Friday, April 22, 2011

Now WATCH This!

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what about a moving picture? The plethora of short (and sometimes long) videos available in the internet is staggering. Of course, not everything is worth viewing, but enough of it is that we're featuring some online videos you may not already be familiar with in this week's post. (Yes, I know I'm a day late. Sorry.)

For this week's assignment, we want you to complete one of the options below and report back.

Option 1: A Video that could impact the way you work with kids

Robert Talbert, Assistant Principal at CRMS, turned me on to this video from the author's of Change Anything. The video is 8:22 long, and could easily be used with students. In fact, Robert is having success showing it to students who need to change their behavior or else they are going end up in his office.

ASSIGNMENT for Option 1: After viewing this video, explain how you could incorporate it into work with students.

Option 2: Your own life-long learning with TED Talks
Anyone who knows me well (and even not so well) knows that I love TED Talks. The annual TED Conference invites leading thinkers to give "the talk of their lives" in 18 minutes or less. When I first discovered them (they are available online and in video and audio format on iTunes), I listened to them while I worked out, while I gardened, while I drove to work--basically I couldn't get enough of them! The TED Talk site offers a collection of fascinating topics ranging from education, science, music, and more. No matter the topic, I'm always left with something interesting to think about. I know that if I were still in the classroom I would figure out a way to incorporate some of them into my classroom. However, I think our own life-long learning is nearly as important as the learning we inspire in our classroom. Here are a few of my favorites:

Ken Robinson Says Schools Kill Creativity
Dan Gilbert Asks Why Are We Happy
Benjamin Zander on Music and Passion

ASSIGNMENT for Option 2: Watch one of the TED Talks above OR find visit the TED site and find one that interests you. Come back here and tell us what you think about TED.

Option 3: One of the coolest things I've seen lately
I stumbled upon this video a couple months ago. The content of the talk (changing paradigms in education) is fascinating, but almost even more appealing is the way the information is rendered--graphically. Basically, this hour-long talk is condensed to its highlights (11 minutes) and then rendered with what appears to be real-time (but probably isn't) drawing. It's amazing. Go watch it. Now.

ASSIGNMENT for Option 3: Watch the video then come back here and offer a comment about the content of the talk. What ideas most resonated with you?
Posted by Kimberly Allison at 2:32 PM
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Marie Page (CH)'s avatar

Marie Page (CH) · 728 weeks ago

I viewed option # 3 and thought that the video animation of the changing paradigms in education was very interesting and so true. We do often had students take drugs to surpress their actions and then they are sleepy in class. I thought that it was also sad that a kindergartener had more ideas about the use of a paperclip and as they got older they had less ideas and this is so true. Kids in high school are less adapt to rise their hands to offer answers to questions then when in the primary grades. We do need more collaboration in school. Great video. Cool too
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Ben Todd (CH)'s avatar

Ben Todd (CH) · 727 weeks ago

I watched the first video. I could see this as a way to teach kids about will power and personal motivation. I might have kids define those words from prior knowledge before the video, then define them again afterwards using imformation from the video. It may also be interesting to have them provide examples of how some of the negative influences mentioned in the video, peer pressure for example, impact their own will power in and out of school. The only drawback might be the age of the kids in the video. I'm hoping junior high students won't immediately dismiss the message of the video simply because 10 year olds are the ones delivering the message.
3 replies · active 726 weeks ago
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Kimberly's avatar

Kimberly · 726 weeks ago

I bet you could set the stage in such a way that they could accept the message . . . perhaps tell students the scenario before showing them the video and ask them to predict what what they think would happen . . . then show the video. Maybe even ask them to consider why the authors of the book decided to have 10-year-olds deliver the message. Do they think it was effective? Why?
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Ben Todd (CH)'s avatar

Ben Todd (CH) · 726 weeks ago

I did not show the video but had an impromptu conversation about motivation and ownership of ones grades, as they are one of the few things students at the 8th grade level are completely responsible for. That conversation then morphed into a talk about finding that one thing that they really enjoy or good at and using that as motivation to do well in school, even in the classes they find boring or are not successful in.
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Kimberly's avatar

Kimberly · 726 weeks ago

Speaking of motivation . . . check out this resourse from last semester's class. I think Pink's findings are fascinating! http://learnandearnsecondary2.blogspot.com/2010/1...
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Hilary Hall (CH)'s avatar

Hilary Hall (CH) · 727 weeks ago

I watched the third video. This is actually the second time someone suggested I watch it but I couldn't get through it the first time. I think the reason is that whenever anyone has ideas about how to change the education system, there's not too much I can do about it. What he is proposing (learning groups based on preference of size, or based on talent rather than age) would require a complete reformat of the system and isn't very likely to happen any time soon. However, I try to not be discouraged and think of how I incorporate some of his key points into my daily lessons: most of the learning takes place as a group and while activating as many of their senses as possible (but I still grade on an individual basis). I allow them often to choose to work in a group or by themselves if they prefer (most choose groups but some do not). It also makes me think about how in our district our outcomes and indicators are more of the "non-academic" requirements that he was talking about (but students aren't really "graded" on these so most think they are useless whether or not they actually use them).
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Paul Campbell (CH)'s avatar

Paul Campbell (CH) · 727 weeks ago

I viewed the 1st video. This video is simple and well put together, where kids of all ages could understand the point trying to be made to the students.Two of the major challenges we face at the Junior High Level is motivation and understanding the importance of changing poor habits. Many students at the 8th grade level have the idea that 8th grade doesn't count because the grades don't go on their permanent transcript. Therefore they aren't motivated to work hard. What they are not understanding is that the skills that are focused on in the 8th grade are to help them succeed in high school. Using a video like this within a lesson or discussion about developing good habits might help them understand that it's in their best interests to change their behavior before "it counts!".
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
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Kimberly's avatar

Kimberly · 726 weeks ago

I would also suggest you do a little search and see what you can find online about Dan Pink's book "Drive." In it he debunks traditional idea of carrot and stick motivation. I'm reading it right now and think there are lots of classroom applications.

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