Full Speed Mistake

Twitter and EdChats go together like bacon and eggs.  Here is a rundown of some of my favorites and the heavyweight educators that make them so amazing. Please keep in mind, this is not meant to be a comprehensive list of every EdChat out there, or a ranking of which are the best. It is just a sneak peak into the incredible communities available to you each week. Here's to learning something new! (NOTE: All times are MST) Sunday: Sunday night is one of my busiest. These conversations will get you excited about the week ahead. 5:00pm - #fitnessedu, @MrsVandeborne 6:00pm - #21stEdChat, @dprindle 7:00pm - #iaedchat, @danpbutler, @ColinWikan, @townsleyaj 7:00pm - #oklaed,  @TeachFromHere 7:00pm - #txeduchat 8:00pm - #wyoedchat @jpk38 8:00pm - #SVTChat, @CoriOrlando1 Monday: Mondays are a wonderful mix of admin, edtech, and pirates. 6:00pm -  #admin2b, @MiriamCheuk 6:00pm - #edtechchat 6:00pm - #learnlap, @Ryan7Read 7:00pm - #tlap, @aaron_hogan 7:00pm - #kse

Ever wonder what bullying looks like throught the eyes of a student? Last month my assistant principal asked one of our 8th graders to create a couple of anti-bullying posters. No theme was suggested, or reference images given. He was told simply to create something that might help reduce bullying in our school. I share the results to illustrate what was important to this young man. These stark images were brought forth from a dark place in his mind. The fact that each poster took only a single 46 minute class period speaks to the artist's talent while at the same time indicates that this particular subject is something too easily and vividally recalled. We plan to make several of these posters to hang throughout our school. Despite all our efforts, I'm know many of our students continue to suffer similar things on a daily basis. Perhaps a student's perspective can bring about change.

My case for imbalance (This is part two of my last post "The Thing About Balance") Everyone is striving for balance. Administrators, teachers, parents, students, slack liners. It makes sense. Balance is comfort and stability. An outward sign that you have everything together on the inside. But, what if you can't seem to find balance no matter what you do? No worries. Imbalance is a natural bi-product in the search for balance. In fact, lack of balance is sometimes a great indication of a person who is striving to do something amazing. Being out of balance forces you to make adjustments. Brain research tells us it is the essence of learning. Like a child riding a bike, imbalance forces us to take risks, learn new skills, and change our thought process on the fly, and while under duress. Fear of the crash can be a strong movitator, as is the reward of learning to ride. I can't promise you won't end up with a few scars, but the adventures will be worth it! As a