PBL- Problem Based Learning by Mike Siekkinen

Many teachers may have heard the term Problem Based Learning (PBL) but have not attempted this somewhat-new educational strategy. Our school has been making the shift to PBL over the last three years, with the last teachers receiving formal training this past school year.

In a nutshell, PBL is taking real world problems and presenting them to students to research and attempt to solve. It involves all curriculum areas and can be done using a regular class schedule or as a part of a school day specifically set aside to do the PBL.

Ideally, a societal problem is addressed and then each curriculum area (math, science, social studies, and language arts) would determine, based on state standards, what part of the problem solving could be accomplished within their areas. Ideally all are involved, but sometimes this is not the case.

For instance, perhaps a science unit was covering water and teachers wanted to do a PBL on this topic. LA decides they will have students conduct research on water pollution and write a point paper on the subject using curriculum standards in the form of an informational essay. Science will do principles of fluid flow and have students use computer animations and hands-on displays of how water moves. Social studies could do water travel in the historical period they are studying and compare and contrast how things have changed. Perhaps math is not doing anything they can relate, so does not take part in this particular PBL unit.

The guidelines for PBL state that this is fine and curriculum areas need not “force fit” activities if they do not fit with standards taught. We found students enjoy choosing the direction they take based on interests. Guidelines with the PBL are such that standards relate to the unit but allow for some freedom of choice for students. If you have not tried this educational approach in the past, give it a shot. Our school is on board with this and it also works well with STEM activities.

Dr. Mike Siekkinen, a retired U.S. Navy submariner, became a teacher as a second career. He teaches history at St Marys Middle School as well as Adult and Career Education at Valdosta State in Georgia.

Genius Hour by Mike Siekkinen

My team did a Genius Hour program earlier this school year and it was both fun and educational for the students.

Genius Hour is an approach to learning built around student curiosity, self-directed learning, and passion-based work. In traditional learning, teachers map out academic standards, and plan units and lessons based around those standards. In Genius Hour, students are in control, choosing what they study, how they study it, and what they do, produce, or create as a result.

As a learning model, it promotes inquiry, research, creativity, and self-directed learning. Students spend time working on projects they’re interested in and passionate about. The study and work is motivated intrinsically, not extrinsically. Genius Hour provides students freedom to design their own learning during a set period of time during school. It allows students to explore their own curiosity. A distinction compared to more open, self-directed learning and user-generated learning experiences is that within a “Genius Hour” framework, this student-centered approach is only used a portion of the schedule, providing students a choice in what they learn and how they learn it during a set period of time within a school day.

We used an hour a day for a three week period as our time frame. Without teachers “packaging” content that frames and scaffold content, students are left to design their own learning experiences. Through surveying possibility, navigation of unfiltered content, gathering information, and narrowed research, students make sense of ideas that are important to them. This navigation and survey of possibility then leads to more narrow inquiry and research.

Whether students “make,” publish, design, act, or do, “creating” is core to Genius Hour. There is always a visible product or function of the learning as an end product. Students connect with teachers to plan, peers to produce, and experts and community members to establish a sense of purpose for their work. The only guidelines we gave students were the components of the project (a prototype, a written explanation and a presentation they needed to do presenting their ideas). The assignment was they had to make something that will help another person. The products students produced were excellent. The ideas they had and what they came up with were really outstanding. Along with this, students enjoyed the assignment making learning fun!

Dr. Mike Siekkinen, a retired U.S. Navy submariner, became a teacher as a second career. He teaches history at St Marys Middle School as well as Adult and Career Education at Valdosta State in Georgia.

Barriers to Critical Thinking by Jim Triplett

I’ve taught at a number of colleges and universities, both online and in-person, in different locations in the eastern half of the United States.  Part of addressing challenging dilemmas found in critical thinking and ethics classes involves carefully selecting one's words, as the message one conveys should be clear, well-supported, and easy to understand for the intended audience.  A concern about offending others is a topic of debate these days on many college campuses:

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/09/the-coddling-of-the-american-mind/399356/

Now consider a psychiatrist's perspective on the challenges of trigger warnings and microagressions as well as how critical thinking is one of a number of means to address them in this Psychology Today article.

Along with the failure of our education system to properly teach critical thinking, as Dr. Pomeroy suggested in the trigger warning article, one commonly finds defense mechanisms present in the outrage at others' perspectives with which one does not agree.  Defense mechanisms are a means of deceiving oneself in the presence of discomfort related to multiple competing perspectives, including one’s opinion on something that is countered by another equally or more valid perspective.  Splitting, a form of self-deceptions, is something common to politics.  Dr. Burton (2012) noted splitting “reinforces our sense of self as good and virtuous by effectively demonizing all those who do not share in our opinions and values” (para.  8).  He elaborates on splitting in this Psychology Today article.

Dr. Burton referenced groupthink as a potential problem with the limited thinking associated with splitting.  The challenges of groupthink also arise in environments where alternative perspectives are limited for fear of offending others.  While we want to consider how some topics may contain elements that are uncomfortable to some, it’s also important to learn from the uncomfortable elements as a means of making better decisions in the future.  Human history does not rhyme; however, there are quite a few similarities that with some critical thinking may be diminished.  As you reflect on microaggressions and splitting, consider some means to identify these in news broadcasts and school.

Burton, N.  (2012, March 13).  Hide and seek:  Understanding self-deception, self-sabotage, and more.  Psychology Today.  Retrieved from:  http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hide-and-seek/201203/self-deception-ii-splitting

Jim Triplett is an author, instructional designer, and instructor in the areas of finance, economics, ethics, and critical thinking. Jim holds Masters Degrees in Finance, Organizational Leadership, and Instructional Design Technology, is ABD / PhD in Organization and Management, and is currently completing a doctoral degree, Ed.D, in Educational Leadership with a focus on Educational Technology.

Technology and Critical Thinking by Jim Triplett

Like many others today, I rely on technology for many tasks I once reserved for my brain and a trip to the library, including problem-solving.  Many websites exist that offer to solve problems, including determining the root cause.  Many times the root cause of a problem may be lost in the noise of an issue leaving some to be less-informed than they think.  This bias can diminish the effectiveness of the steps used to refine the solution to a problem. Chabris and Simons (2009) addressed a number of cognitive illusions that lead people to misunderstand the world around them, one of which is the illusion of knowledge, one where a person thinks he or she knows more than he or she does as well as the illusion of cause.  These are also quite common and, thus, lead people to make decisions that are less-than-ideal.

Consider this TED talk from Dr. Simons on illusions.

Now, consider these additional videos from Chabris and Simons, with particular attention to the selective attention test, the movie perception test, and the door study, reminders that when it comes to thinking, we suffer from illusions that interfere with decision-making:

Many thoughts are present at any given time, some more prevalent and others that are subconscious. Research has shown that one's mental framework is a function of their education, experiences, religion, etc and these are also forms of bias as they are the filters by which we analyze and process information (Frew, 1981).  These biases are efficient in that they allow one to process large amounts of information quickly and they typically are pretty good at doing so most of the time (Gilovich, Griffin, & Kahneman, 2002).  The challenge is when these do not work well for us, especially when trying to identify the cause of a problem.  Being aware is a key to managing biases in critical thinking as it allows one to recognize when a problem may be created and one can then focus on the generation of alternatives with which one may solve the problem.

I’ve been studying biases and heuristics for nearly 15 years now and even with this increased awareness, I’m aware that biases may still be present when I conduct research.  When I’m aware of the presence of bias, I’m also keen to ensure it’s noted in my communications.  As you reflect on this, consider how active listening, as part of an active mind, helps with critical thinking.

Chabris, C. & Simons, D.  (2009).  The invisible gorilla.  New York, NY:  Broadway Paperbacks.

Frew, D. R.  (1981, November).  Diagnosing and dealing with task complexity.  Personnel Administrator, 87-92.

Gilovich, T., Griffin, D., & Kahneman, D.  (2002).  Heuristics and biases:  The psychology of intuitive judgment.  New York:  Cambridge University Press.

Jim Triplett is an author, instructional designer, and instructor in the areas of finance, economics, ethics, and critical thinking. Jim holds Masters Degrees in Finance, Organizational Leadership, and Instructional Design Technology, is ABD / PhD in Organization and Management, and is currently completing a doctoral degree, Ed.D, in Educational Leadership with a focus on Educational Technology.

izzit, 2081 and the Meaning of Equality from Rachel Colsman

One teacher’s Story of How an izzit.org DVD Changed the Life of a Struggling Student

Irving Kristol once said, “Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions – it only guarantees equality of opportunity.”

This concept has always been a challenge to teach in my government classes. This past year was no exception. I teach in northwestern New Mexico, in a district that serves the Navajo Reservation. My particular school is over 80 percent Navajo. Their history makes it hard for many students to understand individual rights when, for many years, their rights had been ignored.

My classes had just finished studying the Bill of Rights. We read the document, broke it down into terminology, and looked at Supreme Court cases. They were still struggling with the idea of equality. I had to find a way to teach them that equality does not mean everyone should earn the same amount, or live in the same size house. Enter izzit.org.

I have used izzit.org for a couple of years for a variety of topics. I just happened to order the video “2081.” It was sitting on my desk waiting to be watched. I took the video home to preview. My first reaction was awe… followed very closely by apprehension. There were guns. The production was dark. It was filled with powerful symbolism. I knew that it would be a major risk to show it, but I felt that the benefits of using it would outweigh the risks.

I went to my principal for guidance. He told me to go for it. So I did. I could not have anticipated the results.

I had one particular student that was struggling to finish his senior year. He rarely came to class. He seemed disconnected. I thought we were going to lose him. But after I got hold of the 2081 DVD, I asked him please to come to class the next day, as I had a great lesson on equality, and would really like him be there. He looked skeptical. But to my surprise, he actually showed up.

I began class by writing “equality” up on the board. I asked each student to write down their definition of the word. We had a brief class discussion and developed a class definition of “equality,” and wrote it on the board. I handed out the video questions and began the movie. The students were giggling and whispering through the introduction, but when the movie started, things got dead silent. 

The students were mesmerized. At the conclusion, you could hear a pin drop. I asked the students to revisit their definition of equality for homework, and to bring it in for class discussion the following day. I could have never predicted the response. Students had been discussing the idea of “equality of outcome,” versus “equality of opportunity” with other teachers, in the lunchroom, and at home. The next day, every student was in their seat ready for discussion before the tardy bell had even rung – including our struggling young man. The classroom was abuzz with ideas and meaningful exchange.

After class, the young man who’d been missing class came up and asked if he could borrow “2081” to show his parents. I allowed him to take it, and the revolving door of checking out the video began. Over 50 students took “2081” home to share. Parent-teacher conferences four weeks later revolved a lot around my lesson on equality.

Helping students understand the difference of equality of outcome, versus equality of opportunity has always been a challenge. Many of my students believed that government has a responsibility to ensure that everyone has exactly the same things. But this lesson helped them understand the fundamental principle of a democratic republic: equality before the law.

My young man continued to come to class, rarely missing a day. I asked him what made him want to come. He informed me that the video and the lesson really touched him. He realized that hating the system would do nothing to fix his problems: “Democracy doesn’t mean that everyone ends up the same. It means that everyone can make choices, and whether they succeed or fail is up to them. It might not be fair, but at least we each have ownership of our individual journey in life.”

(Note from izzit.org - Please be advised that 2081 is not streaming on our site but you are able to select it as your free DVD for the year! It's a powerful video, and we highly recommend it for high school students.)

Attention to Detail by Andy Jobson

Working at a military academy brings its own set of priorities.  Our literature promotes the JROTC program as a structural support for academic success, and in many ways that is true, despite occasional conflicts between military and academic goals. 

One element that I have grown to appreciate more over the years is the emphasis on attention to detail.  For a JROTC officer, that entails making sure your gig line is straight, your insignia is correct, your shoes are shined, and your room is “squared away.”  As a teacher, I emphasize the same thing in different ways.  Have you followed the directions as written?  Have you produced neat work?  Have you paid attention to margins and the heading I require?  Are you using punctuation appropriately?

Sometimes the boys get frustrated with my demands.  I work with eighth- through twelfth-graders, and like many teenage boys, they tend to overlook ‘minor’ details.  (How many times have my own boys at home simply not ‘seen’ the piles of clothes and toys in their room?)  There was a time in my educational journey where I might have been willing to forgive such niceties; did it really matter if the boys used the heading I suggested or something else?  The older I get, though, the more I find myself insisting that the boys pay attention to my expectations and meet them.

I think I resisted some of this because I didn’t like the ‘factory’ model, where we were training our boys to be laborers under the industrial system.  The ‘new education,’ we were told, was to prepare students to be critical thinkers, not clock-punchers and automatons.  I agree that critical thinking and independence is vital (hence my association with izzit!), but I also see that paying attention to the directions is a vital skill for success.  Can you say “tax returns”?

If all I’ve done is to train my boys to follow directions, I have failed.  At the same time, though, if I haven’t trained them to read and follow directions, including MLA citation format and the works, then I think I have also failed.  Details matter.

An educator of 22 years, Andy Jobson has taught government, economics, and U.S. History. Currently teaching English literature at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, GA, he’s also been an administrator, a STAR teacher twice, and taught elementary school with Teach for America.

What is Critical Thinking? by Jim Triplett

A frequent question I receive from my students is  "what is critical thinking?"

Critical thinking requires that a person reflect upon his or her experiences and then participate in a systematic examination of other views and facts related to the topic (Brown & Keeley, 2012). A key component within this process is one's willingness to ask questions. This process of asking questions enhances and deepens one's understanding of an issue or a problem. As part of the deeper examination of an issue or problem, one should explore the strengths and weaknesses of his or her views. In addition to understanding the strengths and weaknesses of our views, one should strive to objectively understand the strengths and weaknesses of others' views.   

Students engaged in critical and creative thinking are expected to understand a body and foundation of knowledge, rather than striving to develop specific answers to questions or a fixed set of facts. As technology and culture change, so will the questions being asked and their answers. The key is that one knows how to solve complex problems and create solutions to tough problems and situations using an objective process of evaluation. If people only have answers to specific questions, society is limited in its ability to apply problem solving skills. By developing the tools needed to create relevant and effective solutions, one is armed with the knowledge and skills needed to face the challenges in any industry. 

The video I posted below is very helpful in exploring how the process of critical thinking helps one solve problems. Developing these skills takes time and effort. Brown and Keeley (2012) noted one must also be willing and able to ask and answer questions “at appropriate times” something mentioned in the video as well (p. 3).   With this in mind, consider some of the ways you’ve developed your critical thinking skills since you started school.

This video examines critical thinking and how these traits assist one in developing solutions to problems. 

Browne, M. & Keeley, S. (2012). Asking the right questions: A guide to critical thinking (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Jim Triplett is an author, instructional designer, and instructor in the areas of finance, economics, ethics, and critical thinking. Jim holds Masters Degrees in Finance, Organizational Leadership, and Instructional Design Technology, is ABD / PhD in Organization and Management, and is currently completing a doctoral degree, Ed.D, in Educational Leadership with a focus on Educational Technology.

From the Homeschool Front...Competitive Speaking by Colleen Hroncich

As I mentioned in a previous post, one of my goals in educating my children at home is to raise adults who can think critically. While there are many tools that I use to help accomplish this objective, competitive speech and debate probably tops the list. Whether you are a professional teacher, a homeschooler, or a concerned parent, I urge you to look into speech and debate opportunities for your children/students.

The most obvious benefit of competitive speaking is that the kids become better public speakers. (Duh, you’re probably thinking!) No one who knew my oldest daughter in elementary school ever would have predicted that in her sophomore year she’d be top speaker out of 56 debaters at a tournament drawing kids from throughout New England. My younger kids have followed her lead and are better public speakers (at ages 14, 12, and 10) than many adults.

While public speaking proficiency is important, the ability to analyze what they read, look at issues from multiple sides, draw conclusions based on in-depth research, quickly evaluate a question or argument and formulate a response, and remain friends with opponents after a heated debate are equally valuable takeaways from speech and debate. Although I must admit that it can be disconcerting when your child spots the flaws in your reasoning and calls you on it!

If you’re a homeschooler, there are several leagues you can consider: NCFCA, Stoa, and CCA are three with which I’m familiar. For teachers at public or private schools the leagues I know of are NSDA and NCFL. Homeschoolers can form teams in NCFL (we did that this year), but they have to go through their local public school to compete in NSDA. Different leagues are more popular in various regions of the country.


If you’d like more information, please let me know in the comments. If I don’t know the answer to your questions, I can probably direct you to someone who does.

Colleen Hroncich loves that homeschooling allows her to learn right alongside her children. A published author and former policy analyst, Colleen’s favorite subjects are economics/public policy and history. She has been active in several homeschool co-ops and is a speech and debate coach.

From the Homeschool Front …Why Homeschool? by Colleen Hroncich

I never expected to homeschool my kids. Growing up, I only knew of one homeschooling family … and let’s just say they were considered a bit odd. My oldest was in 6th grade and my youngest was in kindergarten when we decided to make the switch. We had a bit of a bumpy start, but 5 years later we’re still at it. 

I love the freedom and flexibility that go along with homeschooling. We control our own schedules. We set our own school calendar. Learning is woven into every part of our lives, not relegated to “school” hours. When people hear I homeschool 4 kids, they frequently say that sounds stressful. Strangely, in many ways our lives are less stressful than when the kids were “in school.” No more packing lunches, hectic mornings trying to get to the bus stop, or chaotic nights trying to finish homework. 

One of the biggest benefits of homeschooling is that each child can work at his or her own pace – slowing down or speeding up depending on the material. This individualized pacing is difficult to replicate in the classroom, although technology is bringing more flexible options to “brick and mortar” schools, too. 

Educating our children at home also lets us expose them to many points of view. We want to raise critical thinkers – adults who see through talking points and challenge conventional wisdom. We don’t want parrots … even if they’re parroting our own ideas. This variety of viewpoints, and the freedom to question them, is essential to developing critical thinkers.

Homeschooling certainly has its challenges. I’m the teacher, disciplinarian, bus driver, scheduler, cafeteria worker, and more. The house is messier than it would be if they were at school all day. There is a lot of togetherness (which can be a pro or a con, depending on the day). But the benefits – to our family as a whole, to each child individually, and to us as parents – strongly outweigh the costs. 

Our kids know they can stop homeschooling if they want. The fact that they stick with it tells me I’m doing the right thing for them.

Colleen Hroncich loves that homeschooling allows her to learn right alongside her children. A published author and former policy analyst, Colleen’s favorite subjects are economics/public policy and history. She has been active in several homeschool co-ops and is a speech and debate coach.

Jumping to Conclusions by Andy Jobson

We live in an age dominated by sound bites and hashtags—simplistic thinking and immediate gratification. I like some parts of it, like being able to call up the next episode of a favorite TV show without having to wait for another week (or, in the case of shows I like, never having access to these obsolete shows), but I am deeply concerned about the trend.

This became more evident to me over the summer as I watched the responses to the news cycle, specifically to the deaths of two black men from police shootings in the course of just a few days. Both are undoubtedly tragedies, but in both cases, as with previous shootings, people rushed to judge the situation before having all the facts.  Without getting political, I want to encourage teachers to remember just how important it is to teach the process of gathering evidence, of considering alternative scenarios, and of waiting instead of “rushing to judgment” for something we hear about on social media or a news update.


I fear that many teachers are not emphasizing this important skill.  At the NEA Conference in July, I was helping izzit.org provide free DVDs.  Many teachers were quite excited to realize that the resources were indeed free to them (thanks to generous donors!), but I remember one who was looking at the “Raise the Wage” DVD.  I noted that the program tried to be as even-handed as possible but did indicate that maybe raising the wage was not such a great idea. 


Upon hearing this, she immediately huffed that that was a ridiculous idea, that she believed firmly in raising the minimum wage.  When I gently suggested that perhaps her students would benefit from hearing both sides, as she obviously felt strongly about the issue, she left pretty abruptly.  It’s a good reminder to me to be willing to listen to both sides and to encourage my students to do the same. This doesn’t mean I can’t determine who has the better answer, but I need to model the process of inquiry instead of immediacy.  Perhaps you will benefit from the reminder as well.

An educator of 22 years, Andy Jobson has taught government, economics, and U.S. History. Currently teaching English literature at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, GA, he’s also  been an administrator, a STAR teacher twice, and taught elementary school with Teach for America.

Use izzit! by Mike Siekkinen

To start off, I am not an employee of izzit. I am a public school teacher who happens to be a big fan of izzit products. Being this is a blog on the izzit site; I cannot assume that everyone who reads this knows about izzit products, so thought I would do a shout out about the awesome stuff that is here on this site for you, free of charge. 

First of all, my favorite - the videos! Although I have my favorites (namely 2081 and Pennies a Day), they are all high quality products and you cannot beat the price! The video 2081 is the only video I have shown in 14 years of teaching that I have had students ask to borrow and take home to watch again with their parents. All I can say is WOW! 

I have used about 2/3 of the titles offered to supplement instruction in my classroom. Included with each video is a lesson plan which can be very helpful when including these in your plans. I tend to like hard copies of the DVD. This is mainly because they can be used without the internet and I can also have these available for a substitute who cannot log into a computer. Most titles are also streaming (with a few exceptions). If you are new to izzit and like the products, I encourage you to tell other teachers. And tell izzit as well. These great resources, while free to us, do cost the wonderful funders who make it possible. So your feedback lets them know that their investment in education is appreciated and well used.

What’s your favorite izzit video?


Dr. Mike Siekkinen, a retired U.S. Navy submariner, became a teacher as a second career. He teaches history at St Marys Middle School as well as Adult and Career Education at Valdosta State in Georgia.

izzit.org is Open for Business by Donna Corcoran

What do From Poop to Profits, Freedom’s Sound and Drew Carey have in common?  They’re all videos from izzit.org that truly engage students in business courses.

In most high schools, business classes are electives competing for the opportunity to educate today’s students on the principles of sound business decision-making as owners, investors and consumers.  In order to increase enrollment, it is essential that business courses are relevant and exciting—incorporating “fun” with thought-provoking challenges.  This is a much easier proposition when you have izzit.org in your corner.

I’ll admit, it was the free DVD option that enticed me to try izzit.org, but it was the quality of the resultant classroom debates, and projects generated by the DVDs and current events that really hooked me.  Why?  Because they hooked the students! When I first shared a DVD, it was hundreds of students – and three budget cuts – ago. Yet I consistently get the same student reactions: they are enthusiastic and interactive!

I define a great day as one where the bell rings before the students are ready to leave.  izzit.org days are great days!  In my classroom we post two critical sets of questions:

1) Is there an unintended consequence?
2) Who chooses? Who benefits?  Who pays? What’s fair? 

These question sets help students frame their responses in more thoughtful and encompassing ways.  I often hear students discussing the issues down the hall after class.  Many times they return the following day – or week – with additional higher-level follow-up.  What more can a teacher ask?

School goals in my district include differentiated instruction and rigor.  The Teacher Guide that comes with each DVD facilitates the process of differentiating for various student populations, while keeping the information relevant and rigorous.  Much of the work is done for me. And in the days of having to do more with less, it’s invaluable to have a trustworthy source at a price I can afford.  As a district trainer for CRISS (Creating Independence through Student-owned Strategies), I use the izzit.org materials in my workshops as examples of excellent student-centered resources.

My biggest concern, frankly, is that more business teachers should become aware of the great resources available through izzit.org. Although the videos are certainly pertinent in a variety of curricular areas, many of my colleagues think of them as social studies resources. This simply is not the case! Eminent Domain is a perfect for Business Law, as is Markets Without Borders. Students in Introduction to Business and Entrepreneurship LOVE Free Trade and the Win-Win Trading Game.  They walk away with a clearer understanding of the world, and their individual choices. I remind students they are always voting with their dollars and their actions. Students in Consumer Education chose to lend money through Kiva.org after viewing the Pennies a Day video.

I make it my business to spread the word at business education conventions – izzit.org is open for business! Student activities that engage, teacher lesson plans and assessments--all in one great package? That’s a win/win!

Equality: Outcomes vs. Opportunities by Brian McGarry

Two popular themes often pushed in schools are "celebrating diversity" and "preaching tolerance." At first glance, these ideas sound really nice. However, the roots of these messages stem from an ugly past in which people were judged by the color of their skin (or gender/ethnicity), rather than the content of their character. The battle Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.  and others fought was intended to make these debates obsolete.

Today our schools are filled with children making posters, flying balloons, and drawing colorful rainbow pictures showing the blending of cultures and acceptance of others' beliefs in order to showcase their collective tolerance for one another. This helps create a school environment that discourages discrimination.

"Teachers need to distinguish the important difference between equal outcomes, which inevitably lead to greater government controls, and equal opportunities, which free the individual to succeed and to make mistakes."

Most students have an intrinsic sense of fairness and sharing. When teachers appeal to the idea of equality, students tend to gravitate towards it. Therefore, teachers need to distinguish the important difference between equal outcomes, which inevitably lead to greater government controls, and equal opportunities, which free the individual to succeed and to make mistakes. Simply talking about equality as a global ideal can easily be misinterpreted.

Each year, I do an experiment in my classroom that highlights the problems with forcing equal outcomes. I adjust the grades from a chapter test by rewriting the "new" grade to account for the successes and failures of each student. For example, those who score in the 90s receive an altered grade in the 70s. Those in the 50s jump to the 70s. Seeing the reactions of those who celebrate their sudden fortunes and the anger from those who have seen their intellectual efforts destroyed by a "central authority's" arbitrary decision is quite interesting. Give it a try with your class.

izzit.org's video 2081 presents educators with an entertaining and graphic example of what happens when you force equal outcomes. The students see how equal outcomes drag the successful down, while institutionalizing mediocrity and incompetence. The heavy hand of government is highlighted in this wonderful adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's dystopian short story "Harrison Bergeron."

The production value matches the important message. My kids watch intently and are actively engaged in class discussion after viewing it. I ask them to compare and contrast the video with Lois Lowry's The Giver, which is another dystopian novel we read.

I think I have about 20 videos from izzit.org. Thanks to izzit, I can show students that rugged individualism and free-market economics are not merely about making money. These principles also help people tear down the many barriers that tend to make people judgmental and intolerant, without the government attempting to equalize all outcomes.

What's Your "Poop"? by Lee Mayfield

As a high school agriculture teacher, I am required to provide each student with a "work-based experience." We call this and "SAE" project: Supervised Agriculture Experience. These projects are designed to teach students the value of hard work, relevant work and to instill the entrepreneurial spirit. Some students find jobs by working for other people. Others take on projects on the school grounds. Still others develop their own agricultural projects bu raising animals, maintaining lawns, growing crops, or by starting a host of other small-scale enterprises. Last spring, after the students had been engaged in their various SAE projects for a few months, I wrote the following Ronald Reagan quote on the chalkboard: "There is no constraint on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect." I asked the students if this was a true statement.

At first, most were quick to agree. But as I pressed the students to think about this quote in the terms of their SAE projects, the students began to see constraints and barriers that limited their potential for success. Most of these barriers had been placed on them by others. One student mentioned he was not allowed to pursue his ambition of raising horses on his land because of local zoning laws. Another student mentioned regulations regarding how he could advertise in his community. Another student mentioned the fees, taxes, and burdensome regulations about growing watermelons he sold at his family's roadside produce stand.

I then showed my students the izzit.org video From Poop to Profits. The video illustrated how a Michigan dairy farmer was able to use innovation and his entrepreneurial spirit to overcome obstacles related to his success. The students quickly related the experiences of the dairy farmer to the barriers they were facing with their SAE projects. I challenged my students to take inspiration from the video and apply the concepts in order to overcome any obstacles. In the video, the dairy farmer used resources he had readily available on his farm (manure) to create a value-added product to replace income lost due to low dairy prices, which had threatened to bankrupt his operation.

After engaging in a lengthy class discussion about the story of how the dairy farmer had turned a dire situation into a successful business venture, I assigned each student with a task: Each was simply to put him-or-herself in the position of the dairy farmer. I asked them to imagine what they would do if they, and their families, depended on their projects for their livelihoods. How would the students overcome these barriers which they had mentioned earlier in the class discussion? What solutions could they innovate? Do they have any untapped resources that could generate additional income? What was their "poop" they could turn into profits? I gave each of them two weeks to research, write, and present their ideas to the class.

The result were amazing. Here are some examples:

Josh is a junior who has steadily grown a small neighborhood lawn mowing service since he was a freshman. Josh took inspiration from the video and looked into the waste he created from mowing lawns. His "poop" turned out to be grass clippings. After researching several uses for the clippings, h e came across and idea to use the decaying grass clippings to generate heat for his small greenhouse. In his research, Josh discovered that a well-aerated compost pile typically generates between 90-140 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperatures. In our moderate climate, Josh determined that this was more than enough to heat his small greenhouse. With his heating issue resolved, he diversified his operation by growing vegetable seedlings in the greenhouse. He sold the vegetable transplants to area farmers and gardeners to supplement his lawn care project.

Amanda is a senior who was born and raised on the family farm. As a freshman, she began growing watermelons for sale at her family's roadside stand. While she was relatively successful with her watermelon project, she was inspired by the From Poop to Profits video and wondered if she could make additional profits. She asked herself "What would Brad Morgan (the dairy farmer) do?" She immediately looked into what she was wasting. Turns out her "poop" was unsold watermelons. Amanda researched the uses for watermelon rinds, and discovered rinds could be made into an assortment of products. She preferred rind preserves. By using the rinds from watermelons which would otherwise be discarded, she was able to produce a high quality product that has yielded additional income and become a local favorite.

Tanner was not raised on a farm. Instead he lives in a community without much land to raise large animals or grown crops. Since his sophomore year he has raised specialty rabbits that he sells mainly around Easter. After watching the video Tanner said "If that dairy farmer can turn cow poop into a profit then surely my rabbit poop has to be worth something!" Tanner was right. While the manure Tanner's rabbits produce is not enough to generate a sellable product, he was able to work out an agreement with a community garden that was just as good as money. Tanner agreed to supply the manure to the community garden, and in return, the garden manager would give Tanner the excess lettuce, carrots, and other produce Tanner could use as rabbit feed. Tanner said his inspiration came from From Poop to Profits, where he heard the phrase: "Do what you do best, and trade for the rest." Tanner learned that in a free society, businesses can work together for mutual benefit.

These, and many other students, have shared example after example of how izzit.org's From Poop to Profits video has moved them to explore innovative avenues in overcoming barriers to success. Later in the year, I wrote the quote from Ronald Reagan on the board again and asked the students if the statement was true. This time, without hesitation, they simply said "yes."

Solitude and Leadership by Andy Jobson

In an earlier blog I referenced the importance of reflecting on what you read and on teaching students to think.  There is an excellent essay on these issues entitled “Solitude and Leadership” . It’s an address given to a plebe class at West Point (2009) by William Deresiewicz.  While I think you should read the whole thing, I will give you some of the details to pique your interest.

Deresiewicz has some harsh words for many of our “best and brightest” who have risen high by being “world-class hoop jumpers” or “excellent sheep.”  They can pass tests and achieve goals, but they can’t think original thoughts.  So Deresiewicz  has some advice about teaching young people how to think.

1)    Avoid multitasking.  He says, and I agree, “Multitasking… is not only not thinking, it impairs your ability to think.”  We have to develop our ability to concentrate on something long enough to develop an idea about it, and this ability is stunted when we are constantly distracted by an email, or a phone call, or a text, or whatever else comes along.  Find something to focus on- even manual labor can be a means to this if it enables you to free your mind to wander and explore new ideas.

2)    Read books—not tweets, or wall posts, or even magazine articles, although the latter can be useful.  Reading books forces you to concentrate on an argument for longer than a few seconds or minutes.  Authors of books have also generally spent a lot more time thinking about what they want to say and how to say it.  Old books are particularly useful because they engage us in the thinking of another time; we are forced to examine our assumptions through another lens.

3)    Develop some close friendships—the “deep friendship of intimate conversation.”  Finding someone you can bare your soul to with “doubts you aren’t supposed to have, questions you aren’t supposed to ask” allows you to think through such difficult issues.

These are all helpful to me as a teacher, but I also ask my seniors to read this essay and consider how it applies to their lives.  Perhaps your students will find it useful as well.

What do you think? Do you think multitasking is helpful or harmful? What about the concept of reading books instead of shorter pieces?

An educator of 22 years, Andy Jobson has taught government, economics, and U.S. History. Currently teaching English literature at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, GA, he’s also been an administrator, a STAR teacher twice, and taught elementary school with Teach for America.