iDo Connects

We spent some time early in the school year discussing the topic of Language Arts versus "English class" and the relevancy of our class when it comes to not only communicating clearly, but also connecting.

When I was in school we had "English Class". I always thought, "I already know English." The name itself implied a sort of boring, mechanical, "Science-Esque" content area that was filled with the memorization of boring, non-exact rules moreso than a skill class (which actually is). What we really had was "English Art Class". What we were truly learning was not just English, but the tools and techniques of the language and how to use them effectively, at times, efficitently, but always...to their fullest potential (as well as we could). If Art Class teaches the use of brushes, canvases, and oils to visually communicate...we use words, sentences, and compositions to reach people in much the same way.

But regardless of that discussion, the focus turned to connection. If we merely communicate we are never truly achieving the maximum potential of our skills nor of the language. WE NEED TO CONNECT.

The crazy lady talking to the mall wall is not connecting no matter what she says. The mother nagging her child to take out the trash is not communicating regardless of how many times she repeats herself or how loudly she repeats herself. And in the same way, we can practice our language art tools and techniques until we the Van Goghs of room 36, but if we don't connect with others as we communicate....we've worked in vain (or at least until we are discovered post-mortemly like Dickinson- but then again she did end of connecting).

Last night my students connected with me and each other......outside of class. I made an announcement to 3 of my four sections regarding a study session I would be hosting a study session online from 20:00 - 21:00h. I asked them to simply stop by our online classroom and login to the chat room we use called "iDo Talk" for a Study Chat. To my amazement, when I logged in at 20 sharp, about 13 students had already been in chatting and reviewing for over 30 minutes! As I came in they greeted me and we began to study, review, and discuss exam topics for the next 60 minutes. During that time a total of 21 students logged in, engaged with me and each other and connected on the topic of basic sentence structures and sentence inversions. For 60 minutes, they communicated clearly...reviewed...connnected and it was a blast. Good job on grasping the basics of Language Arts iDo!

iDo Generation's Setbacks

Here's a tally of setbacks I find with the iDo generation. This will be an updated list as I find setbacks that keep them from being totally better over the older, more traditional student generations.

- They can't read before they click - and - do. They will skip reading any directions or information that will help them and go right for the hyperlinks and interactive stuff. What makes them great also holds them down for now. Not having any idea of how to do something or even if that something is part of their assignment...they click - and - do. Shame on you iDo'er for not taking the time to read, but I can't say I blame you.

From Half-Group to iDo

When watching a Screencast on "How to Edit a Wiki", can you differentiate which question is posed by a traditional student versus an iDO student?

"So when is this due?"

"So what happens if I edit the wiki and I don't have time to finish it..Should I publish or cancel?"

Answer: The second is the iDo student.

So I renamed my classes today from "Half-Group" classes to "iDo" classes. Why? Simple. My half-group classes are not about the fact that they are a half-group. Instead, they are about the fact that what they create in class is done almost entirely by them. This is the first generation I have taught that when the question asked is: "Does anyone know how to work this computer/cell phone/dvd player/iPod?" they respond "I Do." They know....a 12 year old can. It is my hope that each student will leave this class at the end of the year being able to say "I did that." As in "I made that," "I participated in that," I tried that." See what I mean?

What really initiated the change was when yet another class grasped for the comfort in questions that have developed after years of education by spoon-feeding. Years of education where students are not students, but machines that consume whatever WE GIVE them. Then, when they are in an environment where they are given little and expected to do much...all of a sudden they can't do. Questions easily answered by reading a short sentence from their computer screens (or maybe some answered by simply listening, watching, thinking, or clicking) become their focus. Their focus shifts from accomplishing the task through discovery to panic and fear because the teacher stopped feeding. They stop asking questions about the specific environment they're working within and start really questioning what in world happened to their cozy classroom environment they've come to know so well.

Later, they tell their peers "it was boring".

I believe Boredom is a mental/emotional/spiritual state that can be used to describe few moments in life as long as we interact and immerse with our environment. Even if the interest is feigned, boredom is not a possible outcome. I think it is impossible! I DO think students often confuse the word "boredom" for "non-understanding". It's not that they were bored, but they just didn't get it. And by that I mean they didn't follow why something was happening or the attempted-outcome from within their environment (and this is not always their fault...there can be many external factors...but in the end we are all the Kings of our own selves)

No More.

My students will not be defined by what "group they are in". My students will not be "bored". My students will not be "spoon-fed". My students will respond to the question: "Who knows why (and how) Web 2.0 can be used as a tool for communicating clearly and effectively?" they will respond in unison: "iDO!". They will not be merely "consumers". They will be INTERACTIVE, IMMERSED, EMPOWERED DIGESTERS that can say "iDo" and "ICAN"!

Good-Bye "Half-Groups"! WELCOME "iDO"!!!!

Password Pains?

Forget the super hard to crack password you made up last month for that website you only ocassionally visit? Like to use the same password all the time because you figure, "Whatever. It won't happen to me."?

Check this out! Never forget or use a hi-risk password again!

Watch this Screencast by Steve Uddell to see how it works.

Microsoft makes it Hard...

...but open source makes it easy.

Find out more here on how to leave your Office and not worry about losing your pay (free business and office tools and suites).

Ahem...you're welcome.

We are Here to Share

Yesterday morning I walked into my classroom greeting my new roomate. He's a veteran teacher with many years in and so much more accomplished. It would be a task not possible this early in the morning to describe and sum his accomplishments nice and neat for you to read. Let me just say that he lifts me up every mroning with a hearty greeting, good trivia, and great conversation.

But yesterday morning I wasn't greeted in the same way.

As I crossed the threshold of my room and slathered him with a quote from The Hulk, I heard a dim response followed by a series of complaints about his laptop. Apparently, he really needed something from his laptop before school and he had reached his frustration limit trying to access it. While this is not a new problem at our school, it was a new situation for me to see someone presently struggling with a technological challenge that wasn't very complicated. He was very upset and it was rubbing off.

I asked him to pause.

I walked over to my iGroove and found my Hillsong playlist. I then asked him to sit down and listen to the words. As the music played I asked him to reflect on his past life as a teacher and recall all of those moments that he didn't have a computer and didn't need one to do his job. I reminded him that his job was not defined by what is inside his computer, but WAS defined by what was inside his mind and, more importantly, his heart. That we are here to share ourselves and what we know and if a computer can help us do that...super!

But if not, we are more than able to serve our students for either way we are simply here to share. Share wisdom, share knowledge, share laughs, and share love. I share this with you now so that in your trying times which Web 2.0 may have, and if not, will surely bring, you can remember what is important about what we do as educators. It never, truly, has to be more complicated.

So as I talked I told him that today would be a day where the computers get stashed and we rely on the simple tools God gave us to teach. We were born with all the tools we need to reach our students. I walked over and closed his laptop and unplugged it's lifeforces...I then did the same with mine. He looked at me a bit in awe and a bit with gratitude and alot with a look that seemed to contemplate my sanity. But it was good.

Luckily the IT guy for our building came over about 15 minutes later and was able to fix his laptop. But mine was fixed and working well in my desk drawer...where it stayed until this morning and I had one of the best teaching days of my career. Thanks Davy!

A good Rule to 2.0 By...

Web Safety Rules: I will check to make sure that my spelling; punctuation and grammar help me to say what I want to say.