Sir Ken Robinson, international known expert on creativity, has a new book out "The Element".  In the short 3 minute clip below Sir Ken gives a brief overview of this book.  He brings up a few questions:
1.  What is your view of your own talents?  
2.  What do you think you can accomplish?
3.  Do you enjoy your work or endure it? 
4.  Are you in your element? 

Both Mike and I are big fans of Sir Ken's work.  I plan to head out and get this book in the next few days.  

The second little clip is about a analogy off teaching...Teachers Are Like Gardeners.
Do you think this analogy is correct and makes sense?  Mike loves to talk about education as organic.  I think I hear that here.  What are your thoughts on this idea? 

Below are the 24 questions our students created after several days of discussion on Essential Questions (click here to see the post on the build up to these questions).  The questions are ALL student created and we hope to use their ideas and desire to understand pave the way for learning this year.  

1. How do art and music affect how people live?
2. Why did civilizations start where they did?
3. How have past leaders affected the modern day?
4. How has U.S. culture changed the world?
5. How did people live before philosophy and science/how did the world change when it was discovered?
6. How has war changed the world for better or worse?
7. Why do people have religion/why are there different religions?
8. Why do people separate themselves based on differences?
9. How does war affect society?
10. Why is trade important?
11. How does music affect/influence people in different societies?
12. How does architecture evolve?
13. How do the choices you make affect the world?
14. What does it mean to have power?
15. Why is there conflict between societies?
16. How has war evolved throughout time?
17. How does the institutionalization of education effect societies?
18. Why do you think women have almost never had equal rights?
19. Why do people in some countries suffer for things that are basic human rights?
20.  Why do we fear what we don’t know.
21. How did the Europeans Explore t he World when have no modern technology?
22 What would have happened if Jesus was never born?
23. Why are some people free and others not?
24. Why is education unequal?
25. How do we know what we know is real?

Our students put a great deal of effort into making this list.  We hope you will comment on this post, so we can share with them your favorites and maybe even your own essential questions.   By the way, one of my favorites is #25, Thanks 8 period. 

To learn more about essential questions see my diigo account(GarthHolman)