Longer school days, weeks, and years coming?

Education chief favors longer school days, weeks and years

"It doesn't matter how poor, how tough the family background, socioeconomic challenges," Duncan said. "Where students have longer days, longer weeks, longer years -- that's making a difference."

Do you agree?

This reminds me of the documentary 2 Million Minutes.

Inspirational Totes

Today we saw a video, read an article and did a socratic seminar on this topic.

From childhood wish to lasting legacy, Smith's charity specializes in smiles
Great article about a freshmen basketball player at Clemson who has touched MANY lives through his own charity.

Buoyed by the idea of helping kids the same age as Tanner, the family decided to gather things to brighten hospital rooms, and toys that would fill an otherwise lonely day. The Smiths put everything in tote bags so kids could carry their wares from treatment to treatment.

The first bags were as mom-and-pop as could be, printed by an uncle with a silk-screening business and filled by neighbors who, at the Smiths' request, came armed with loot to the family's annual Halloween party. In 2002, 12-year-old Tanner made his first delivery to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

"At first I wasn't sure it would matter," Tanner said. "I mean, what can colored pencils and modeling clay do? But we can't cure cancer right now. There isn't a medicine or a shot or a test that helps you cure it or prevent it. At least we can help somebody get through it.

"I remember when I was in high school, this girl got cancer. Her brother was in my class, and the year before he was helping me fill bags. Then all of a sudden we're delivering a bag to her. You just don't know."

You can see video of Tanner and his parents here on Hulu.com: This is an episode on HGTV that designed a room for Tanner

2009 AVID T-Shirts

First look at our new T-Shirts. What do you think?

I am one lucky teacher.

Teaching is not an easy job. But, with kids like this... I am pretty lucky to be a teacher.

Failure

Just remember... before you can succeed... sometimes you have failure. Just don't give up.

If an elephant can paint... you can go to college!

Elephant Artists Link

UnEmployment Rate. Ouch.

Unemployment Rate Link - MSNBC