Serving & Learning on 9/11 Anniversary

9/11 is approaching and many people are thinking of how to commemorate. 

Obama encourages people to remember the day through service:

“Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost; a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11.”

Many people are paying tribute to this day through service:



For resources, ideas, and information on how to join the movement, visit 911day.org or the  Hands On Nework.  You can find projects that are already happening that you can join in, or share what you are going to do to pay tribute to this important day.

If you are a teacher, you are probably thinking of how to tie in this anniversary into the lesson plan.

Discovery Education has created 911 Rise & Remember, dedicated to providing resources: curriculum ideas, videos and discussion guides to use in the classroom.

Scholastic also has a host of resources and free lesson plans.

What will you be doing in honor of this day? Please comment below with your thoughts on commemorating 9/11.

25 TED Talks About Math

The videos will speak for themselves: (If TED videos don't show, try refreshing the page or going back - it has been glitchy for some reason).



Thanks Darren from A Difference for sharing this!

Community Schools in Ukraine

As a huge supporter of community schools in Portland OR - I was thrilled to see the model being implemented in Ukraine.  This video demonstrates what a tremendous impact the community school program is having on the people of Borivka.  Its beautiful!

Homework Song

For a little motivation to do homework:

I showed this video to my little brother as he was being reluctant to do his homework.  I think seeing these characters and the ridiculous amount of homework Mr. Ratburn gave them, put his homework load into perspective.  He eagerly did his homework and listened to the song a couple more times for laughs. 

I think there is a certain peace in knowing you are not the only 4th grader with homework in June.  The burden becomes lighter when you know you're not alone and makes it easier to get the job done if you recognize its the reality of life for a student.

Here's to the final weeks/month of this school year!

Journey Into Dyslexia

HBO's Journey Into Dyslexia.  Next showing will be June 5th.





Dyslexia affects about 1 in 10 people in the US.  Many people equate dyslexia with mental retardation, but as this documentary will explain, dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence, birth defects, mental illness or any environmental effect.


Also, roughly 35% of entrepreneurs are dyslexic. 


"Journey into Dyslexia shows that the majority of dyslexic U.S. students are not getting the help they need. The most poignant interviews come from children and adolescents with dyslexia who reveal not only their frustrations at being misunderstood but also the emotional toll the stress can take on young students. 


Dr. Maryann Wolf, author of Proust and the Squid, adds, "Some of our children with dyslexia are among our most intellectually gifted humans. It’s a form of intelligence. It’s a form of brain organization that they have that leads them to be, oftentimes, our artists, our architects, our pattern recognizers in radiology and astronomy. But they think often outside the box of our conventional left hemisphere thinking. I love them. Our species would never be what it is without this form of brain organization.”


Read more from the filmmakers site about this documentary and information about dyslexia.


Another great movie about dyslexia is Like Stars on Earth.  Read a review here. 

Dear 16-Year Old Me

Powerful PSA:

May is the perfect time to discuss skin safety with students.  The Skin Deep Project is a great collection of interactive resources to get your child/students engaged with the topic.

For older students, share this article about indoor tanning.  Ask for their thoughts and observations.  Why do people tan? What is the risk? Is it worth the risk?  This could also be a leeway into dialogue about body image. 

Speaking in tongues, documentary

Yesterday I mentioned language acquisition.  Later I came across a documentary that follows four kids  and their journey to become bilingual:

"Filmmakers Marcia Jarmel and Ken Schneider follow four public-school children and document their experiences as they learn second languages in this compelling film that puts a human face on the often-fiery debate over bilingual education in America. Two children born outside the United States are placed in immersion programs to learn English, while two native English speakers enroll in classes taught in other languages" (Netflix)

SPEAKING IN TONGUES TRAILER from Speaking in Tongues on Vimeo.

The National Immigrant Integration Conference praises the film: 

“Speaking in Tongues is a film that needed to be made. With insight and the appeal of children, you have brought alive the vast capability of kids to learn languages and the impact of doing so early and thoroughly. As English grows in use around the globe, you provide a case study in overcoming our linguistic egotism and help show multiple benefits of bilingual education.”

I am definitely putting this on my must watch soon list.  Stay posted for a review. 

Guest Post: Like Stars on Earth

This is the English title of one of our favorite movies. Taare Zameen Par is the original Hindi title.

Yes, that means it's Bollywood. And no, stop cringing. Yes, you absolutely must give it a chance.

This movie will have you laughing so hard you will cry, then in tears of heartbreak, quickly followed by the variety produced out of joy, only to be repeat the cycle before your eye ever have a chance to dry.

By the end of the movie your heart is so immersed in the story you won't even care why you are crying anymore (These simultaneous tears of joy and heartbreak seems to be a trademark of Aamir Khan, as this is exactly I describe his more recent movie 3 Idiots).

The story of Like Stars on Earth explores the life of eight year old Ishaan, as he struggles through dyslexia to meet the standards that his family and society expect of him (Yet another similarity to 3 Idiots, in which we see this basic formula applied to young adults in college).

Even now as I write this post, after watching the trailer I confessed to Elena my surprise at tears forming even though we have watched the movie 5 times. She laughed from the couch, quickly followed by "me too!"

If you are a teacher, a social worker, a mentor, a parent, work with children in any capacity, ever happen to just be around children, or were ever a child yourself - you must watch Like Stars on Earth. At the very least it will break your heart with a deeper understanding and compassion for the children in your life. It might even give new insight on struggles from your own childhood.

I was reminded of this movie after reading an essay titled "The Uniqueness of Individual Perception" by Roger Whitehouse. It is another brilliant essay from the Information Design anthology. A lot of thought provoking insight into the vast spectrum of human perception, with a eye on vision in particular.
There is a quote from Whitehouse's conclusion in the vein of my recent series on education, especially in regard to the "Henry Ford School of the Future" model which dominates most of our schools today.

"It is tragic when dyslexic children are made to feel stupid, defective, and inferior just because we are uncomfortable with the idea of allowing our "standards" of performance to be bent enough to include them" (Information Design Pg 128).

It's one thing to understand this statement in your head, but a whole other to feel the tragedy in your heart. Watching Like Stars on Earth will break your heart under the weight of this tragedy.

I can count on one hand the movies I would recommend to one of any age, race, gender, culture, religion, or socio-economic status. Like Stars on Earth is one of them, placing it proudly among the best of Pixar.
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This has been a guest post by David of Perpetual Anticipation. Yes, he is my husband, and he is also a fantastic writer.  He's written quite a few intriguing posts on learning.  Check them out here.