Teacher Bytes

Last week our school held two meetings about raising student achievement. One meeting was with students who were in danger of failing two or more classes or what could be termed a “Come to Jesus” meeting (no religion was actually preached). The other was with parents and community members to discuss the problem. To promote the parent/community meeting I was commissioned to produce three videos which were placed on a community blog via YouTube. The videos featured our cluster’s Academic Improvement Officer, a school board member, the local high school principal, and our school’s principal. Video themes included what is the problem with student achievement, what are some ways to raise student achievement, and why should the community come and offer their input. I will only bore you with the first video on this blog, you can click here to view the rest. The meeting was also videoed and posted on YouTube.

The ideas mentioned in all the videos and meetings have generated a larger discussion that will, hopefully, turn at-risk students around. Here is a sample of some of the things said. Students and parents need to get over the notion that students do not need to feel totally comfortable because facing challenges should not be comforting. Here is an old cry, parents need to get more involved in their child’s education (my mother would counter that educators chased parents away years ago). Get rid of televisions and video games so students can focus more on their studies. A stricter retention policy with mandatory summer school for students with up to two failing grades and being held back with more than two failing grades. Another summer program for rising 9th graders who are struggling before being allowed to enter high school. One participant did mention students need to prepare for careers that have not been invented yet.

However, I was disappointed no one brought up the idea that today’s students may learn or even think differently than in the past. Nor did anyone mention today’s students work better with more technological tools than the ones used in schools. In other words the Digital Native – Digital Immigrant divide. Since I was not invited I am going to mention it here and now. Over the last three years or so I have unscientifically observed students, including my 13-year old son, and have come to the conclusion today’s student learn better using technology. One challenging World Geography class I had were always a pain when I lectured. Yet, when I got them on to computers to let them do projects I assigned the change was near miraculous. They worked hard and I never had to write a discipline referral. The projects they would produce were actually very informative and creative. I always wonder what might have transpired if I had more access to computers. My son has used a, gasp, video game to help point him to a career path that will hopefully have him gainfully employed, out of the house, and able to help his parents in their old age. Also, he and a classmate produced a really good video (others said it so its not parental bragging and you can see for yourself) for his reading class. The amazing thing, I did not have to help him very much, just show him how to get the video from the Flip to the computer and the basics of Windows Movie Maker. My Web Media Production Class is working very hard, especially when they realized their work was actually being viewed by people outside of school. It may take a little bit of time for students to get used to using “their tools” for educational purposes but when they get it – watch out!

In my last year of teaching at the high school level, I had a somewhat difficult World Geography class. This class is usually comprised of Freshman who are trying to adjust to the riggers of high school academic life. In my observations of the class and its actions and reactions to my teaching: the most successful classes where the ones where I let the students get on the computers and do research on their own.

Yesterday was the first day in which I allowed the teams to do independent work. Two teams were working on editing videos they had shot last week and the other teams were researching their video assignments. All of the students were engaged in their assignments. Some of the teams were sent to other classes to access computers for their research and they were always engaged whenever I went to check on them.

After the class was over, a couple of teachers who teach in the hall where my class is commented about how hard the students were working on their projects. They were amazed 6th grade students did not need me to stand behind them to keep them on task. I was proud of my students and I am sure this little experiment is going well. While there will be problems, there have been many, this is an encouraging sign. Soon I should be able to share with you the fruits of students’ labors.

Imagine the power to hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people to your cause? How could you do it? Yesterday, February 4th, millions of Colombians around the world protested the violent actions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia aka FARC. How were organizers from a South American country able to rally so many in less than three weeks to a cause the mainstream press rarely mentions? The answer is the social networking site Facebook.

Miss Veronica, our Colombian Bi-lingual Liaison at our school , proudly wore a t-shirt in the colors of the Colombian flag protesting FARCS actions. On the back of that shirt is a picture of her grandfather who was kidnapped by FARC rebels over 13 years ago. The group was started in 1964 by Colombian Communists. Today, FARC uses kidnapping, terrorist tactics, and illegal drug smuggling to finance and bring attention to their cause.

I assigned students in my Web Media Communications class to interview Ms. Veronica about the protest for our class show. During their research, the team noticed Facebook was used to turn this protest into a worldwide event. Recently social networking sites are constantly maligned in the press again for a variety of reasons, usually causing some harm to children. However, it should be noted how one social networking site was used to communicate to millions of people the call to show Colombia they are not alone in their struggle to maintain peace and justice in a country with a perception of lawlessness. This use of Facebook will not go unnoticed as political campaigns, activist groups, and businesses will see the benefits of social networking sites to rally people. Schools too could use social networking sites to rapidly distribute information and seek support whenever needed.