Daily Report Card: Lebanon Students Own Their Learning — Plus Back To School, WGU, Tax Credits, and Coal

Happy Monday! In the classroom today…

Connecting, Extending, & Challenging – Byron’s Babbles Byron Ernest, an agricultural sciences teacher in Lebanon, Ind., and Indiana teacher of the Year Winner, helped encourage his students to grow organic sweet corn and sell it at a local farmers. But Ernest suggests he’s not putting them up to it — the students are “owning their learning” he told me on Twitter. Cool story. (byronernest.wordpress.com)

Getting a fresh start – The Indianapolis Star Happy first day of school to Purdue, IUPUI, Ball State, and Martin University students! IPFW and IU Kokomo also start up today. (Indianapolis Star)

WGU-Indiana’s online university helps adult students achieve their goals ($) – Bloomington Herald Times The story of two central Indiana Western Governors University graduates. WGU is an online university championed by Gov. Mitch Daniels. (heraldtimesonline.com)

Teacher store has tax credits to give to donors – Muncie Star Press Donate to the Back to School Teachers’ Store — a warehouse of school supplies free for teachers — and you’ll get a tax credit. (The Star-Press | Muncie, IN)

Canceled Purdue boiler project cost $4.5M – The Journal Gazette Lawmakers had authorized $54.5 million in bonds for a new coal plant. When the University scrubbed the project, it still left taxpayers on the hook for $4.5 million in costs. (journalgazette.net)

Why parents should leave their kids alone at college – The Answer Sheet Fighting the instinct to helicopter parent and “protect their investment” with new college moms and dads. (ashingtonpost.com)