There are few organizations in the world that can claim more expertise when it comes to storytelling than Pixar. The Disney-owned animation studio is known for its ability to consistently create…
Pixar has released lessons on the technical sides of movie making before, but these lessons are an emphasis on storytelling itself. This reminds me of The 22 rules of storytelling, according to Pixar written by a storyboard artist for Pixar. Some great insight into what makes a great story.
#11: Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you’ll never share it with anyone.
I’m guilty of this… A lot.
#19: Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.
I wish more of Hollywood would follow this rule.
#6: What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?
#16: What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if they don’t succeed? Stack the odds against.
Both of these are a nicer way of paraphrasing Kurt Vonnegut, “Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them — in order that the reader may see what they are made of.”
Although we often believe we act without bias or stereotyping, we’re all subject to unconscious biases: automatic, mental shortcuts we use to process information and make decisions quickly. These shortcuts are useful, but can also subtly and negatively influence our actions. And in the classroom, they can have serious consequences—educators could unintentionally discriminate against some…
Here is a handy inforgaphic we designed specifically for teachers and students. The visual is based on a post we published here a few days ago featuring a total of 15 practical iPad tips to help you make the best of this device in education. Source: 13 Important iPad Tips Every Teacher Should Know about…
Can we safely conclude that the cell phone battle between educators and kids is over – and that the kids won? Source: The horse is out of the barn: cell phones – Home – Doug Johnson’s Blue Skunk Blog Schools need to research and implement a sane cellphone policy now, before one is forced on them.
Our list of the best STEM toys for preschoolers 2017 is carefully structured to include toys which provide a rounded curriculum for your child. From learning to code, to engineering basics, to learning about scientific equipment, we’ve got it covered! Source: Top 5 Best STEM Toys for Preschoolers 2017 | Coding & Engineering I’ve listed the…
What will happen in K12 education over the next decade? These predications range from bold to practical and give hope that this could be a golden decade in the education world. Source: Four Bold Predictions In K12 Education For The Next Decade As much as I would like to think education is moving forward, a…
Flipgrid is a video response platform where educators can have online video discussions with students or other educators. Teachers can provide feedback to students AND better yet students can provide feedback to one another. With Flipgrid One (Free) you get one grid with unlimited topics. So if you have multiple classes or subject areas you…