Contemplating Connections

Right now I am reading Smarter Than You Think by Clive Thompson.  The subtitle of the book is "How technology is changing our minds for the better," and he makes some very interesting points and made me think about whether my school is actually using technology to its full capacity.  In the chapter titled "Ambient Awareness," he talks about social media and whether all of those seemingly pointless posts about what a person is doing or eating at any moment are actually pointless.  Thompson concludes they aren't because they let others know that person better, and through a chain of posts, get in tune with who that person is despite not being physically with the person.

All of this made me start thinking about my school and how we encourage students to communicate in the classroom, the hallway, and the cafeteria, but we typically require that communication to be face-to-face (which isn't a bad idea) because we discourage the use of social media (cell phones are only allowed during lunch because students have laptops/laptops should only be used for school work).  What if students were allowed to use social media as a way to build, as Thompson put it, a type of ESP (extrasensory perception), which would result in ambient awareness in the school?  What if they were able to post their thoughts in the moment for others to see?  I imagine those thoughts could look like this:

• I am so hungry right now!  
• Does anyone know how to find the standard deviation in a data set?  
• Does anyone else see connections between what happened in Julius Caesar and the assassination of Russia's ambassador to Turkey?  
• I'm really struggling with how to help my friend deal with the loss of her mother.

What could these brief glimpses into the thoughts of students do?  They could let teachers gain an understanding of why a student acts the way he/she does, lead a student to help another student in study hall with a difficult concept, give students opportunities to share their areas of expertise, or develop student empathy for others as they realize they share similar experiences.

Is it possible Thompson's moments of ambient awareness already exist at my school beyond what teachers see?  Students already use social media like Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat to connect with each other outside school, but I doubt there is a focus on school in those connections.  A picture on Snapchat probably doesn't do very well to convey a need for help with a math or science concept, so what could be used?  In my mind, something like a message board which is available only to school students and staff might serve this purpose.  Students, staff, etc., could post messages to which anyone could respond.  What would it do for the school's sense of community if a student posted an issue, question, or observation and had ten students, two teachers, and the superintendent provide feedback?  What if the principal or superintendent posted a question and received feedback from the students?  It seems those connections would be invaluable to building the school's sense of community.

While I look at all of the positives which might come from this, I can also see the potential for problems.  Would students post a bunch of random, unnecessary comments on the message board?  Would it be an opportunity for students to bully others?  Would anyone actually post anything, or would teachers and students view it as "just another pointless task" that would be ignored?

Ironically, that last concern is something my friend Brandon said is even a concern at the large company where he works (I continue to be convinced that all people, regardless of age, simply want to be able to see a purpose in what they are doing - a post for another day).  If we can show students there is a purpose in sharing ideas, asking questions, and working together, this ambient awareness could result in student growth, which should always be the goal.

Building for the Future

I've been thinking about the future a lot in the last few weeks.  While at times it can be a bit scary, I'm also excited about it.  As for my own future as a teacher, my fellow English teachers have been motivating me more than I could ever motivate myself.  It's exciting to sit and talk to like-minded people and think about what we can do to improve the English classes at our school.  Last Tuesday, we all met together with the initial goal of planning the second year of the Honors English class.  That meeting soon evolved to meeting with Mr. Myers to discuss the long-term vision for the school regarding College Credit Plus and other initiatives which are meant to improve our school and the futures of our students.  We eventually continued our planning for Honors English, and that time with my colleagues was so beneficial to me and our department.

As for the futures of my students, I'm trying something new this week with my English 10 class.  I have created an argumentative writing unit checklist, which I am going to present to them and allow them to work on at their own paces.  They might decide they work best alone.  They might decide they work best collaborating with others.  Regardless of what they decide, it will give the opportunity to work independently and collaboratively, both of which they will have to do in their careers.  Will it work?  I don't know.  I at least have to see what happens because I want independent students who can think for themselves and aren't afraid to make mistakes (because, of course, mistakes are the best teachers) to leave my classroom at the end of May.  Have I done nothing up to this point in the year to create those students?  No, I don't think I've completely failed to prepare students for the future, but I want to put all students in a position to excel regardless of how long it takes them to do it.  This also relates to the fact that I see some of my students with a fixed mindset, and I want students to have a growth mindset (click here for the Carol Dweck website related to her book about mindset).  Students and workers of the 21st century need to have growth mindsets, be well rounded, and ready to use ever-changing technology, as this article from Wired exhibits.  All of this shows how much there is for students and teachers to think about when it comes to preparing for the future, but life would be pretty boring if all we had to do was be satisfied with the status quo.

From Grader to Writer

I recently had a revelation:  I make my students write all the time, so why don't I start doing some writing of my own?  I used to write quite a bit as a college student and had a few pieces published in the Bluffton College literary journal, but I haven't really written in the last eighteen years.  It always seemed that reading to prepare to teach and grading writing from my students took precedence over any writing of my own.  In the last few years I've started reading for pleasure much more (I've been on a Jeff Pearlman kick lately - The Bad Guys Won and Boys Will Be Boys about the 1986 New York Mets and the Dallas Cowboys of the early 90s), and I want my writing to follow the same path.

What really started me down this path was an article in The Courier before Christmas which talked about a writing workshop at the Findlay-Hancock County Library starting in January (click here to register for the next workshop on Wednesday, February 17).  Kay Cocklin, a retired teacher and published writer, is leading the workshop, and the first meeting on January 20 focused on developing a character.  My homework (and yes, I have already started it though it isn't due until February) is to write the first chapter of my story, and here's a snippet of what I have so far.

What I really like about this writing workshop is that I am the student again.  It's fun to see what I can do and realize where I struggle.  As I look at this image of the beginning of my chapter, I've already seen one mistake.  As a teacher, it's sometimes easy to forget the struggles students face when they are trying to complete their work.  Teachers need to have high expectations, but everyone needs to be allowed to make mistakes.  That's how we learn.

Will this chapter I'm writing for next month eventually develop into a New York Times best-seller?  Will I become a world-renowned author, traveling to book signings at Barnes & Noble?  If I do, it will be exciting.  If I don't, I'll gain experience as a writer which I can pass on to my students so maybe one of them will become famous.  By the way, if any students want to sign up for the workshop and surprise me with their presence in February, I'll be a very happy teacher!