now open.  September 30th early registration deadline is approaching  (Use MAMSE09 as your source code.)
   • Video Competition:  NMSA is looking for student based videos for the transitions between events at their annual conference.  Information is at their website.
   • Indiana schools may apply for a waiver and send their staff to the Friday sessions as a professional development day.
     • Steps to obtain waiver request
       • Franklin Community Schools Request (example)
     • NMSA teacher session sheet (Note:  It only has four, so if you’re not part of the Indiana crew, you’ll want to print one off for each day of the conference.)
       • Concurrent Sessions
     • NMSA follow up sheet.  (Note:  This is geared to the Indiana group.  I would suggest simplifying this for your own group.)
2. ATTENTION Michigan Association of Middle School Educators & Friends: MAMSE is putting together a bus for the trip to the National Middle School Association’s Annual Conference in Indianapolis, IN this fall.  Ride down to the conference in a luxury bus.  With all the conversations with middle school teachers on the bus, I wonder if we could call this a mini-MAMSE conference?  There’s nothing like getting together with people who love the people we love:  our students.  Getting together with folks like that is energizing and priceless.  Email Teresa Sutherland for information and details.  Don’t forget to mention you heard about it on Middle School Matters.
3. Dan Pink is keynoting the conference.  Here’s a teaser at TED.
4. NMSA 09 Housing Information now available.  Some hotels are nearing full if not so already.  Special housing rates end October 5th.
5. NMSA 09 Conference Connection:  Stay connected before, during, and after the conference!  Start your packing lists for the conference using packwhiz.com!

Other News:

1. ISTE Eduverse Talks are the recorded sessions held on ISTE Island every week.  Join ISTE in their Second Life conference location for their weekly talks on education.
2. The Ohio Middle Level Association will hold their annual conference February 18 & 19, 2010.  Jack Berckemeyer will be keynoting.
   • OMLA Registration Form
   • OMLA Presentation Form
3. The Michigan Association of Middle School Educators Annual Conference is coming up March 4-5, 2010 in Dexter, MI.  MAMSE will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary!
   • MAMSE Exhibitor Form
4. The Wisconsin Association of Middle Level Educators is holding their Annual Conference October 8-9, 2009.
   • Registration
   • Sessions
5. Theater Education Opportunity:  Eastern Michigan University’s Quirk-Sponberg Theater has announced their Fall 2009 Season.

   “The Prince, the Wolf and the Firebird”
   By Jackson Lacey
   Directed by Pam Cardell
   December 4, 5, 10, 11 at 7PM
   December 5, 6, 12 at 3PM
   School Matinees: December 9 and 10 at 10:00 am.  Tickets $4.00 for students and every 15 students gets a chaparone in for free.

6. Classroom 2.0’s Live Calendar.
   
7. Classroom 2.0’s Ning Blog:  Archived content is available.  This week’s session:  “Interesting Ways to Use a Pocket Video Camera in the Classroom“.
   
8. Second Life:
   • No Events specified.  Regular Tuesday meetings are scheduled.  See the board on the ISTE Island for up to the minute details.
   • Video:  Educational Uses of Second Life

We had some difficulties posting Podcast 89. All shouldwork now, the link below and iTunes. Thanks to all of those listeners who provided feedback. Enjoy the show.

Jokes:

Today in English we learned absolutely nothing about killing mockingbirds.

I went to a tough high school. In biology we used to dissect custodians.

School is where you always try to do your best-except when your friends are watching.

Teachers deserve a lot of credit. Of course, if we paid them more, they wouldn’t need it.

Back-to-school sales get me all excited. Of course, pretty much any sale gets me all excited.

School is very important. Everyone should get at least a high school education–even if they already know everything.

You know our education system has problems when Hallmark comes out with a new line of “Easy-to-read” graduation cards.

My kids have everything they need to go back to school—except the right attitude.

The best part of going back to school is seeing all your friends. The worst part is that your teachers won’t let you talk to them.

Shout outs:

Susan Mulcaire – The Middle School Student’s Guide to Ruling the World
www.middleschoolguide.com

From the Twitterverse:

• bhsprincipal Great overview on how to create your own PLN RT @tweetmeme Thank You PLN | Teacher Reboot Camp
  
• mayfieldc I remember when stage 4 scared me, but I managed. “Stages of PLN adoption”
• mayfieldc Curriculum and lessons to teach copyright:
• mayfieldc The ultimate GoogleMap scavenger hunt:
• mayfieldc Let your students run for congress:
• MsCLanger Thank you all for such a warm welcome… and lovin the excellent resources – Keep it up! @bbarreda – Let’s talk curriculum!  (Note:  She’s a new user, feel free to follow.)
  
• hickstro Prepping for three upcoming episodes of Teachers Teaching Teachers. Up this week, student choice and inquiry: (This is Troy Hicks of CMU.)
  
• mguhlin Over 800 Videos in Core Content Area Instruction http://ff.im/-8Ojqq
  
• johnharrison1 Twitter is changing how ed nonprofits raise funds for good causes. @donorschoose in Fast Company
  
• lthumann “Just Google” – a parody of “Beat It” by Michael Jackson http://tinyurl.com/2am3r4 (considering using this at the NJEA convention)
  
• brasst http://twitdraw.com/jr3tss @chamada Thinking this could be very useful for tutoring and homework questions in math #twitdraw
• plivings RT Chris Lehmann’s call for participation in EduCon thinking of attending/presenting this year …

Advisory:

Advisory idea:
1.  The Middle School Student’s Guide to Ruling the World!* by Susan Mulcaire

2. Video – Silent Beats
Video on Prejudice. Interesting point of views. If we don’t teach kids literacy beyond the printed word, we are doing them a disservice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76BboyrEl48

Webspotlight:

A Three Story Intellect! BLOOM’S TAXONOMY and Costa’s Levels of Questioning
http://wwwstatic.kern.org/gems/AVID/NoelleCombsInquiryLesson.pdf

Molecular Workbench
http://mw.concord.org/modeler/

Awesome Highligter:
http://www.awesomehighlighter.com/

What’s on our Mind:

NMSA09

Michigan Finalists for National Teacher of the Year.
Nate Childers             Hart Middle School                     Rochester Community Schools

Sandusky Schools
Secondary science/health teacher
Middle school principal

News:

National Subject-Matter Standards? Be Careful What You Wish For

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/09/23/04brady.h29.html?tkn=QQQF7DtpOD4Av9Mp%2FladSCvhRcONy4acLzJG

The promise of technology and change, so far, has fallen short at Philadelphia’s School of the Future.

By Kathleen Kennedy Manzo

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/09/30/05future_ep.h29.html?tkn=Z[OFt1k7urdzHekhD%2FWbBZWenSpHHAb%2Ftq2C

We have a special treat for you this week. This week is our interview with the wonderful, talented and gifted Mr. Jeff LaRoux. For those of you who don’t know Mr. LaRoux, he is an expert in middle school. I’ve had the privilege to visit his previous school and I can attest that he is one of those rare educators who is deeply, deeply in tune with middle school students and educators.

Mr. LaRoux is truly a specialist in advisory as well as all things middle school.

Oh, by the way, he is also on the National Middle School Association’s Board.

Enjoy.