"Fail Forward" - Denzel

The point is, every graduate here today has the training and the talent to succeed.
But do you have guts to fail?
Here’s my second point about failure:
If you don’t fail… you’re not even trying.

From YouTube:

Denzel Washington, internationally renowned actor and director, delivered the address at the University of Pennsylvania's 255th Commencement on Monday, May 16. Washington is one of the nation's preeminent performing artists, having achieved wide acclaim for his film, theatrical and television performances, as well as his accomplishments in film directing and television production. Washington has received the most distinguished accolades of his art, including two Academy Awards and a Tony Award. At Commencement, Washington received an honorary doctor of arts degree.

Watch the FULL SPEECH

Click: Transcript

Fake News:

"There is no use in multiplying examples. The point is that we are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield."

- George Orwell, "In Front of Your Nose"

In order to combat fake news and misinformation, we need to know our journalists and sources for information.
Join.quizizz.com

Read:

21st Century Journalism & the Perils of Fake News http://flip.it/j.5_zA
via @flipboard

OR this Flipboard magazine https://flipboard.com/topic/fakenews

(I look forward to adding your examples to this Flipboard magazine)

Watch this clip of Mr. Clint Watts about why we need to be educated global citizens:

The Russia influence system continues to win. Before and after the election.https://t.co/4l7jI673f1 from @WarOnTheRocks pic.twitter.com/8HvHJz5mwn

— Clint Watts (@selectedwisdom) January 11, 2017 

Watch the full hearing this weekend.



HOMEWORK - DUE MONDAY: 
Write one paragraph that shares THREE examples of articles, regarding FAKE NEWS

Normally, I would like...
 Worthy Sources - that are PRIMARILY PRINT
(not cable broadcast networks, blogs, websites, etc.):

The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal (need a subscription), The Washington Post,

Scientific American, Nature, National Geographic,

The American Scholar, The Atlantic Monthly,

Foreign Policy, The New Yorker, Harper's,

The Paris Review, Wired, etc.

HOWEVER for this assignment:
1. Please post one reliable news source about Fake News
2. One example of satire 
3. One example of fake news

Check out this list of fake, satire, and reliable news sites.

Write one paragraph:
1. Embed the links - type (or copy and paste) "select" the title of the article and link
2. Cite the writer(s), the date, and the source (the "publisher")
3. One sentence synopsis of each article.
4. Conclusion:

• Why is it important to discern between credible news and faux news?
• Why did you select your articles and how did you determine them to be credible, satirical, or fake?

Consider these key questions:

• Who paid for this?
• When was this made?
• Who might benefit?
• What is left out of this message that might be important to know?
• How was this shared with the public? 

To fact check stories on the internet:
snopes.com
politifact.com



factcheck.org

Healing Vibes for Exams - and Winter Blues

"This track features All 9 Solfeggio Frequencies for Full Body Aura Cleanse & Cell Regeneration Therapy. Each Miracle Tone here serves a certain purpose and helps in detoxifying and cleansing the body and mind. Each frequency lasts for around 9 mins starting from 174Hz known as a natural anesthetic and moving all the way up to 963Hz which is associated with pineal gland activation. Hope this will help you."

The holidays can be a difficult time for families missing loved ones.


See the work of Belleruth Naparstek - on iTunes podcasts - and HealthyJourneys.com

Focus - it's like a muscle.

Headspace, a meditation app that started in 2012, is now available for teachers at a deep discount.

Sign up here for $12 annual subscription (normally $79 per year). It's a priceless gift to yourself - and your loved ones.

Headspace gives back

Improving the health and happiness of the world, one educator at a time

Headspace for Educators

Our newest Social Impact initiative focuses our efforts on one group in particular; educators. Educators are pivotal to society – we entrust our children to them for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 10 months a year. So, in 2018, we’re giving an annual Headspace subscription to working K-12 teachers, school administrators, and support staff across the US & UK for just $12 a year. Click here!

The Science of Meditation

The benefits of meditation have been backed by science for years - and studies are being published exponentially.



Check out the work of Dan Harris.


From Scientific American 2013:



From ASAP Science 2015:



Listen to guided meditations by Tara Brach.

Just Breathe - Exams

A parent from one of my lacrosse players shared this video with me a few years ago when I was at Episcopal Academy. That was a special season and team - we meditated daily before every practice and every game.

When I share this video in class, the wisdom of these children can be cynically scoffed at - comments like "They didn't come up with that..." or "No way that was something a kid knew..." "Who wrote those lines for them?"

I witnessed one class recently laugh and make fun of the kid's teeth "He'll need braces" and "He has anger issues" but I say nothing. The reaction to this video is telling of the mindset and reflects even a not so latent anger at anything that suggests meditation and mindfulness. The loudest critics... I am mindful not to make assumptions. But I record observations.

Hearts and minds are not opened easily - and the myth of multitasking is not received warmly.
Our lives - and our brains - are fried with stimulus and anxiety - FOF and FOMO preying on all of us.


Understand how (parental) stress affects developing brain from early childhood to adolescence.

From Raising of America:

The Amygdala-Prefrontal Cortex Connection is Crucial from California Newsreel on Vimeo.