Much ado is being made about age these days. Maybe it’s my own resentment of being a digital pioneer, and constantly being reminded I’m in charge of training children for jobs that don’t exist yet (for Pete’s sake, it’s not like I’m asking them to be farriers or corset-stay carvers!) At the NCCE, included in one lecture’s description was “NOT YOUR PARENTS’ TEXTBOOK!” which, yes, using the “o” word — offended me a tad. And not only am I playing a shoddy offense but defense as well. In this political climate my sons’ generation is constantly maligned: labeled entitled, privileged, whiny, and naive. My friend John Spencer gets it. VSauce has a great video about “Juvonoia,” the idea that younger generations are lame.
So I suppose if those younger than I are a bit miffed and allow for casual ageism to creep into the conversations, I must try not to cast my own disapproving glare.
But ageism is actually quite horrifying. We’re all living longer, and creating a world where each generation gets a little smarter (thank you unleaded gasoline!) and a bit more savvy with all these critical thinking skills we’ve been touting. We’re creating awesome smart monsters humans. And while young folks may think of us as “elders” in their capitulating apologies, it has very real consequences.
Yes, young woman, you are contributing quite a bit. But over-40s are not quite “elders” yet.
So why does this get to me? Perhaps because it has an ‘ism’ at the end. “Ism’s” connote binary decision making: yes or no, black or white, up or down. Ageism is permission to assume someone cannot learn something about anything, but usually, especially technology, because they are old. Is it as bad as racism? I can’t make that claim. Its consequences may mean someone doesn’t get hired, so while we elders are trying to pay for our millennials’ college, we also can’t save for retirement. This article feels like a biography. Ageism decreases opportunity and allows for mocking on good days, and discrimination on bad. There’s that binary thinking again.
That moment when you realize someday you too, will be old as….never mind.
So, tiny examples: if I see something cool, guess what I do? I try to figure out how it was done. One of my little goals right now is to create gif doodles. Believe it or not, I can’t find any good tutorials, and this is making me feel a bit doddy. But they’re so cool! Not as cool as the Silicon Valley holographic mustache, but still…
Is there something you’d like to learn how to do? Can anyone help me with this? I’ve fallen in a gif and can’t get up!
PS I know how to use Snapchat. I just choose not to. My students laugh at me because my husband is my only friend. /sigh You’ll understand when you’re older.
In a recent story on NPR, ‘Information Overload and the Tricky Art of Single-Tasking,’ there is a link to an Infomagical challenge–making information overload disappear. My relationship analogy with technology feels that the more tech I have/use, my lungs have de-evolved from breathing air to turning into gills. I am so submerged in this soup I don’t even know I’m swimming in it anymore. My focus is fractured to the point I may need to take drastic, heat-pressure methods to reform my brain cells into more granite-like thinking. Even this post is tough to write: I installed Grammarly, and it’s constantly green/red lighting my typing, editing as I go:
“No, I don’t mean girls. I mean gills.”
Chasing the purple dragon of ‘the perfect app’ is like lassoing a bubble. There’s always something new, shiny, and fleeting. In this post, I shall attempt to currate some old and new favorites. Some of these items are the equivalent to Russian nesting dolls– stacked inside one another.
Stopping the Noise:
Freedom– if you need time to turn off those ‘quick check-ins’ to Facebook, etc. install Freedom. It was recommended to be by a ‘real writer’ – someone who’s published multiple titles.
WriteAbout, Google Cardboard, Versal, Noisli, Formative, and Periscope.
I have used John’s WriteAbout, and have made attempts to get other teachers/district to use it too, but there have been obstacles. We are on overload right now, methinks. Maybe I’ll try again, because last year was crowded with others agendas.
As far as Versal goes, we are piloting Canvas, and have used e-learning. Personally I prefer UX designs like Versal or Edmodo better, but it any online platform seems fine.
Trying Out:
Screenshot–app for iphones and ipads — annotate, etc. screen shots
Word Swag- -makes pretty little posters from your photos
Snapseed–easy photo editing tools
Voila–easy screen recordings for lessons/flipped classroom
Dark Sky–well designed interface for the weather
Sky Guide–feel like you’re floating through the universe. I get vertigo when I point it at the ground and realize there’s only the earth between me and the universe.
Who am I kidding? I’m not qualified to curate diddly-squat at the moment. During this time, not only do I have Grammarly spying on me, but the laundry is on repeat wrinkle-guard, I’ve read 5 articles on the supreme court issue and new appointee, hit the like button on a few Facebook posts, changed to jammie pants (it’s mid-winter break), watched Principal Gerry videos, sent one email, and thought about “all the stuff I have to/want to do” over break.
Sigh. Maybe it’s time I take the Infomagical challenge, too. I did go to a good, solid old-fashtion art supply store the other day near the UW campus when we met our older son for lunch. It was like going through a time machine for me. I did end up with a box of goodies to take back to the classroom, but even creative-crafty stuff requires focus:
Maybe that’s what we need: plague masks filled with herbs to keep us focused on single thoughts, doing them well and mindfully. Let me go find some paints, brushes, and oh look a text…
…
…
…time to use one of my 12 list making apps and start checking stuff off.
Ultimately, what is all this used for? To keep me engaged as well as develop engaging instruction–that’s it. If it doesn’t suit those purposes, perhaps it’s time to tech-purge.
What are we doing with technology integration these days, anyway?
Sometimes the cure for curiosity is a good, old-fashioned esoteric conversation, even if it’s only with oneself. An issue, a debate, is percolating, brewing rather, and using my Powers of Subtextual Hearing, need to explore some ideas that have fanned before me: I think technology integration is in trouble at my school.
Here’s the situation:
My school, since its re-opening eleven years ago, houses a ‘technology academy.’ (And for the sake of full disclosure, this accounting is from my own anecdotal observations. I am open to others who may read this to add their insight, perspective, and most importantly, corrections to this.) The technology academy consisted, and still does, of two teams, one 7th grade and one 8th grade. The content teams include Humanities (social studies/language arts), Science, and Math. The schedule altered from the rest of the school (I’ll label that Regular MC), using blocks, and rounding out the day with PE/Health and an elective (usually band or orchestra). The students were, and are, (there needs to be a tense that covers all of time) chosen by a lottery system to all of the elementary schools. The program was touted as something unique, elite (in the good way) and supportive of those kids whose interest in technology would be singled out (again, in a good way) and would be inclusive to all students, too. Special Education, Honors, all demographic backgrounds/class, etc. are invited to cast their hopes and chosen. If the student’s home/local elementary or middle school was outside of the boundaries, special arrangements for transportation are made. When I began at the school, the program was in its second year, and had phenomenal leadership, and the teachers worked functionally in their teams, augurs of PLCS to come. When asked, the teachers of the tech academy would offer professional development or guidance, but for the most part, the majority of my tech instructional development has been on my own. There seemed to be an ‘us’ and ‘them’ culture, sustained by the notion that the students, and teachers, in the tech academy were something special and other. They were the vanguard, the proof of concept, the leaders in technology integration. Some years, the district brass would come to their spring PBL showcase–strongly integrated content areas using the best of the technology and exploration available at the time.
Meanwhile…back in the Regular MC…staff changes, administration changes, etc. made for some instability. However, some of this change proved golden. During these years I, being a nerd/techie/geek myself, loved having the technology for all students, and worked very, very hard to integrate engaging lessons using the technology and best practices for 21st Century Learning Skills. Most of this I did, and do, on my own time and dime. It was often my desire to see how to get the Regular MC kids to feel the same about their school experience as I saw the Tech Academy students. There was a clear difference. Was it about buy-in? Tipping points? Staff trained better, or just simply better? There was no time to think about causes and correlations, because just the job of teaching, getting my Boards, maintaining responsibilities in curriculum leadership and planning, etc. kept my focus, and I could embed engaging technology on my own terms. New teachers infused the staff with their passions about brain research, and another set of colleagues provided whole staff inspiration on their ‘water’ project. In other words, they tried to recreate on a larger scale what the enclave of the academy achieves regularly. But without support as a whole-school vision, these programs would stumble a bit, but overall, a great start. When we had teams at Regular MC, we planned Student Led Conferences, once the singularity of the Academy, but for years we incorporated and planned them, too. So that’s another area where the Academy wasn’t unique. But what were they doing and providing that was value-added? This question isn’t intended to make anyone defensive–having a cohort of students who get focus and attention with an excellent staff (although there has been a high turn-over in the 7th grade team), who continue up to the tech academy in high school, have a block schedule, (more time for instruction and learning), hands-on projects, and perhaps most importantly (speaking for my own bias) true integration with ELA/SS– this is what Common Core and great instruction is all about –learning about history with writing, reading, and critical thinking. These are great benefits to students in the academy. Could they be replicated whole school?Â
But now I’m on the other side. I’m the 7th grade Humanities teacher. I’m included in the conversations. One such the other day has got me to thinking– I sensed there may be a misconception about what “Regular MC” teachers have been doing while the Academy was chugging along. The idea that we were not doing PBL, or integrated content, or Student Led Conferences, or 21st century technology best practices, or or or….and that simply isn’t true. Did these misconnections create or sustain an ‘us’ versus ‘them’ with the students? One student this year said in an ASB election speech at first she didn’t want to come to our school (fear? reputation for fights?). The students actually gasped in the audience. (Don’t worry: she was still elected. But this is clearly more than a PR problem.)
A colleague mentioned that during parent conferences, some Academy parents worried we weren’t ‘tech enough.’ I didn’t get a chance for clarification, but perhaps that’s not necessary. If any parent’s perception is that we’re not tech enough, or creating a culture innovation, perhaps they have a point, because I’m not sure anyone is anymore.
In some ways, my district has become a shill for one brand of software products, and support for  others is discouraged. And, as if the Internet read my mind, just as I’m contemplating the role of teacher and technology, Mindshift publishes this article, “Rethinking the Role of Educator as Facilitator Amidst Tech Transformation.’ Well, I do believe students still want a human present in their lives to guide them, to smile a genuine smile, be happy they’re here, and listen to their ideas. It can’t be all Khan Academy or whatever new software/on-line class of the day.
But this is important: we teachers can help guide access and relevancy.
Listen to the story, “As Tech Firms Come to Oakland, So Do Hopes of Racial Diversity.”  Our students will forever be disengaged, and fearful, if they never see what the point is. This pragmatic and honest answer is the other side of this question: all the tech in the world means nothing if we don’t show greater possibilities for job, to show how to make a living, how things might look. The old conversations (horrible ones) of “you’ll be flipping burgers if you don’t do your homework” is grossly destructive. Many of their parents are in their 30s doing low-wage jobs, sometimes multiple ones, because doors have been closed or sent overseas for jobs that pay a living wage. So perhaps it’s up to us educators to learn about what are the new paths. And then show them the path. Help them map it out. Talk and teach them how to change or alter if something happens along the way.
Perhaps parents have the new American dream that their children will be giving TED talks on their genius invention, their children are prodigies and have the potential to invent, make, do, and create. Well guess what? Yes. This is the dream, the hope. So it’s up to the educational leaders, especially the classroom teacher, to help see this through. The very definition of leadership is just that — you take others to great places.
In terms of teaching, I am loving my double-content of social studies and language arts. I love my students, and love how they bring engagement, kindness, and yes–charged laptops– to class every day. What an honor. As far as my content area, I’m good at it, I planned it, and know how to garner resources and organize it. However, I’m on a island of one right now, though, and that’s not okay. I vow to continue to share ideas, both using technology, and when not to, and my expertise with the entire staff and students. It cannot be kept in bottle, and anyone who thinks it’s the domain of an enclave is not thinking of the whole vision, perhaps.
Integrating technology is not just for the young, or the experts, or the few. It is one of the last truly democratized, public and free sources of intellectual and academic pursuits.
Question: what role do academies have today? What should their mission statement and purpose include to their students, parents, school, and even district?Â
How does your district/school handle IT? How does it introduce new software, push out changes, or communicate a change of protocols or access? My district is huge, and its tech department world-class. The idea of the IT folks sitting in a cluttered, coffee-stained office is out of date, although it still makes me giggle:
My own encounters with tech support have been mostly, by my own account, completely humble and respectful. These are the women and men who get things DONE, and it’s best not to  display any emotion less than humility. I confess, however, my instructional strategies have been a bit frazzled of late, because cornerstones of my teaching have had changes in registration protocols that I was unaware of, and cause some loss of instructional time, and instructional planning time. Loss of any time is a teaching sin. (These are superlative reading sites, and I urge you to take a look for yourself: Actively Learn and NewsELA.) I know things will be fixed (they weren’t broken in the first place, but now that they are, will be right again–soon I hope).
The issue came about when three programs: NewsELA, Actively Learn, and a pilot program of Canvas (but this is a separate issue) went in control of my district. Supposedly they always were in control, but I had access via my own email accounts, etc.) I spent hours creating and setting up classes, and then those classes ‘disappeared’ the other day. Of course they didn’t really disappear, because with computers there is no ghost in the machine, only humans, doing human things. I contacted customer service/IT about Actively Learn first, and after a week’s worth of e-mails, and going up the chain of command, the mystery was solved: they didn’t have my correct e-mail (even though it’s accessible via my district), and once they registered me, took away all of my original classes, reloaded them (or whatever the technical term is–glowing button?) into my roster sets. The only issue now is my roster sets are not the same as my actual class rosters, so I’ll have to do a work-around every time I assign reading.
My doggedness is driven by the fact I LOVE these programs, especially Actively Learn. NewsELA is also fantastic for Lexile-leveled informational and timely news articles, perfect for pairing with fictional texts. Students can read at their Lexile level, and push up the level when they, or you, think they need to step just outside of that zone…you know…that zone of proximal development we hear so much about (even though it’s about 100 years old–just because something is ‘old’ doesn’t mean it’s bad).
The Canvas pilot will also be fixed too–as it stands, I and another teacher share our rosters on closed sites, meaning, if she ‘publishes’ her Cavans class the announcement and access will go to my students, too, and at this point if I confuse the little chipmunks anymore with log-ins and class codes they will surely have a much-deserved meltdown. She is so enthusiastic about Canvas, I can feel my metaphorical arms getting shaky by trying to reign her in.
We are a Microsoft-based campus, and going to Google Classroom is not an option. The choice of products and services isn’t one I have a voice in, nor do I have a voice in sharing what I’m a master in with technology: digital writing and publishing. However, I have an idea of how to present this to my colleagues during PLCs, so our little enclave will bounce ideas back and forth on how to share writing/text ideas. I am fortunate to have a new colleague in my PLC group who completely gets me when it comes to my love of engaging technology–we may be PC and Mac, but we’re still friends:
He was the one who showed me the new powers of what PDFs can do after a Google Docs fiasco. (It shall forever be known as the Great Emoji Purple Pen Hack of ’15.)
So: onward! I’d like to know who are your ‘go-to’s’ when it comes to tech support–not just at a district level, but your own local PLNs, your friend down the hall, or colleague cross town. I hope folks consider me a go-to, too. I know where the glowing button is.
Sometimes I wonder how we adults take a stance on things we do not do well ourselves: sometimes we don’t get it right when it comes to social media etiquette, so how can we expect our students to do so? We are all connected and wired to one another, and have equally sized megaphones drowning out respect and ideas. Determining when to cut loose or when to strengthen bonds is challenging sometimes. My decade-long love affair with the written word on a computer screen is still in the honeymoon phase. But not all my friends and colleagues have enjoyed this delicious means of  communication. Mordechai Luchins wrote an article for GeekDad, “Why You Should Teach Your Kids to Unfriend Without Guilt.” The take-away:
Remember, your feed/wall is your digital home. If you see that someone is not someone you’d want to invite to hang out in your real house, why would you invite them into your virtual one?
We haven’t had guests in our real home in a long time: this weekend my brother-in-law is coming out for some July 4th hijinks: it was great to have this real goal of getting the house back in some shape: it’s not a dirty house, but became cleaner. We pushed to get our air conditioning fixed, and did other house projects. Point being: we do decide how we want to present ourselves in our real and digital lives. Be mindful, and hopeful. There are some rules of thumb, though, you may want to keep in mind (and help students understand, too).
3. Be clear in intent: I cannot help or defend when someone thinks I’m self-promoting, self-aggrandizing, or proselytizing. To be fair, if someone knows me well, they know I am a thinker and curious. Sometimes this ‘seeing all sides’ thing drives my husband crazy, who is capable of seeing a situation or controversy in clean lines. Since being judged as someone who is just a pot-stirrer, I am increasingly mindful of stating intent in potentially controversial posts. But I reserve the right to state a claim, too.
4. Perspective. The Internet has done a great job at creating a chum-bucket of click bait. If you intend to litigate every post, you will have no time to watch those cat videos. Be respectful of perspectives, and don’t lose sight that people bring a whole lot of unspoken personal truths with them everywhere they go, virtual spaces most of all.
5. Share and Share Alike. If you link an article or idea that someone else has written a statement or idea about, link the entire thing, including their comment or insight. You are welcome to state your own ideas/opinions in your forum.
6. Share and Shake It Off. If someone forgets to @yournamehere, let it go, too. The Internet is an echo chamber, and inherently serves the intention and will to repost and share good articles and ideas. What fascinates me is how it’s altered the art of conversation: our minds work like Reddit feeds now: layer upon layer, so far down the rabbit hole, we can’t possibly keep track of everything that sparks our interests.
7. No Quarter. If you still see someone’s posts, but they never comment on yours or give you a ‘thumb’s up,’ it means they’ve hidden your posts; you’re not ‘unfriended.’ In my personal experience, I can only infer that I have posted way too many controversial/political posts and it’s fatiguing for  most colleagues. It’s okay. Curate your own information, too. (Pinterest has become my haven for my virtual bulletin boards, as has Tumblr.)
8. U and Me. Don’t assume everything posted by a colleague is their personal gospel: perhaps they are wanting to engage a conversation about a topic and get different points of view. I know that is why I post many things, because I am curious, not judgmental. I enjoy thinking about something from many perspectives. (See #3.)
9. Sins. We humans, so full of flaws. I have had to hide friends’ posts because I can’t see one more shot of their toes in Hawaiian surf, or when someone pontificates in political diatribe that offers no room for dialogue. It’s not that I don’t want them to have their vacation, of course I do, and I truly honor free speech. But these things can distract us from our core selves, and get our own purposes splintered.
Though this is intended for business, it serves us educators, too: (Click to make larger.)
10. Fuggedaboutit. As my esteemed friend says, Rule #10 is break the rules. If it’s important to you to say and think, you will find a way to do so. Nothing is as protected as a good, old-fashioned journal or idea list.
Yesterday, I decided to break up with Facebook. I don’t even want to be “just FB friends.” I didn’t totally disable my account, but did venture there. The fine borgs at Facebook presented me with a survey of reasons why I was considering this move. The questions were a bit loaded and self-serving, in my opinion.
These should be considered as possible reasons why:
Because others misunderstand your posts
Because the political views of strangers and family members gives you panic attacks at the level of willful ignorance and inflexibility in thought
If you get one more request to work on the collective kibbutz of Farmville you will go insane
Your body language, smile, big brown eyes, laugh, and nuances are lost in the bandwidth, and have become irrelevant here.
I also found out this morning that “it is strongly suggested” that we educators do not include a certain group amongst our contacts. If anything, this “group” should be encouraged most of all to have proper Internet interactions modeled: courtesy, kindness, and knowing when NOT to post an opinion or every passing thought. Are we furthering distancing ourselves from helping each other? Is this the paradox of a ‘social’ network? I realize blaming Facebook is like blaming a grocery store for selling cookies and ice cream along with apples and grapes: they’re just providing a (commercialized) service. It’s not Facebook, but how others, and myself, use it. If I’ve abused the power of distancing myself between conflict, collaboration, or conceit via a social network then shame on me.
I will go back on Facebook soon to do two things:
1. Write each of the “friends” I must drop why I need to do this
2. Send myself an email list of those I need to know and cherish – some of these old friends are too important and wonderful to lose in the noise and steam
Wonderful colleague posts this question to the universe: Calling ALL opinions: students are reading below grade level (anywhere from 5 to 1 year behind) and I want to do a book study to meet some CORE standards. Can I use one that isn’t at grade level? Or is that just making it too easy? Is it OK to use any book as long as it is higher than their current level of performance? Weigh in…and not just teachers!
My quick response:I have a lot to say about this, but Lucy Calkins said it well: “I want to know when I am about to ski down the black diamond slope.” In other words, make the reading levels AND the student’s current reading abilities as transparent as possible, with the key ingredient: Once they know, teach the hell out of how they can improve. I have “let go” so much regarding levels as far as what they “should” be reading – I encourage ANY kind of reading–comic books, picture books, fairy tales, graphic novels, cereal boxes, video game quest logs, you name it. In fact, on the MSP there is a place for “functional” reading–which I agree with. Being able to read a functional document means a functional adult (or a greatly improved chance). I stress, stress, stress to my students if you don’t understand it and can’t talk about it, you’re not “reading” –you’re faking it. So, encourage them if they want to read something higher than their “level” but let them know they are going to have to approach it a bit differently. And, they can get deep meaning out of any narrative or information they find interesting and meaningful to them.
So, here’s what I’m thinking: In order to get my own head on straight for this upcoming, topsy-turvy year, this week I will do a series all about reading, and my reflections on its process, purpose, and perpetuating the pursuit.
I would love any guest bloggers to engage with their philosophies, strategies, and reflections on this as well — what have you tried that worked with the majority of your students, and what have you tried that worked with the minority of your students?
Speaking, writing, and signing are the three ways in which a language lives and breathes. They are the three mediums through which a language is passed on from one generation to the next. If a language is a healthy language, this is happening all the time. Parents pass their language on to their children, who pass it on to their children … and the language lives on.
Languages like English, Spanish, and Chinese are healthy languages. They exist in spoken, written, and signed forms, and they’re used by hundreds of millions of people all over the world. But most of the 6,000 or so of the world’s languages aren’t in such a healthy state. They’re used by very few people. The children aren’t learning them from their parents. And as a result the languages are in real danger of dying out.
I like the parts when we can download different apps. For instance there are different sections like social networking, games, etc. I like how if we exit out of the music it still plays. Also when you buy the iPod it comes with the main things like: calendar, weather, mail, stocks, maps, clock, YouTube, calculator, notes, contacts, internet, iTunes, and videos.
 The parts that I dislike about you are when you freeze out of nowhere. When you can’t get apps without, putting a password into it so we are able to get the app.
I need you because I like listening to music. I need you because when I can’t internet from my laptop I can use you to get on the internet. When I get to play games because I get bored waiting for the metro. When a party gets boring and when I can get like spin the bottle or truth or dare.
I don’t know what I would do without you. Like I think it would be hard if I couldn’t reach the internet with my laptop I would need to use an iPod.
 What I do with you is play games. I go on the internet so I can contact my family members in the Philippines. Also I just listen to music when I’m feeling down.
Â
Dear C.A.
I like you, too. I will try to perform as I should. Maybe you should consider becoming an app developer someday, and creating the world the way you want it to be.
