Today is #CharacterDay, a movement that’s bringing together people from around the world to talk about the traits, characteristics, thoughts, and actions that build, shape, and make up our unique and individual characters.

A few months ago we published our first in a series of blog posts on using the flipped classroom approach with Facing History themes and resources. (To learn more about the flipped classroom model, see this helpful article on the New York Times Opinionator blog.) We were happy to read so many positive responses from educators who have tried this method in or are planning to soon. While it is still too soon for us to know the long-term impact of the flipped classroom approach on students and on educators’ teaching practices, we do know one thing: flipped classroom exercises create opportunities for personalized learning, help teachers use classroom time more efficiently, and allow us to incorporate technology into homework as well as classroom lessons.

Facing History in New York, in partnership with WNYC Radio’s Radio Rookies program, helps public high school students develop digital storytelling skills through the Neighborhood to Neighborhood project. Each year, students in the program tackle complex questions about identity, race, education, and crime and violence in their communities. Using interviewing skills and multimedia tools, the students produce original visual and audio pieces. This post is the fifth in a five-part series introducing finished pieces from the Fall 2013 Rookies. Each post includes connection questions you can use in your classroom to discuss the works or to start your own project. This week: three teens look at bullying from a variety of perspectives, including professionals, students, and adults.

Facing History in New York, in partnership with WNYC Radio’s Radio Rookies program, helps public high school students develop digital storytelling skills through the Neighborhood to Neighborhood project. Each year, students in the program tackle complex questions about identity, race, education, and crime and violence in their communities. Using interviewing skills and multimedia tools, the students produce original visual and audio pieces. On March 3, Facing History in New York will host a special after-school workshop featuring excerpts of the stories. The workshop will explore the ways that projects that feature and encourage student voices and experiences can enhance school-based approaches to important issues and meet the Common Core State Standards for Speaking & Listening. Dinner will be included and Rookie reporters who participated in the project will be present. Register today.

Facing History in New York, in partnership with WNYC Radio’s Radio Rookies program, helps public high school students develop digital storytelling skills through the Neighborhood to Neighborhood project. Each year, students in the program tackle complex questions about identity, race, education, and crime and violence in their communities. Using interviewing skills and multimedia tools, the students produce original visual and audio pieces. This post is the third in a five-part series introducing finished pieces from the Fall 2013 Rookies. Each post includes connection questions you can use in your classroom to discuss the works or to start your own project. This week: two Facing History students look at life inside of a “co-located school”—a school that shares space with other schools inside of a single building. Check back next Friday when we hear from three teens about what it’s really like to face teen pregnancy. Follow along!

Facing History in New York, in partnership with WNYC Radio’s Radio Rookies program, helps public high school students develop digital storytelling skills through the Neighborhood to Neighborhood project. Each year, students in the program tackle complex questions about identity, race, education, and crime and violence in their communities. Using interviewing skills and multimedia tools, the students produce original visual and audio pieces. This post is the second in a five-part series introducing finished pieces from the Fall 2013 Rookies. Each post includes connection questions you can use in your classroom to discuss the works or to start your own project. This week: two teenage rappers look at the frequent mentions of the drug "Molly" in hip-hop music. Check back next Friday when we look at the rise of “co-located schools”—multiple schools in a single building. Follow along!

Today, Cleveland Facing History students are getting an opportunity to share their truth - whatever it may be - on video as part of a traveling public art display.

Facing History in New York, in partnership with WNYC Radio’s Radio Rookies program, helps public high school students develop digital storytelling skills through the Neighborhood to Neighborhood project. Each year, students in the program tackle complex questions about identity, race, education, and crime and violence in their communities. Using interviewing skills and multimedia tools, the students produce original visual and audio pieces. This post is the first in a five-part series introducing finished pieces from the Fall 2013 Rookies. Each post includes connection questions you can use in your classroom to discuss the works or to start your own project. This week: two students from West Brooklyn Community High School look at the unique approach of their school when it comes to student success. Check back next Friday when we hear from two teens who investigate drug references in rap music. Follow along!

Digital Learning Day (February 5, 2014) is an annual day designated to highlight the effective use of technology to improve education for all students. Here at Facing History, and in this blog in particular, we are excited to be in conversation with educators about how technology amplifies, as well as complicates, our notions of identity, history, and community. To this end, we are proud to support educators every day in their thoughtful use of technology in the classroom, and Digital Learning Day is a perfect opportunity to highlight this work.

Last week, the Gates Foundation blog Impatient Optimists shared a post about educators that use social media as a professional learning network. Author Vicki Phillips, the Gates Foundation's director of College-Ready Education, wrote: