Hey Grads! Free Gift For You! Josh Shipp’s 2010 Graduation Rap

June 5, 2010 As high schools pour out cap-flipping whoops and hollers from an elated senior class, the hidden layer beneath reveals a wee bit of queasiness about entering a lousy economy fraught with adult foul-ups, oilspill disasters and uncertainty… So grads? Josh Shipp's inspiring rap is a free gift for YOU. (video after the jump---my favorite line is captured above, … [Read more...]

Saved By The Well and Dream Village: Perfect For World Water Day

Mar. 22, 2010 Awhile back I wrote about the ‘virtual walk’ for World Water Day to raise awareness of those in water-stressed regions who often walk six miles or more to bring water to their villages. When kids brush their teeth with gushing faucets on, or we wash our pets, cars, hair and dishes with ease, it’s hard to remember that over a billion people don’t have access to … [Read more...]

Meaningful Manga: Graphic Novels and Growth

Update: May 21, 2014 Our friends at Reach and Teach have added another clever manga style illustrated book called "A is for Action" which merits an update! I love the seeding of social change in a fun fresh manner. The A is for Action book and HelpTakeAction.com website are a result of a teacher-initiated action research project published in the IB Journal of Teaching Practice: … [Read more...]

Youth Call to Service: MLK Day Off? Make It a Day On!

Jan. 16, 2017 Update This year it's particularly poignant to contrast the ethics, integrity and service values of our outgoing President Obama with the stark greed, corruption, and narcissism of the incoming oligarchy that threatens our very democracy, so this is a call to action for each and every American to serve not just today, but year-round.  On the #MLKDay … [Read more...]

Girls Sports Boosts Preteen Body Image & Self-Worth

Ah, football season, home to toxic media messaging for girls. A time when beer billboards of buxom cheerleaders spill from every corner, “scoring” innuendos abound, and tacky wardrobe malfunctions remain fresh in the mind’s eye. Seems timely to post tips on ways to promote girls’ self-image through SPORTS, since body image and self worth is being pummeled in media and … [Read more...]