Life's a Carnival–the Education Buzz #3

Welcome to the Third Edition of the Education Buzz--an eclectic smattering of things buzzing about the EduSphere.

Many of us started school last week, so in addition to sore feet, raspy voices and challenges, there's lots of stuff buzzing about.  

But before we get started, there's something free buzzing around the EduSphere. Quit playing those midway games, find your best writing utensil and go for a chance to win free--yep, that's right FREE--copies of the Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition. (I've used it before, and it's great!) Deadline is Sept. 20 and you can get all the info here. Now, let's get this carnival going!

Wow… a lot new folks decided to hop on the midway this go-around, so a very Big Tex welcome to y'all. Check out all the new guys meeting over there by Big Tex…

• Edge of Terror discusses why he's disappointed with The Race to the Top. 

• An infinite number of cats on a keyboard talks about finally getting around to registering for Greenroom, a forum for teacher's using Greenfoot. (I need something for Sorefoot.)

• Funny about Money writes about a workshop she went to that tells how to identify students who are high or drunk in class. Interesting statistic tossed about: At any given time, about 50 percent of the students in community college classrooms are probably abusing some kind of drug. Jeepers Creepers. 

• Teacher Reboot Camp challenges us to quick looking for the ugly and  find the beauty instead.

• "I am a charter school co-founder and principal. Please don't shoot." That line alone should make you want to hop speedy quick over to Stories From School.

In the Oldies but Goodies category, here are some folks we haven't heard from in awhile. Apparently, they were stuck on the Merry-Go-Round. So glad they found the Education Buzz.

• Mamicita over at Scheiss Weekly points out that if you throw glitter on a dung heap, it’s still going to stink.  Hmmm, ya think?

• Science guy Steve Spangler introduces us to his high school chemistry teacher and presents a great little video about a singing pipe.  

• Joanne Jacobs talks about KED coming soon to an American classroom near you. And, we ain't talkin' no sneakers here either.

• Darren from Right on the Left Coast questions the wisdom of throwing out stricter state standards for weaker national standards.

And look over there, coming back around to us on the ferris wheel are a few of our new and/or regular contributors…

• Curmudgeon talks about why embedded curriculum doesn't work.

• Dancing Crocodile has us holding hands, making paper airplanes and learning math. What's not to like about that?

• Nancy Flanagan over at Teacher in a Strange Land looks at the Power Elite and whether elitist credentials can make a person a better teacher.

And finally, over by the fun house…

• Mr. Teacher (recently married) over at Learn Me Good gives us his list of his Top 10 Memorable Moments for his first day of school. 

• And, of course, you've got to check out my post "Back to School, Whoppers & Project Runway."

OK folks, that's it. If your post was included, please link back to the carnival. Otherwise, I'll get snarky and may not include you next time. If you are interested in submitting a post, please check our guidelines first and then use this handy dandy form to submit. The carnival will appear back here in two weeks on Wednesday, Sept. 15. Submissions are due by 5 p.m. CST on Saturday, Sept. 11.

Please let me know about any broken links or problems.  As always…

“I’ve got this feeling that there’s something that I missed…”

–Snow Patrol

And, if I did, my apologies.