Ron Berger in his book, An Ethic of Excellence: Building a Culture of Craftsmanship, inspires teachers to create a community of students who spur each other on to excellence. One of his suggestions is to develop improved critique techniques (pp. 93-94).

"Teaching is hard. Harder than I can ever explain to anyone. Doing it well, consistently, takes a unique stamina. . . . For anyone with talent and options, choosing to enter teaching and giving up the money, flexibility, and respect that so many other careers offer in order to take on the stress of the classroom is just crazy. Unless you see teaching as a calling. Unless you feel that teaching is what you are intended for; that it is your way to share the best of what you have to give to the world" (Berg 120).

". . . be passionate, creative, and obsessive about quality" (Berg 120).

I recently saw that  Shane Koyczan has his "To This Day" poem published into a hard back book.  If you haven't seen the YouTube version of this poem, view it here.  I hope this poem will make us more empathetic and see others in a new light.  You may need to have a tissue handy.

Advice from Shane Koyczan:  "Remember that the world will never hear you if you choose to say nothing." 

I was really inspired by this one student who started a movement to spread kindness.  It gives me hope for the future!

Watch this clip about the West High Bros.

At our Professional Development meeting, George Couros showed this clip of a 12-year-old interviewing his future self.  It was a bit bizzare, but it got me thinking that this could be a really cool project for PEAK students.  What if the 6th graders made a video of themselves interviewing their 8th grade selves?  Then in 8th grade they could make a movie of themselves responding to the questions.  They could even do a senior version of this to make another one when they are seniors.  Students, what ideas do you have for this?  Would you be interested in doing this?

Our family unexpectedly got at new puppy this week-end!  We named her Jules, short for Juliet.  She is part beagle/pomeranian.  This reminds me of a video I saw this summer -- some inspiration for our new school year:
Be More Dog!  (No offense, cat-lovers!)