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If we ever thought we didn't need to help kids understand context and meaning in media, we were mistaken.

What do you think of this?

Danielle, That's precisely the question I want everyone thinking about. We truly focus so much of our energies on getting the format down and getting the "i's" dotted and "t's" crossed, and for many of the students we teach, that is completely necessary; however, as we begin to look at the next phase of what we'd like to do in the district which includes more than just being "proficient" on some state test, can we blend some of the thinking in this post into what we are doing. And as for making people angry, my advice is that you don't get the results you really want without making a few people angry along the way. Not that you try to, but when you know that what you are doing will make your students better, you just go with it.

Pat - I'd love to share this post with the kids or incorporate parts of it. I have to say that the best writing that the kids have done is usually the writing they do when we're in class and they just write. One of the hardest parts of teaching English is having to read 130 well constructed essays that follow the rubric but are so dry and boring that I have to restrain myself from stabbing my eyes out with my pen. It all goes back to the fact that in our H.S. the kids can write a great 5 paragraph essay or write persuasively but they have NO VOICE and I feel that the stress on structure and grammar could be why they have no voice. Interesting - we should discuss this a bit at our next Connections meeting!

This author brings up the question that I've wrestled with before: just because we can, does it mean that we should? Or should our abilities always go to make us more human?

Did you watch the "This American Life' cartoon? That is exactly what you are describing, where even the premise of creating news shows altered how kids behaved in the face of a situation that called for social action. It raises the question for me of "should the kids know more how to operate the high tech camera, or when to step out from behind it and act?"

Yeah I watched the cartoon and saved it in hopes that I can show it to my students one day and have that discussion. I think they NEED to know how to step out and act - being a good person and citizen should always be number one and if they do that then they will use their technology for the best things! I love these diigo posts - thanks!

Tomlinson article detailing the emotional needs of learners in the classroom.

The Gen We video. intrigueing stuff. I wonder what the reaction would be if we showed this to high school teachers? Would they see the same ideasl in their students?

This one is a no-brainer--meaning that not only should we be reading it, we should also be creating our schools in its likeness.

I'd like to think that we are doing this through the Connections class.

Great article from the Google Blog about who they want and how to promote thinking skills in the classroom.

Read this. It's worth it.

What do we think of our current definition of literacy? Does it effectively encompass all of the changes we have undergone as readers and thinkers?

Some of these are very pertinent to what we are doing and show the amazing diversity of what we can accomplish.

I am dropping this in your mailboxes today.

Do we promote creativity in the classroom? Can we through the use of writing and analysis?

This one is a no-brainer--meaning that not only should we be reading it, we should also be creating our schools in its likeness.

Interesting idea.

What would happen if we taught athletics primarily through the use of textbooks? What would happen if we taught academics primarily through hands-on experience?

What do you think of this? For the best part of the article, be sure to read the comments.

Interesting article and comments but it all just makes me mad. I work to hard everyday and spend to much time away from my baby to hear constant criticisms about teaching, especially when I go above and beyond to put everything online yet no one ever looks at it. Great now I"m annoyed Thanks Pat :) LOL not your fault.

Danielle, Sorry about that; the intent was not to upset you, but rather to let everyone see that there is a balancing act that is going on all over the country. One of the commentors stated that "this is here to stay, so everyone get used to it," and while I didn't appreciate his or her closed tone, he or she has a point: it's here. Finding a balance between what is communicated, how it is communicated, and how to best maximize the time we spend doing the communicating in addition to the lives that we lead outside of school is now a huge issue. It is now a major discussion point in many of the meetings I attend, and I think the answer will come out after we muddle through it for a little while. There are so many new changes this year regarding openness and transparency, I think we will find that balance after a bit of trial and error with it.

I really like the piece she infuses here about the limits on student writing--there shouldn't be. Too often we only allow students to write that which we can grade. Why?

What a blast. We played with this today when we were trying to find some interesting ways for our Advanced Drama students to warm up.

Kevin Kelly writes about how reading has changed from a silent, individual pastime to one that is collaborative, more physical pursuit.