Greetings, #11FF – I bring you encouragement and perspective from the edu-blogs. And Hawkeye:

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I’m a sucker for superhero movies, and for the little guy trying to work above his pay grade to save the world. Scenes like this? I tear up, and often there’s actual snot involved. It’s embarrassing. 

Here are some of the best moments from this past week to dry your tired tears, my darlings… in case you missed them:

Run Them Through the Dream Crusher – Perhaps Arne and Coleman and others are onto something with this ‘tough love minus the love’ approach to educating children. Let’s stop mamy-pambying these little kids and get them ready for the ‘real world’ – one full of rejection, harsh realities, and a whole lotta beat-down. Rob Miller on A View From The Edge dances joyfully through this diatribe, and reminds me why he IS the current ‘must read’ among all things edu-blog or #oklaed. I love this one.

If you’ve ever actually cared about children, the future, or ‘Merica, you simply must follow Rob (closely) on the Twitters at @edgeblogger. 

Literacy and the Electives Teacher – Meghan Loyd at For the Love is frothing a bit herself – which I, for one, never saw coming! She has a few thoughts on literacy, our mindset towards ‘electives’ and those who teach them, and pizza rolls. This is not her most tender or careful post so far, but I must confess… I love the sauce she’s slinging. Loyd is TOTES #11FF, so follow her on the Twitters at @MeghanLoyd.

Walkmen At Garage Sales – Donuts in the Lounge is a relatively new #oklaed blog featuring the ramblings of Mr. Link Lowe. This past week, he pondered how quickly we’ve become used to – maybe even bored with – the technological miracles all around us. “Guess I’ll *sigh* transport to Venus and grab a few more Live Forever pods *yawn* before the Holo-tournament…” Ponder Mr. Lowe (without getting bored) on the Twitters at @MrLoweOfficial. 

Baby-Proofing a Middle School Classroom – OK, this is actually from two weeks ago, but I missed it. My bad! MiddleSchoolStationConductor is new to me, but obviously I’ll be keeping up with this one from here on out. #OklaEd Middle School Social Studies teacher (you can understand my immediate attachment) Tina Lunday discusses trying to see our classrooms – physically and experientially – through student eyes. Show Tina some edu-love on the Twitters at @TMLunday.

The Drive Episode 8: Literacy – Scott Haselwood TAKES OFF THE SUNGLASSES for this one, which either means it’s time to get SERIOUS, or that it was raining as he taped. Perhaps it’s both. This week on Teaching From Here, after a nice plug for the #oklaed chat every Sunday evening from 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. CST, he expounds on the subject of last week’s chat – literacy’s many facets.

Scott’s emphasis this week is on the value of non-traditional literacies – artistic literacy, computer literacy, musical literacy, numeracy, etc. As a bonus, he cites some of my favorite #oklaed bloggers – @MeghanLoyd and @MrsDSings – as support. What I wouldn’t give to have the three of them around the table with pretentious coffee and hard-to-pronounce edibles so we could wrestle with this one a bit more. I think there’s more we could do. More approaches to consider. We have much to continue learning from one another – which, I suppose, is the whole point… yes?

And Seriously Worth A Revisit or Eleven…

Is There Really A Point To It All? – No, Dad Gone Wild was not having an Existential Crisis – or if he was, he didn’t write about it here. What DID promp some angst was our current obsession with ‘excellence’ and being ‘career-ready’ and the bestest bestly bestness best. 

Maybe the next generation will do nothing but create exceptional businesses and tackle exceptional challenges. They will read only exceptional books and listen only to exceptional music. I certainly hope not because they’d miss out on the joy of dancing around the living room to “Shake It Off” with your five-year-old or chuckling at an old episode of “Benny Hill.” It’s just that I look at this constant drum of high achievement, and I can’t see a translation to real life. I can’t help but think that we are squeezing children for their data points while leaving them ill-equipped for life. In fact, my Spidey sense tells me that we are setting unrealistic expectations and setting children up for failure… The truth is, that while we all seek excellence, the majority of us will live average lives and there should be pleasure in that. This average life has served me well.

I would kiss this man on the lips if (a) I had any idea exactly where he is and I could get there, and (b) I wasn’t pretty sure the message he’d receive would be very different from the one I’d be trying to send. Oh the complications of communication in the 21st century! Find and follow DGW on the Twitters at @norinrad10.

Keep rising up, #11FF! You are changing lives one way or the other; let’s make them good ones. 

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Ah, early September – what a great time of year. The ‘new’ is wearing off of back-to-school, we’ve already messed up at least THREE of the things we promised ourselves we’d do COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY this year, and we’ve yet to see our first meager paycheck for the school year… 

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You’d think I’d revisit some of those ‘Why I Teach’ or ‘Hey Look I’m A Teacher-Martyr and Somewhat Morally Superior to You’ posts – some of which I’ve even WRITTEN.

Sorry. Not this week. This week is mostly sobering… but important. Let’s be thankful, however, for the miracles of the interwebs and social media which allow us to share, join, inspire, and challenge one another all across the edu-world. 

See? That sounded kinda motispirational, didn’t it?

No?

OK, here’s another mixed blessing – now that so much of #oklaed has started a new school year (the part we tend to love but which is crazy hectic), AND still love Supt. Joy, AND have an amazing #oklaed chat every Sunday evening at 8:00, they don’t seem to be blogging their little hearts out. Come on, people – let’s not let a silly thing like forming new relationships with the future of ‘Merica interfere with my weekly summaries. Priorities, PLEASE.

But OMG the GREAT STUFF that WAS created this past week! In case you missed it, here are some essentials…

Nurturing Your Natural Strengths As An Introvert – While not specifically about public education, there are still many well-intentioned teachers out there who don’t fully ‘get’ introverts or the special flavor their stress takes on in a school setting. I love how well Elan Morgan covers introvert self-care here. You can follow Elan on the Twitters at @schmutzie. or check out her regular website Schmutzie.com.

Imagine – I’m so glad Rob Miller didn’t go with some variation of ‘Watching the Wheels’, although he’d have had to change fewer words to make it apply to some of us. THIS, though, is pretty nicely done. If for some strange reason you’re not subscribed to A View From The Edge and following @edgeblogger on the Twitters, let’s just pause a moment and go take care of that NOW.

“And so this is summer… and what have you done? Another grade finalized… the part-time gig at Sears is just begun… School is over… if you want it….” 

Can Tech Fix Teacher Shortage? – Not to ruin the ending or anything, but – well… no. Not a chance. Peter Greene at Curmudgucation explains why, only better. And funnier. And a bit longer than this – but not much.  

For Special Education Students, A Hefty Dose of Corporal Punishment / The Punishment Gap: Schools Discipline Special Ed Students At Higher Rates – These aren’t blog posts and Nate Robson’s not a blogger, but he and the crew at Oklahoma Watch DO keep a close eye on all things #oklaed. As the titles suggest, here Robson discusses troubling patterns in how some of our neediest students are being handled by their schools. Follow Nate Robson on the Twitters at @OKWnate.

Test Prep for 5-Year Olds Is A Real Thing. Here’s What It Looks Like. – I know, I know – ALSO not a blog. But the Washington Post‘s Valerie Strauss is nevertheless essential reading for any of you involved in public ed, or who have kids, or who care about America, or who aren’t horrible people. This piece was largely written by an elementary school teacher describing the experience of dragging her kids through test prep. Patiently. For the machine. Follow Strauss on the Twitters at @ValerieStrauss.

And one of my favorites from the days gone by…

Use Your Arms! – First Generation #11FF Sherri Spelic makes me so jealous. Here she challenges us to look past our own platitudes and seek ways to help our students build true agency, true efficacy. I wish i could write like this. Subscribe to Edified Listener and follow Sherri on the Twitters at @edifiedlistener. 

Be amazing this week. Find that one kid you don’t really like much yet, and try to figure out what’s amazing about them as well. It will lower your stress level down the road. 

You may have noticed that I’ve been a bit perturbed by bureaucracy and its silly ilk recently. No surprise, then, that this struck me as amusing when I rediscovered it this weekend:

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Hope springs eternal, however, thanks largely to these golden word-gatherings you may have missed this past week: 

Just One Day At A Time – Life As A Sleeper was one of the first blogs of which I was really aware. Blue Cereal didn’t exist and most of my social media activity involved hockey. Audrey is a fellow Dallas Stars fan and knows her stuff – with fervor and attutide, just the way I love it. The first time my wife and I visited Dallas for a game, she was part of a small group who let us hang and made us feel welcome. We walk in very different worlds, but as I became aware of her blog back in the day, I was struck by the balance between how very real she was able to be while still writing well and looking professional. I am now blessed to know many of you for whom this is the norm, but it was new to me. She made quality blogging seem like something real people could do. She was the person I first asked about the logistics, the difficulty, etc., and while I doubt she even remembers who I am, her willingness to answer my stupid questions and encourage my audacity still amazes me. I love this piece. Follow Audrey at @lifeasasleeper on the Twitters.

No Enemies – I was unfamiliar with Mr. Rad’s Neighborhood before this week. Tulsa Supt. Deborah Gist tweeted out a link to this post, I happened to see it, and… the magic happened. Mr. Rad here laments our tendency as a profession to seek out enemies and arguments and ditches in which to die when when we have more than enough on our mental and emotional plates already. Perhaps once we’ve defeated ignorance and swept away pedagogical wickedness in high places, we can go back to bickering over whether that kid from TFA working her *** off in the room next door is the devil in flats and sensible accessories. I have a new #educrush on Mr. Rad and will be following him on his Tumblr, er… thing (I’m old – I don’t know how to do the Tumblr or say its things) and on the Twitters at @MrTomRad – you should, too. 

The Drive, Episode #6: Equity – Math and #edtech guru Scott Haselwood continues one of the quirkiest #oklaed series of which I’m aware, as he, well… drives around and talks about what’s on his mind this week. I don’t really do podcasts or vlogs, but this one has drawn me in for reasons I can’t quite put into words. Sure, I started because I like Haselwood and his regular blog, but I don’t normally silently stare at men in dark glasses for 10-12 minutes at a time as they discourse. In this installment, he considers the digital divide in its many gradients, and while he refuses to pontificate, asks some very reasonable questions regarding possible solutions. Convoy with Haselwood on the Twitters at @TeachFromHere – and use the restroom before we go. You know how he hates to stop right away. 

First Day Experiment – JennWillTeach is CHARTER #11FF from back in the day, so you know wisdom flows from her loins like golden flakes fly from Midas’s fingertips. As she returns to the classroom, she risks and reflects by – get this – WANTING THINKING AND LEARNING ON THE FIRST DAY. More importantly, though, she turns to #BlueCereal Education for wisdom and inspiration. I will never lead you astray, children – I am old, I am wise, I am blue. Follow @JennWillTeach on the Twitters.

And one of my favorites from many years months gone by – quite deserving of another read (perhaps even memorization, or a nice engraving of some sort)…

On Teacher Well-Being: An Introduction – Dan is the real deal. One of the most gracious people with whom I’ve had the pleasure of interacting. Those of you who know me in person have a hard time imagining even a remote connection between my personality and ANYTHING with ‘Zen’ in the title, but I read it – I hear it – I own it – I love it. Sometimes I even calm down for a few minutes. Impressive, no? In this post, The Zen Teacher lays out how and why teachers simply MUST look out for and take care of one another. Turns out this is a tough gig. Follow @thezenteacher on the Twitters.

Keep being amazing, children. You are more than you can possibly imagine. 

The school year is rolling for most of us – a time of renewed optimism combined with that lingering fear that perhaps we should have paid greater heed to warnings regarding mollycoddling:

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Be Strong, My #11FF – Here, To Help You In Your Journey, Are A Few Essentials You Might Have Overlooked This Past Week…

What They Want Is Our Time – Rebecka Peterson at Epsilon-Delta talks about priorities, perspective, and gratitude as we press forward. I’m beginning to grow rather fond of these math teacher bloggers. I had no idea numerical, calculative types could show such touchy-feely-ness, but they certainly do – they just present it more… logically. TheYou can follow Rebecka on the twitters at @RebeckaMozdeh.

A Fallacy About Teacher Learning – Ilana Horn at Teaching/Math/Culture draws crucial distinctions between ‘actions’ and ‘behavior’, calling us out a bit on the usual quality of ‘Teacher PD’ along the way. Short and poignant, this one will register with far too many people. If you want to be a better person, follow Ilana at @tchmathculture. 

On Misreading: The Critical Need to Step Back and See Again – The always challenging P.L. Thomas at The Becoming Radical talks about how easily we perceive whatever fits our existing preferences rather than what’s actually there – whether we’re discusing poetry or talking about edu-policy and kids. And yes, I’m linking to a blog that slams ‘growth mindset’ the same week I defended it myself. That’s what makes it a discussion, right? Otherwise one of us could do all the typing and thousands of others would only need to nod and retweet. What we all SHOULD agree on is following @plthomasEdD on the twitters.

And one of my favorite blasts from the past, worthy of a second (or third, or fourth) look…

Good Luck to the Graduates of Waldo High School – Rob Miller at A View From The Edge, takes up his reciprocating saw of insight to cut through #edreform rhetoric and lambast the cult of standardization. If for some strange reason you don’t already, you simply MUST follow Rob on the twitters at @edgeblogger. Trust me on this one – I’m old and wise. 

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It’s that time. Much scrambling, preparing, starting, and just… DOING. The school year is upon us!

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At such times, it can become difficult to keep up with so many wonderful edu-blogs. There are rumors some of you have even fallen behind reading THIS one! 

Fear not, #11FF – I bring you highlights from this past week or so, just in case you missed them…

At Any Given Moment, We Have The Power To Stop The Hate of Reading – Pernille Ripp of Blogging Through The Fourth Dimension reminds us that while there may be much we can’t control, we can certainly take another look at the way we handle assigned reading in our classroom. Heads up – she sounds a bit frustrated. There was one point where I think sarcasm may have been utilized; it was hurtful. No wonder I loved it. Follow @pernilleripp on the Twitters – seriously, you really should. 

Are You A Committed Sardine? – Rob Miller claims he’s been blogging lite this summer over at A View From The Edge, but he sure keeps hitting the proverbial nail on the rhetorical head and driving it right through the two-by-four of inertia and into the, er… particle board of poor assumptions with his… um… pithy hammer of truth. It probably works so well partly because he doesn’t try to overwork his analogies like some people I know. Instead, he’s inculcating a rebellious spirit through a study in sardines. You can (and should) find him on Twitter as @edgeblogger.

The Great Desk Debate – Jennifer Williams, Twitter’s infamous @JennWillTeach, has finally joined the blogosphere at JennWillTeach.com. This week she tackles an issue I didn’t think I even cared about, but in a way that represents so much of the silliness of our ‘silver bullet’ mentality in #edreform. Spoiler Alert – Jenn doesn’t think getting rid of your desks is that single glorious switch, that magical adjustment, that revolutionizes the impact of public education in the worlds of all children, everywhere.  

Three Traits of the Best Principals – I’m generally suspicious of anything whose titles include ‘Always’, ‘Never’, ‘Best’, ‘Must’, or Numbered Lists (even my own), but this brief reflection by Bill Ferriter, the Tempered Radical, is well-worth the few minutes it will take you to read it. I actually find it rather encouraging, as it reminds me how fortunate I am to have the admins I do. (Let’s, um… let’s just keep that last part between us – I don’t need them getting too cocky about it.)

And just to wrap things up nicely, here’s a blast from the past worthy of a second (or third, or fourth) look…

Closing the Educator Equity Gap (May 2015) – “Here’s a classroom with no roof over it. Maybe it collapsed and nobody wanted to fix it. Maybe we saved money by never building it in the first place. But every time it rains, the water pours right into the classroom and the teacher and the students get soaked. ‘Well, there’s your problem,’ says some bureaucratic wizard. ‘The students are wet because the teacher is wet. Get a dry teacher in there and everything will be super-duper.'”

If for some strange reason you don’t follow Peter Greene and Curmudgucation, you need to get on that. Otherwise, you totally don’t even love the children, the future, or America. 

Have an amazing week.