This is a summarization, not of this weeks inquiry, but rather of what has rattled out of my brain this afternoon as a combination of my thinking about the two courses I have been taking these past two weeks: Teaching YA literature and Media and Technologies in the School Library Program.
I got to thinking about Michelle Bertrand’s comment this morning about needing to not do too much all at once. I have been thinking about this lately in relation to the idea of Smog that Christine Bodt brought forward. I think that we can really get bogged down in too much information, ideas, and approaches that we get overwhelmed and don’t do any one thing well. As a solution to this I feel that it might be better to pick one or two things that speak to us and to try and do them well, whether it is mastering new technology or deciding on basic units of study for the school year.
The other snippit that has been swimming around in my head has been Jenny’s constant asking of WHY. Why are you using a technology? Why are you buying a technology? Why are you doing a specific activity? I am not annoyed by this question but rather am very appreciative of her asking it. Without answering the why in education we are potentially floundering without a clear purpose, potentially feeling a little lost. I think this can also be true for students as they work their way through adolescents but also the school system; sometimes they feel a little lost. They are constantly asking why they need to learn a particular content and, I believe, that we need to have a good answer for them. I personally hate doing something “just because” so why would that be an acceptable answer to any of my students. I realize that I tend to focus more in a school year on the learning outcomes that I can answer student’s questions of why to.
In combining these two ideas of: need to focus on a few items and need to answer the “Why” in all things educational, I came up with a three point focus for my upcoming school year. Here are my key points of focus for both myself and my students:
1. Why. Ask the question why! Why are you here? Why is learning important? Why are each of your subjects important? Why do you want to learn? Why is the sky blue? Why did the author write that line? Why did the person draw he picture they did? Why do we explore space? Why do fractions matter? …
- I believe this question of “Why” will help to develop the anchor of curiosity that is such an important factor in student lead inquiry.
- I believe that students knowing the answers to why we are doing specific activities, assignments or subjects will help them to remain engaged because they see the value or pay of being engaged and sticking with it.
- I believe that having my students push these questions upon me will force to be constantly thinking about my practice and therefore forcing myself to make it better.
2. Literacy and Multi-literacy. I plan to teach my students the concept of literacy and to build their understanding of the different types of literacies that exist and the importance of developing each type. I plan to talk about print based literacy, digital literacy, visual literacy, scientific literacy, musical literacy, information literacy, media literacy, social-emotional literacy…
- This is the buy-in piece for my students, if they can understand that all of the curriculum that we cover and all of the activities that we do are done with the intention of helping them to become literate individuals, they will hopefully participate in a more fully invested manner.
- Having developed the scaffolding of literacies at the beginning of the year can help me to reconnect students to their purpose at school when they loose focus or become frustrated. It is a framework that reasons for their engaged participation.Hopefully this is the answer to their “why.”
- Serves as a big picture reminder for me when I am lesson planning, and in those moments when I am having a hard time answering “why.”
- This is also my connection to the content I have been exploring my YA lit class and exploring the different ways that we communicate information and the skill set that is required in order to do so.
3. What can I do to make myself the best person I can be? Encouraging students to pose this question can help them academically but, in particular, is intended to help build their social-emotional intelligence and skills.
- So often in my class we have to stop and deal with the social issues that are so much a part of adolescents and just plain being in middle school. I think that this question can help reframe a lot of the issues that my students face.
- I can use this question a conversation starter with my students when social issues arise and helps students think about their own values in relationship to a problem or social issue.
- I also see this question as a useful tool in classroom management. No student can tell me that sitting there doing nothing is contributing to the best person they can be or that berating someone else portrays them in a good way.
- This is also the outlet for conversations about netiquette, cyberbullying, and appropriate use of technology.
So this is my “big theme” plan for the year. A big picture map to help guide my way. A bit edutopian, I know, but I am a teacher after all! 🙂