Clif's Notes

THE CHALLENGE to All Educators 2009

I admire and appreciate everyone that has participated in The Challenge the past 2 years (2007, 2008). I look forward to doing more good together this holiday season, too.

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I’ve written posts encouraging educators to get students actively involved in service education. I’ve shared the rationale for implementing service activities in the classroom and suggested some resources to help us get started.

Your feedback and encouragement back in 2007 prompted me to take this a step further. Rather than simply encouraging teachers (in general) to do this I’m now challenging you (specifically you) to start a service activity in your classroom.

The holiday season is upon us, so I think it’s a great time to talk about service and initiate a project with your students.

Here’s THE CHALLENGE.

1. Kick-off a service activity in your classroom.
2. Make us aware of your project.
• I’ve dedicated a new section of the blog to this activity and added a permanent link titled The Challenge to the main menu. This allows us to to share information, photos, videos, and provide links to personal/ class blogs, wikis, websites, etc. where we can learn about each other’s projects and share resources and ideas. You can post your information by:
  • Leaving it in the comments in The Challenge area.
  • Emailing me a link to your project blog, wiki, site, etc. that I’ll add to The Challenge area.
3. Keep working on your project and enjoy all the wonderful things that will surely come from it.
4. Share. Share. Share.

• Let’s use The Challenge area, Twitter, Plurk, Skype, etc. to provide updates by which we (including our students) can all follow each other’s progress.
• Please tag all related materials and resources with thechallenge

Let’s make the world a better place. I CHALLENGE YOU!!!

Resources

Here are some great resources to help you get started.

Event Tag: thechallenge

• THE CHALLENGE to All Educators 2007
• THE CHALLENGE to All Educators 2008
• Service Education
• An Opportunity to Make a Difference

What If All Kids Had This Attitude?

• If I Had My Child to Raise over Again
• THE CHALLENGE to All Educators 2007
• THE CHALLENGE to All Educators 2008
• THE CHALLENGE to All Educators 2009

Team Darfur

Here’s another potential service project you and your students can consider helping.

(Crosspost from A Work in Progress)

Team Darfur is an international coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about and bringing an end to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan. Team Darfur was co-founded by Olympic gold medalist speed skater Joey Cheek and UCLA water polo player Brad Greiner. Joey raised over $1 million in 2006 when he announced he would donate his medal bonuses to relief in Darfur, and encouraged other athletes and sponsors to do the same. After seeing the impact this action had Joey wanted to encourage other athletes to use their time in the spotlight to raise awareness about the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. At the same time, Brad realized that if athletes from around the world wore one symbol showing their commitment to Darfur, people from around the world would support them by raising awareness and funds for relief through purchasing that symbol. From these two realizations Team Darfur, and the Team Darfur sweatbands, were born. (Source)

• The Crisis in Darfur: A Mini-Lesson that Teaches So Much
• The Crisis in Darfur: A Mini-Lesson
• Civil Rights Museum
• Service Opportunity

The Crisis in Darfur: A Mini-Lesson

(Repost from 08/21/2007)

I challenge you to complete this mini-lesson and consider the questions below.

Lesson

Watch the video below about the crisis in Darfur. (A free download of this video is avaiable here.)

Play Darfur Is Dying, a quick mini-game that simulates aspects of daily living in this region.

Discussion

1. What is your reaction to this information and simulated experience?
2. What, if anything, did you learn from this lesson?
3. How might this activity be integrated with teaching and learning

• The Crisis in Darfur: A Mini-Lesson that Teaches So Much
• Team Darfur
• Web 2.0 Tools in the Classroom: Valuable or Distracting?
• Civil Rights

Darius Weems: Inspiration for the New Semester

This documentary was shared during yesterday’s faculty meeting. I was struck by the courage and determination of Darius and by the care and friendship demonstrated by his eleven friends (Young men studying to become special education teachers). Together they are all making a real difference!

Darius Weems was born with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Darius had never left his hometown of Athens, Georgia, because of the disease. “Thus, in the summer of 2005, with the help of eleven young friends, 15-year-old Darius set off on a road trip across the United States…in an RV and tested wheelchair-accessibility in America” (Source). Along the way Darius was able to see and experience many new things: swimming in the ocean, seeing the Grand Canyon, crossing the county line, visiting a roadside rest stop, and riding in a hot air balloon, just to name a few. The entire inspirational trip is shared in this award winning documentary.

Learn more about Darius’ ongoing cause and purchase your copy of the film, Darius Goes West, here.

• I’m Thankful…
• A New Year Begins…
• An Inspirational Olympic Story You May Have Missed
• NECC This Morning

Thank You from the OLPC Kids

• More about OLPC
• OLPC Facing Corporate Competition
• OLPC Extends “Give One, Get One” Program
• OLPC: Give One, Get One

World on Fire

Learn more about World On Fire. Please also consider making a difference and teaching your students to be service-minded by being part of The Challenge.

• 1 Thing New Teachers Should Know
• THE CHALLENGE to All Educators 2009
• THE CHALLENGE to All Educators 2007
• THE CHALLENGE to All Educators 2008

Really Achieving Your Childhoold Dreams

Here are a few quotes from Randy Pausch about lessons he learned. This is good advice to share with students to encourage them to pursue their own career and personal goals.

• “When you['re] screwing up and nobody is saying anything to you anymore that means they gave up.”
• “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.”
• “You obviously don’t know where the bar should be and you’re only going to do them a disservice by putting it anywhere.”
• “The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough.”

• Teaching Keyboarding to Elementary Children
• Suggested Reading for 07/28/2009
• Another Example of the Possibilities of Technology in Education
• 1 Thing New Teachers Should Know

Suggested Reading for 12/06/2008

Our Newest Community Service Project – The Reno Bike Project Project – Just one of the many great things going on in Brian Crosby‘s classroom. Perhaps it will give those interested in The Challenge some ideas.

Seven Mistakes Teachers Make with Technology

So What Is the Future of Schools?

The Educational Debate – Tone Matters

To Sing with Soul

Why You Need a Personal Learning Network

Give until It Feels Good – Perhaps another idea for those interested in The Challenge.

• Noteworthy from NECC
• THE CHALLENGE to All Educators 2009
• Suggested Reading for 03/11/2008
• Suggested Reading for 11/12/2008

Middle School Student Makes Scientific Breakthrough

Thirteen-year-old William Yuan…

….began working with solar cells two years ago, after science teacher Susan Duncan encouraged him to tackle an engineering project. He spent hours searching the Internet, brainstorming with Duncan, and talking with professionals before he found a topic that piqued his interest: the global energy crisis. Building on research from Georgia Tech and Notre Dame universities, Yuan found a way to improve the conversion efficiency and yields of solar cells.

Most solar cells absorb visible light to produce electricity, but his design harnesses both visible and ultraviolet light. That’s particularly helpful in cloudy areas, such as where he lives in the Pacific Northwest, because the solar cell can continue to generate electricity even when clouds obscure the Sun. To achieve this result, Yuan applied various coatings, integrated nanotubes, and added specialized nanostructures to a typical solar cell. Experts have given his method a thumbs-up. (Source: Edutopia)

A Few Thoughts

• Please consider reading the full story.
• Congratulations William!!! Not only am I impressed by your discovery, but your diligence and ability to collaborate with others in resourceful ways is inspiring.
• I send my respect and appreciation to Susan Duncan, William’s science teacher from 2 years ago, who seems to have played an instrumental and ongoing role in William’s personal work. I’d like to find her blog, website, etc. if it’s out there.

Discussion

• What lessons can educators and parents learn from this?
• What can other young people take away from William’s journey and scientific breakthrough?

• Great Kids Movie
• Teaching, Learning, Technology and the Future
• Suggested Reading for 03/13/2008
• Cell Phones as Learning Tools