CNN Heroes Afghan-Schoolgirls

A great article in helping students from northern Indiana and any school in the US to understand what happens in other parts of the world. There are youth on the planet who do not have the opportunities that US children have and would absolutely love to endure the parts of learning that turn off learning in US students.

There are some children in the US who face adversity daily in pursuing their learning and school in general, but girls in Afghanistan have for generations been unable to access the chance to attend school and learn the basics - 6% of Afghan women over 25 have received any formal education (school) according to the article.

Hoepfully our students can realize what opportunities Hamilton Community Schools is providing them to prepare for their futures. The 1-to-1 initiative is a great example of giving them a tool and professional instruction in developing skills to become a contributor to society just as the Afghan people are trying to help young women who finish school resources to enter teaching and help those kids who follow. Continue to work hard and give your best efforts in developing into the best person and learner that you can be - many girls in Afghanistan would gladly trade places with you for the opportunity.

2013 Americas Top 6 States For Business

MSN - Money - Americas-Top-6-States-for-Business

South Dakota scores the highest ranking since inception in 2007 - As we prepare young people to develop skills necessary to compete in the economy and land a job/career that helps them provide for them and their families while contributing to society learn a couple of ideas from what is presented.

I particularly was drawn to the low unemployment for each stage and I know that Google Fiber is heading to Austin, TX and will undoubtedly make it easier and better for businesses to thrive with as fast Internet speeds as there currently is through an ISP. Texas has been #2 on this list for the past 7 years.

Not that I'd like to see our students move so far away - but after receiving a great education - it needs to lead to a job that can provide for them and for their family. Opportunity to make money and continue to develop skills will allow them to become a more sought after employee and allow them easier and better options later in their careers.

Finding Your Passion & Developing Your Skills

Shane Snow - Linked In - Finding-Your-Passion-In-Work

Shane Snow shares a great reminder that is very improtant to the contruct of learners and getting the most our of your education. Focus on learning about and connecting what you are learning to what it is you are preparing yourself to do - school is a means to an end and is preparing you to develop your skill set to offer them to an employer (and if you work hard enough - become the employer) to be paid a salary and provide for you and your family.

Develop skills in yourself so that you are as prepared as possible to make money doing something that you enjoy doing. Remind yourself when asked to do those things you do not enjoy doing to see how it can help you in your passion - so that it will make you a more skilled individual. It will help you enjoy what you do more and may even lead to a bigger paycheck.

Presentations and How Best to Share/Discuss Information

A great article sharing insights to best-practices related to meetings and the information that needs to be shared in organizations -

Jeff Weiner - Linked In - A-Simple-Rule-To-Eliminate-Useless-Meetings

I particularly found the part on defining the objective of the meeting and gathering feedback to be improtant. I hope to conduct my presentations in a similar fashion to become a better resource for the Hamilton Community. The purposes of the information I am sharing through the blog will hopefully allow students and their parents to have the resources they need to succeed and use meetings as a chance to answer questions and help you be in a better position to understand the information so that you can share it with others.

Introducing Edmodo's Brand New Look

Introducing Edmodo's Brand New Look

New Homepage

New Apps Toolbar

Enhanced Group Pages

International Users - access to resources

Social networking site for schools to empower students to build on their learning in a engaging and connected way and they have spent time continuously improving (much like what students are asked to do on a daily basis in school) and provided upgrades and increased the functionality and user experience this summer.

Hopefully they enhance our mission of providing a world class educational experience for our students.