Blogging for Collaboration, Communication, and Compassion

Why is my favorite question to ask. When my students take part in Socratic seminars, or when they’re writing an essay, or when I just want to push their thinking a little bit more, I always ask, why? Why did you make this decision? Why do you think this character said that? Why did you choose this quote? Often, when asked why, students immediately default to changing their mind. I have to remind them constantly that I’m not asking because they’re wrong, but because I want them to think about it. I want them to understand why they are reasoning as such. My students are not often asked to reflect on their thinking in this way. They are very used to giving an answer, being marked right or wrong, and moving on. I have to admit, this doesn’t really work for me.

When Kelly Reed visited our class, she posed a question that I have often pondered myself. She asked which was more important: for students to know the plot of a story, or for them to be able to decode a text? I am lucky to work in a district that gives teachers the freedom to make our own decisions, but since starting the ASTL program, I’ve found myself wanting to deviate heavily from what my department does. I’ve rebelled by putting more emphasis on the thinking they do, rather than the paperwork they produce. Our classroom discussions are some of my favorite moments, but I do struggle with the requirement of grades. If I can tell from observation that a student is thinking critically about the text, why do I need to give them a reading comprehension quiz? Do I really need them to map the plot of the chapter when they can explain verbally how a character’s actions pushed the plot forward? Even amid all this confusion, I do recognize the importance of students reaching the standards, and those do make up the majority of our focus.

In my seventh-grade English Language Arts classroom, writing is a regular part of our day. Every year, I ask my students to keep journals. A few times a week, I have them spend five minutes writing a response to a prompt. If we are in a novel unit, the prompt might be a question about the story or a character. For example, when we read The Giver, one of our journal prompts is, “Do you think it is good or bad that Jonas' community has a lot of rules? Why? What rules do you agree or disagree with?” Prompts like this encourage students to make connections to their own lives, and to consider the reasons they believe something. They also require that students engage with the reading, as they have to give examples from the text.

If we are reading a short story or nonfiction, I ask students to respond to a thematic prompt, or to write about a famous quote. I emphasize that in their journal writing there are no right or wrong answers. I want them to practice communicating their ideas, and writing is a medium supported by our standards. After they write, we always take some time for students to share their responses, which I think is an important opportunity for them to hear other perspectives, and helps them practice their speaking and listening skills.

Our journals align closely with my belief that learning happens when we make connections between class content and other areas of our lives and world. This reflection is incredibly important to me, and with my change project, I have decided to find a way to take it to a new level. When we went 1:1 with Chromebooks back in December, I moved their journals onto Google Classroom. This made it easier for students to write, and to practice typing skills they would need to conquer the MCAS test online. We continued to share journals as a class, and so the essence of the task was maintained. I enjoy the fact that grading journals is easier with the Classroom Assignments, and I can click through them quickly. But I also came to realize that I could use these quick bursts of writing for more than just a journal grade.


Simon Sinek asks us to think about the WHY of our work. I was essentially asking students to produce a journal (the WHAT) by typing in Google Docs (the HOW), but the WHY was more or less so they could practice writing for a grade. This change project inspired me to make the WHY something my students would care about, or perhaps see more value in. Our Digital Media Literacy blog is a way for us to interact with each other’s writing, either to make connections or to pose questions that challenge us to dig even deeper into our thoughts. Why can’t my own students do the same? I decided to create a blog as my project so then, not only will their writing serve the purpose of engaging with material while practicing a skill, but it will also enable them to make connections with each other on both personal and academic levels. Given the hectic schedule of our curriculum, the more my students and I can accomplish in one assignment or task, the better.

In the last four years I have experimented with so many different tools; for one, we started as a Microsoft district and moved over to Google this year, so I had to become proficient with both systems. I jumped into Google Classroom with both feet, to the point where I have filled up my streams with assignments, resources, and quizzes. I feel as though I have transformed my teaching a lot in the last six months, and have seen it reflected in what my students can do. For example, we had a lot of discussion in my department this year about what to do with writing portfolios. Over the last few years, we have kept a collection of hard copies of student work, but with the implementation of the Chromebooks, we were having our students print their writing less and less. The idea of a digital writing portfolio is very appealing to me, so in the last weeks of school, I walked my students through the process of creating folders and organizing their writing in their Drive. This is a skill that is incredibly valuable to their organization (which they struggle with), and yet it’s something they didn’t even know was an option. No one else in my department chose to go the digital route, but now I have some insight into how to make the process work, so perhaps next year I can lead the charge.

I do consider myself to be a digital native. I am very comfortable with technology, and through courses such as this and SED 561, I have learned to look at a variety of media with a critical lens. When given a new piece of technology or a digital tool to work with, it is easy for me to explore and to adapt these tools into my own teaching. I find that I fall somewhere between a techno-traditionalist and a techno-constructivist, leaning more towards the latter. I am lucky that I work in a district that pushes tech initiatives, and my department is relatively tech-savvy. My change project allows me to push even further into this world.

Before this class, my digital toolbox was a lot emptier. I had tried blogging during my first year of teaching, but it wasn’t very successful. The platform we used was not user friendly, and at that point technology was not very prevalent in our school. The limitations of not having enough devices made it difficult to monitor and follow through with the task. I have seen a total shift this year since the vast majority of my students got a Chromebook. Access has increased to the point where students treat their devices as an extension of their bodies. However, they are not often asked to dive beneath the surface level of academic computer use, nor do they take the initiative to do so on their own. Thus, my change project will serve multiple purposes.

I believe that learning happens when we engage in authentic experiences that require us to apply our knowledge. Media and technology are integral to the lives of my students, so using digital tools to assist their learning just makes sense. I could never simply hand a Chromebook to a student and tell them to have fun; my guidance and support gives them a foundation of knowledge on which to build tech skills. My change project is a way for me to guide my students through publishing their own writing and analyzing each other’s. Sir Ken Robinson talks about people as seeds that need to be watered in order to show life. For students, this means investment in themselves and recognizing their potential to learn. My hope is that by providing my students with a space to write, reflect, and connect, they will bloom.

Since my students spend so much of their lives around technology, there’s nothing more authentic than providing them opportunities to use this technology in a meaningful way. I believe that to construct meaning, students need to interact and listen to each other’s perspectives. They need to have the chance to make connections with others, but to also take new material and connect it back to their prior knowledge and experiences. My official project is creating a class blog. I have set up a page not unlike ours for this class. It includes a page of blogs for each class, a page for the grading rubric, rules and requirements, and a how-to that they can refer back to.

A major component of my student’s blogging experience will be their comments to one another's writing. Within each class page will be a list of blogs that students can access quickly. They will be required to comment on 3 other blogs, and this must come in the form of a connection. Like with their other writing, I ask them to make connections to other things they have watched or read, to experiences they have had, or to something else they’ve learned about. I believe that these connections are a way for my students to create a community and become more comfortable with each other and themselves. I plan to instill in them that writing is a process that can be vulnerable at times, but communicating with each other in a supportive and compassionate environment can help them become more comfortable with their identities as writers. Overall, this is a project about communication, community, and compassion. Supporting these concepts in my classroom is the WHY of our blog writing, and I look forward to embarking on this journey with my students.

Pecha Kucha

Class Blog

Rubric

From Conversation to Collaboration

                    

Michael Wesch's article “Anti-Teaching: Confronting the Crisis of Significance” focuses on the most crucial problem that modern educators face: student’s don’t see the importance of education. He describes a population of students that are going through the motions. They attend class, collect information, and ask “administrative questions”. Part of the issue is the way schools and classrooms are structured. Students are conditioned to believe that learning requires a more rigid process, where creativity is not nurtured and the most important thing is the grade. Wesch argues that in order for students to find meaning in their educations, teachers need to create learning environments that inspire deep questions and allow students to pursue what they really want to know. The focus should be on learning and how students navigate this process, rather than on “teaching” that aims to cram knowledge into their brains. This type of education requires rethinking our educational spaces and finding what motivates students.

The discovery of motivation is often complicated by the modern era of cell phones and other technologies. Sherry Turkle’s article “The Flight From Conversation” outlines how people have lost the ability to connect and communicate face to face, which are two crucial aspects of the learning that Michael Wesch describes in his own work. In comparing the two articles, I thought about how we responded when Kelly Reed asked us to find the answers to five questions. With laptops in front of us, we worked silently and individually, not even acknowledging those around us. We modeled the type of society that Turkle is describing, participating in a way that is the exact opposite of what Wesch would want. In that moment, “we are together, but each of us is in our own bubble, furiously connected to keyboards” (Turkle). What is most interesting, and disheartening, is that we did this by default. Individual achievement is so ingrained in our value systems that most of us probably didn't even consider asking someone else for help. We took on the task as our own, and though we acquired knowledge, did we really learn? Luckily, as we become aware of this as educators, we can influence a new generation of learners to move away from this type of classroom participation (if you could call it that).

Though the topics seem very different at first glance, underlying both Turkle and Wesch’s ideas is the need for human interaction. Turkle wants us to have conversations while Wesch wants us to ask questions. By asking our questions, we are able to create conversations that lead to meaningful exploration and learning. Allowing these conversations into our classrooms will (fingers crossed) help students recognize the significance of their learning, and can drive curiosity and motivation.

Text Overview

Text Overview

Who needs lipstick anyway?

When you think of beauty supplies, what comes to mind? Lipstick, mascara, face serum, moisturizer; all items that provide an aesthetic ideal of what is beautiful, as determined by society. Beauty standards isolate and reject anyone who doesn't conform to them, diminishing their self worth.  But beauty is so much more than the tone of your skin, the sheen of your hair, the perfection of your contour. There are so many different things that make a person beautiful. We decided to reconceptualize beauty supplies not as products, but as a mindset. What makes a person beautiful? Their smile. The way they love. The support they receive from the people around them. A positive mindset. With these things and many more, a person displays beauty. Who needs lipstick anyway?

                                 

A review of: My Year with Nike

My Year With Nike: A Story of corporate sponsorship, branding, and ethics in public schools


By Rachel Cloues





In this chapter, Rachel Cloues writes about an opportunity her school had to partner with Nike and participate in a yearlong program meant to promote health and wellness. She writes that they were offered “four field trips, including the buses. They would help us meet the state physical fitness standards. And our school would receive money for each hour spent at the Nike Campus, to be used for new P.E. equipment” (67). Sounds like a dream, right? Schools are underfunded enough. She also describes the previous school year, when McDonalds hosted a night for teachers to get behind the counter and serve their students, as a way to raise funds.


Cloues, however, saw beyond the veil of opportunity to realize that Nike was treating her school as a way to promote their products and get free marketing. Each example of an “opportunity” seemed instead to be a corporation weaseling their way onto the radars of unsuspecting children. As Cloues goes on to explain the distribution of Nike branded shirts and viewing of Nike ads as a “fun activity” it becomes even more apparent what Nike’s goal was. Indoctrination is a term that she uses, and it’s not inaccurate. Though Cloues acknowledges some of the positives of the partnership, she recognizes the danger of a corporation sinking their claws into the impressionable minds of young people. She asks, “what is really in the best interest of students?” (70). This is a question that schools need to consider if they are going to form relationships with corporations that aren’t driven by a need for more funding.

As I read through this chapter, it made me think back to my high school years. When we won the Division 1 state soccer championship, Nike wanted to sponsor us by providing new uniforms and equipment. Our athletic director rejected the offer because we would be the only team benefitting, and I remember thinking that it was incredibly unfair. We had worked so hard, we deserved better. What I definitely wasn’t thinking about was what this deal would mean for our school. Cloues story highlights how a partnership such as this could be twisted, so even if it seems great, there might be fine print or ulterior motives. I know that schools need more funding, but schools need to make sure they are seeking out help in ways that are not detrimental or taking advantage of their students.




                                       

Wakelet: A tool for collecting resources

As described in my title, Wakelet is a platform that allows users to compile content into one neat space. You can add links to webpages, videos, images, and so on, that cover any topic you want. A tutorial of how to use Wakelet can be found here.

Personally,  I have only used Wakelet twice, as I just learned about it at a professional development at the end of May. I created a Wakelet of resources that my students needed to access for a pre-reading jigsaw activity. They were assigned a topic, and using the links on the Wakelet, conducted research that they then shared with a larger group. I also created vocab practice quizzes and posted them on their own Wakelet.

I have found that Wakelet allows me to post multiple resources without cluttering up my Google Classroom page. Having a visual collection lets students find their resources easily, as it is less wordy thank a Google Doc of hyperlinks. It also allows me to make sure they are accessing vetted sources rather than finding inaccurate sources. I plan to use it a lot more in the future because of how easy it is to make and use. It could be another way to have students collaborate as well!

Princess Perfect

I grew up in the 90s, when Disney animated films were extremely popular. The Disney

Princesses were some of my favorite characters; particularly Alice and Belle. I identified with

Alice’s quirky adventure and Belle’s obsession with books. I also loved the stories, from The

Lion King to Pocahontas. My parents still have all of the pre-2000s Disney movies on VHS. On

TV, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network were the only channels my parents would
let me watch, because they believed the shows to be relatively wholesome and age appropriate.

Most of my childhood pop culture interests were based around what are now considered
classic children’s movies and shows.  I know for a fact that I never considered any Disney movies
with a critical lens prior to college. To me, they were just for entertainment. Although I read a lot
of literature that provided ample social commentary, I never considered the deeper implications of
the films I enjoyed. Linda Christiansen describes how young people often internalize the
messages put forth by popular media without considering the issues embedded deep within
them. She writes, “the messages, or ‘secret education’ linked with the security of their homes,
underscore the power these texts deliver,” (176). Because our parents condone and even
encourage our viewing of such material, we never question that it’s good and true.  Frozen is a
somewhat complicated movie compared to other princess films. In many Disney movies, the
princess wants to find her prince, or has to struggle with something that stifles her, whether it’s a
strict family or societal expectations. Frozen has two princesses who are involved in these tropes.
I’ll be honest; when watching Frozen, I much preferred Anna. Elsa’s role is somewhat
stereotypical. She’s a woman with power, who must stifle her emotions in order to be a good ruler.
It’s a commentary about women being required to hide who they really are before they can have
a positive impact on the world. Elsa is absent in her ice castle for much of the movie, while Anna
must employ bravery and quick-thinking to solve her sister’s problem. Eventually Elsa learns to
control her magic and shake off what people have said about her, but again, I feel like there’s an
implication that if she loses it and hurts someone again, she’s to blame for not keeping herself
together. I find Anna’s storyline to be more freeing from the expectations of what it means to be
a princess. Because she’s second in line, the expectations for her are different, and thus she can
be a bit more adventurous and can buck tradition for more autonomy.
One thing that Frozen has that many other Disney Princess movies don’t is that it challenges the
idea that a princess’s only goal should be to find a prince. Multiple characters say how ridiculous
it is to marry someone you just met that day, and Anna comes to realize it herself when Hans
does his evil 360. Love is important in this story, but it’s not all about romance; it’s also about
sisterhood. The movie gives some strength to female characters and lets them save each other.
  Still, both princesses are white, blue-eyed, and conventionally attractive with “their beauty and
their fashionable attire” (182) that are so common in fairytale women. Anna is a bit of a mess,
and Elsa has dangerous powers, but they still clean up well. So, although the movie definitely
makes some strides on the feminist front, I don’t think it’s as revolutionary as many would argue.
This article highlights some of the ways that the movie falls short.

I can’t say I dislike Frozen from an entertainment standpoint, but I don’t think it’s as progressive
as it has been made out to be, and I really don’t understand the obsession with Elsa when it is
more of a story about Anna. When looked at critically, it’s not particularly feminist, and it still
maintains many of the tropes that Linda Christiansen warns against. The beautiful white
princesses still end up with everything they want and need. This film is the perfect example to
use when being critical; take it with a grain of salt.

References: 

Marshall, Elizabeth, and Sensoy Özlem. Rethinking Popular Culture and Media. Rethinking Schools, 2016.