Readers sent these to me.
I liked them.
I think you will like them too.
Daniel Pink says really useful things about motivation here. I enjoyed his book Drive and recommend it.
This one explains research showing how people can be identified by the way they fill in their Scantron bubbles. Isn’t it good to know that the bubble tests have an auxiliary value?
This one explains how some of our most important problems get solved while we aren’t thinking about them.
The point is that some really creative thinking happens when we are daydreaming or gardening or dozing or driving or doing nothing at all. So, “time on task” may not be the most important thing that happens in the classroom or in life. I liked this because I find some of my best ideas “happen” when I am doing something completely different, when I am “off task.” Sometimes I have good ideas in the middle of the night and I have to get up and write them down. In the morning I can see if they still look as good as they did at 2 am.
And if you want to know why daydreaming is really important, read Diana Senechal here.
While you are at it, read Diana Senechal’s thoughtful book The Republic of Noise. She has valuable things to say about our insatiable need to be busy, buzzing, and engaged, with no time to reflect or daydream.
Diane
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Here is a really cool animation made to most of the same Dan Pink speech.
Here is another one that goes with a talk given by Ken Robinson about education reform and changing paradigms.
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I absolutely am entranced with the Cognitive Media group and the RSA animates. I’ve seen both of the ones you posted. Other favorites of mine are:
The Crisis of Capitalism
Language as a Window to Understanding
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my seven-year-old was labeled a ‘dreamer’ by his 2nd grade teacher in Germany (We are spending 8 months overseas), I thought to myself, “Fabulous!!! How can he do anything interesting if he doesn’t daydream?”
The poor teacher was disappointed that he didn’t spend enough time memorizing time tables. I am so glad he found more interesting things to think about.
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After read Diane Senechal’s Republic of Noise, I’ll realized that silence can really be golden at time. Great read.
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Gardening is actually my own pastime mainly because it genuinely helps myself to enjoy and relax. I like to grow plants both in the house and outside the house. My own favorite plants are generally tropical ornamental plants as well as fresh fruit bearing plants.
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