A Little Discipline for Thought!

I read a very good post on discipline from Practical Theory.  I thought I share it: http://practicaltheory.org/blog/2015/09/06/adult-discipline-not-kid-discipline/

AASL 2015 Best Websites and Best Apps for Teaching and Learning

The American Association of School Librarians, AASL, recently released their 2015 Best Apps for Teaching and Learning.  Also released are the 2015 Best Websites for Teaching and Learning.

The link for the 2015 Best Apps for Teaching and Learning: http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/best-apps/2015

2015 Best Websites for Teaching and Learning: http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/best-websites/2015

Edutopia and the Big List of Educational Grants and Resources

Speaking of Edutopia, Edutopia has a link to a list of educational grants and resources.  Check early and often!: http://www.edutopia.org/grants-and-resources

Words of Encouragement

As educators return to their jobs, we need words of encouragement for the school year ahead.  One is a video from Rita Pearson. “Every kid needs a champion” https://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion?language=en

Another one is a video by Mike Morenz: https://www.facebook.com/mike.morenz/videos/10153124017336716/?pnref=story

Another one is a video final project created by a student: “Before the Bell Rings”: https://vimeo.com/121433500

Edutopia http://www.edutopia.org  is an excellent source for educators on all types of topics.

Teachers and Staff at Chester Upland Schools in Pennsylvania Return to Work Without Pay

Diane Ravitch's blog

The Chester Upland school district in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, will return to school even though the district has no money to pay them. The district is in a deep financial hole because of former Governor Corbett’s deep budget cuts and the charter schools that drain funding from the public schools. Chester Upland might be the first school district o go bankrupt because of competition with a charter school whose for profit owner is ranking in millions.

These educators are heroes of public education. They are truly doing it “for the kids” at personal sacrifice to themselves and their families. They join the honor roll of the blog.

On Thursday, about 200 members of the local teachers union voted unanimously to work without pay as the new school year opens. They were joined by secretaries, school bus drivers, janitors and administrators.

“The thought of it is very scary,” said John Shelton…

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Funding for Exploration

Education Updates

The famous Lewis and Clark expedition is a story of American pioneering.  This first major journey of exploration led the way for vast wilderness to eventually become the “settled” West.  Today’s spotlight document focuses on the very start of this expedition, when in 1803 President Thomas Jefferson sent this confidential letter to Congress.

First page of the President Thomas Jefferson Confidential Message to Congress Concerning Relations with the Indians, 1/18/1803. From the Records of the U.S. House of Representatives.
National Archives Identifier: 306698 Shortly after the Louisiana Purchase, President Jefferson secretly wrote to Congress requesting $2,500 to send “an intelligent officer, with ten or twelve chosen men” on a mission westward.  The primary goal for what would become the 8,000 mile Lewis and Clark expedition was to seek out trade routes—all the way to the Pacific Ocean—and begin relations with the tribes of Native Americans in the West.

Secondly, Meriwether…

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