New Linky Party - Favorite Finds

One of my blogging goals for this year is to make sure that I stay true to my original vision of Middle School Matters Blog.  I want this to be a place where, yes, teachers can come to find resources that may be helpful in their classrooms, but to also find a supportive community in which we can share things that motivate and inspire.  I want this to be a place where, knowing the challenges we are all facing in education today, we can find strategies to help work our way through some of the muck and mire that surrounds our profession, and still feel passion for what we do.

In an effort to start sharing some of my favorite things I've found that inspire me, I created Friday Favorites.  Last week, a fellow blogger, Erin of Miss Lifesaver, suggested that I turn this into a Linky Party.  What a great suggestion!!  I have taken part in many the last couple of months, but I've never held one myself.  Could I?  Should I?  Then I saw this on FB:

(from http://ow.ly/i/1nj5s)

Well...OK!  Here goes nothin'!

WELCOME to Middle School Matters Blog's first Linky Party!  I'm hoping to make this a regular event if this goes well.   I can't wait to see what happens!

First, here is my favorite piece of inspiration I've found so far this week.  It's a video clip of the 2012 Sports Illustrated Kids SportsKids of the Year. I've been frustrated as of late about the amount of attention being placed on assessments and test scores...at the expense of the time we have to teach all of the other things that are so important in the growth and development of our children.  This video is short on time, but long on examples of kindness, compassion, empathy, tolerance...love.  You know, all of the qualities that make up excellent people, not just excellent test-takers. ;-)  Take a moment to watch and be reminded that there is so much good in the world.  Then, show it to your students.  Have them talk about it, write about it, reflect on it and respond to it.  There are tons of ways that this could be used as a catalyst for all kinds of authentic writing practice that could easily be aligned to the CCSS for ELA.  It's my favorite find this week!

So, again with thanks to Erin for the idea...it's your turn! :)

Here's what you need to do to link-up and share:

1) Create a blog post that features one of your "Favorites."  This could be a lesson you've just done, a strategy that you've found successful - or want to try, a new website or resource, something you read or wrote...or something that simply inspires you or your students.

2) I'm posting this now to serve as a heads-up for tomorrow.  If you're interested, and oh, I hope you are...just follow my blog and come back to link up starting tomorrow, January 18th. The link will be open all weekend, so if you need to write something for this linky, you may be able to find some time.  

To Link-up:

-Grab my Middle School Matters Blog graphic below to place in your blog.

(Please be sure to include a link back to this blog post.)

-Link up your post! :)

I can't wait to see all of the Favorite Finds we can share!  Thank you for trying this out with me.  I would truly love any feedback or suggestions for this Linky in the comments below. 

I am posting this on Teaching Blog Addicts's Ultimate Linky Party Page.  Click above to find other opportunities to link-up and find resources to share! :)