Find their sentence By Lisa Nielsen The Innovative Educator The Innovative Educator

Author of The Innovative Educator blog and soon-to-be released, “Teaching Generation Text.” Author of The Innovative Educator blog Writer for: Tech & Learning, Leading & Learning, Huffington Post, EdReformer, MindShift, ISTE Connects Passionate about Passion-driven learning Thinking outside the ban Supports schools in helping students learn in real and innovative ways. Speaker at conferences such as Tech Forum, EduCon, BLC, various webinars and radio shows.

Audience response and all presentation materials reside at

We all have something in common.

It hits close to home.

Listen to my mom’s story about my psych eval at UCLA at

The Innovative Educator: The War on Kids. Zero Tolerance.

SchoolPrison Stripped of freedomsX Stripped of dignityX Told exactly what you must do and whenX Do not have the right to the freedom of speech even if the speech is not disruptive. -Bethel School District v. Fraser X Can be searched without probable cause -New Jersey v. T.L.O. X Do not have freedom of the press -Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier X

SchoolPrison Controlled by time and bellsX Associations are strictly controlled and can occur only in public places X Cut off from the general societyX Cut off from raw experience with people, projects, and ideas X Personal passions, talents, and interests are of little importance X Trained dependencyX Attendance is compulsoryX

Disconnected from the outside worldSchoolPrison Punished for failing to complyX Unable to make phone callsX Unable to use social mediaX Unable to create and publish to the outside world with real names X Unable to access sites like YouTubeX Unable to communicate with staff off premisesX

hoice_polls/LTQ0MTg2MTQ0Mw Results at:

Deven BlackDeven Black, Teacher Librarian –High School devenkblack devenkblack “Can it be made any clearer that one of the few differences between school and prison is that the students get paroled every day at a set time?”

Clarence Thomas Supreme Court Justice Sandra Dodd, Parenting Guide and Author "I think the worst thing about school is the powerlessness of the students. They have to be there whether they want to or not. There's no virtue in those who want to be there, and no joy in those who do not want to be." “In light of the history of American public education, it cannot seriously be suggested that the First Amendment “freedom of speech” encompasses a student’s right to speak in public schools.”

"What I want from my kids’ school is to help me identify what they love, what their strengths are, and then help them create their own paths to mastery of their passions. Will Richardson (weblogg-ed.com) Former New Jersey English teacher

Schools are not designed to provide this.

To help students like my cousin escape

“School is torture because I am required to spend all my time doing menial tasks, worksheets, and rote memorization. This takes too much time away from being able to discover my hobbies, interests, or passions. I’m in 10 th grade and I don’t foresee having the ability to do that before I graduate high school. Honors society student. #1 in his class. On the path to becoming valedictorian

It’s not surprising that 7000 kids escape school each day by dropping out!

url: What is your sentence? Click here.

Take your picture with your cell phone (or from your computer) and it to In the subject include: Name, title, organization, Twitter alias In the body share your sentence

Need change agents like you!

to fix the schools and ensure we are creating conditions and policies that prepare them to succeed in our, real, connected, exciting world.

Student after they did a “sweep” with metal detectors at a middle school on the Upper West Side of New York City where they confiscated 404 cell phones from the kids, some of whom were put to tears.at a middle school on the Upper West Side of New York City What does this teach kids? 1. They don’t deserve to be empowered with technology the same way adults are. 2. The tools that adults use all the time in their everyday lives to communicate are not relevant to their own communication needs. 3. They can’t be trusted (or taught, for that matter) to use phones appropriately in school. If we don’t model the appropriate use of these technologies, for accessing information, for communicating, in safe, ethical, and effective ways, can we really be surprised when our worst fears come true? “I lost something very important to me” Will Richardson Weblogg-ed.com 01 Jun :55 pm

Ban & Block Empower & Prepare

A principal who bans and blocks. A principal who embraces and prepares Click video to watch. url:

Are we afraid of knowing the truth?

If we really wanted to keep kids safe, we’d consider these facts

Social networking, giving out personal information, or having an online presence does not put kids at risk. What puts kids at risk are things like: having a lot of conflict with your parents being depressed and socially isolated communicating with a lot of people who you don't know being willing to talk about sex with people you don't know having a pattern of multiple risky activities going to sex sites and chat rooms, meeting lots of people there, and behaving like an Internet daredevil. Crimes Against Children Research Center Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee

More than 80% of child predators are family members, close family friends, or clergy.

There are no laws addressing that which puts our children most at risk. Family picnics Playgrounds Family reunions Church functions

Strengthening the Home-School Connection Using Social Media With First Graders!

Read full article: ( gspot.com/2010/07/8-real-ways- facebook-enriched-ms.html )

I can't thank you enough for your blog posting about our project. I can't believe how many people have contacted me about trying it out. You helped turn what I was doing in a remote 1st grade class in Nebraska into a global conversation!

Click video to watch. URL : k.in.class.ketv.html

Most parents are already using it. No training required, but available (from their children!) if they need it. It’s FREE! It’s EASY! It’s POWERFUL! It’s real world. Social media is a 21 st century literacy. In-depth privacy settings.

Perfect for that moment when a student really wants to share something they’re excited about.

Using Social Media to Strengthen the Teacher-Student Connection With Secondary Students

Group of students speaking to teachers at a Philadelphia public school “What helps us do best in school is knowing that our teachers are relating to us as ‘people,’ not just ‘students.’”

Group of students speaking to teachers at a Philadelphia public school “They do that by having an interest in our lives beyond the classroom. We run races together, attend local events, and keep the conversation going in places like Facebook.”

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Read 10 Ways Facebook Strengthens the Student - Teacher Connection at Ways Facebook Strengthens the Student - Teacher Connection

1. Reaching out to a student in need 2. Getting a peak into the lives of students 3. The family connection 4. Instant learning and homework support 5. Snow Day - Update!!! 6. Facebook lets teachers create a no excuses environment 7. Snow days and sick days don’t hold you back 8. Using Facebook teaches you how to deal with the world and the way it works 9. Facebook can serve as a learning portal 10. Facebook enables you to mobilize in an instant

C hris Lehmann There's going to be a horde of kids at SLA tomorrow. This is EduCon, and this is *their* school, and a little snow isn't going to stop them.

A High School where websites aren’t filtered and no technology is banned. Students using their own devices. New Cannan High School, CT efault.aspx?q=3SfVi13wT7SmZEIp TemLWg%253d%253d

Here’s what students are saying about using free Facebook for learning vs. Moodle or Blackboard.

New York Times feature: Friending Students on Facebook “Hey Ms. Nielsen, I had to find you because you made a wonderful impact on my life. If people only knew how great of a teacher you are.” “I know it’s been at least 10 years since you took me under your wing.” “Let’s talk, I got a lot to say!” Friending Students on Facebook - July 13, 2010

If…

John McCain’s Facebook PageBarack Obama’s Facebook Page 760,589 People like McCain 18,748,654 People like Obama

Are we afraid they can do this…

your students to serve?

Let’s see!