Investigations

I was rummaging through an old filing cabinet last week when I came upon a folder that had slipped down below the other files. I pulled it out from the bottom of the cabinet, opened the file folder, and looked down on a stack of yellowing papers that looked as if they had been stashed away during the Nixon administration. The papers reveled themselves to be original research my students had done back in the 90s on the impact of media on teenagers’ self-perception. My students had put together a questionnaire, for their schoolmates on media usage and self-perception.

One of the questions was especially poignant:

If there were one thing about your appearance that you could change, what would it be?

I held their dusty answers in my hands and wondered if reading these surveys was an invasion of privacy. Was it really any of my business what these students thought about themselves? I wavered, and returned the file to the cabinet. But sitting at my desk, looking longingly at my file cabinet, I thought: these students graduated ten years ago; their responses were anonymous. And besides, I was really curious. I got the files back out and read the students' answers one at a time:

If there were one thing about your appearance that you could change, what would it be?

·      I like the way I look; it makes me who I am. If I had to change something I guess I would give myself less fragile nails so I wouldn’t have to keep them super short.

·      Legs and face

·      Flexibility

·      I would probably like to be 10 pounds lighter and have lighter eye color.

·      I wish I were thinner

·      Less hair: I hate shaving

·      I would change my chest proportion. I would change my feet size. I would change my veiny eyes

·      This is an interesting/hard question. Coming from someone who has a low self-esteem, there are several things I’d like to change about me but I’ve come to accept most of my flaws and appreciate them. One thing I’d like to change the most would be my upper legs, haha. Ah well. We can’t be perfect right?

·      I would have a different nose

·      Probably height…would want to have long legs

·      Hmm wouldn’t want to age

·      I don’t know. I wish that I could change my face. Not too Attractive.

I put the file down and wiped my eyes. It was heartbreaking to think of all these lovely young people thinking about their flaws instead of their beauty. And all this was before the internet tsunami that's swamped our lives have become since these questions were asked. I read on, hoping for more people whose worst flaws were their nails.

If there were one thing about your appearance that you could change, what would it be?

·      Hmm…prob the bone structure on my face because I don’t really have defined cheekbones.

·      Smaller lower body

·      18 inch waist FOR SURE

·      um, how about my entire bone structure!?!? I’m SO bulky; But if it had to be something humanly possible (as opposed to complete bone structure implants), my weight.

·      Nose

·      I would lose the butt

I held their fears in my hand, and shook my head, thinking: it’s only going to get worse. And I wondered how, a decade out of high school, those students’ answers might have changed. I’m not a physics teacher, but I’m over 27, so I can tell you that as we get older gravity begins to exert a stronger force, and physical beauty tends to slope downward.

I don’t think I want to ask my current students that same question that my students asked back in the 90s, but I probably should. I know that as a teacher one of my many jobs is to help my students learn to ask questions and find answers. So, over the next few weeks, I’m going to give my students more research assignments to take the pulse of their own generation with questions on ideology, civil liberties, race, perceptions of beauty, gun control, death penalty, media use, immigration, foreign policy, and all sorts of political and social questions. Students love to be asked questions (who doesn’t???), and when you listen to their answers, there’s lots to learn. Check back in over the next few weeks for new student research and surveys and please share your own.

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Here's two wondrous videos my students made about beauty.

Answering questions that you can’t answer

Students will ask you the most amazing questions. Sometimes you won't be able to answer them.

When I first started teaching I remember being filled with dread that a student would ask a question I couldn’t answer. Of all my worries and fears about teaching, the unanswerable question was that thing that kept me up late at night.

The scenario went something like this.

Student (smartly dressed): What’s the importance of the Tenth Amendment?

Me (stammering): Uh, um, ah, uh. The Tenth? We still have Ten? Um. The importance of the Tenth Amendment? Uh, I don’t know.

Students: Loser, loser, ha, ha, ha. See he doesn’t know anything. Enchain him!

After twenty years of teaching, this nightmare hasn’t happened yet. I don’t mean that I’ve answered every question. I just mean that I’ve managed to navigate tons of wondrous student questions without serious incident. And as I look back on 20 years of teaching I realize that the thousands upon thousands of student questions is the yeast that has leavened our learning. And the important thing I've done isn't answering their questions, but encouraging my students to ask question after beautiful question.

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A classroom without questions is like a concert hall without music

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I still remember the fear I had when I thought about all those questions my students would lob at me like flaming hot oil, so here’s a handy dandy guide to answering questions you can’t answer.

What do I do if I can’t answer a question?

• Tell the class that you don’t know (try not to do this with every question)
• Lie and make up an answer (this will come back to haunt you)
• Ask the students if they know the answer
• Have students write down the question to answer for homework (for a grade, extra credit, props, or bragging rights)
• Use resources in class: textbooks, readings, the internet (we are not all so lucky) to find the answer
• Write it down on the board. Tell the students you’ll have their answer tomorrow. Explain how you will attempt find the answer (this can be a good lesson on the nature of learning, the value of being able to find answers, and the value of education)
• Pretend to be ill and run screaming from the room

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All knowledge is a result of someone asking a question

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Whatever approach you take, remember, the question is much more important than the answer. If your students are asking hard questions you’ve already taught them the most important lesson.

And you think your students are tough! Drug Dealing Preschoolers

Today in Arizona, a four year-old girl opened her backpack and passed out candy to her delighted preschool classmates. Only problem was, it wasn’t candy she passed out. It was heroin.

The girl’s teacher, horrified when she realized what was happening, quickly confiscated the drugs from her distraught students before they could get out their little pediatric needles and started shooting up.

The mother of the preschool drug-mule stated that the backpacks must have gotten switched at home, but had “no idea how the heroin got into her child’s backpack in the first place.”

As surprised as the teacher who discovered the heroin must have been, we can only imagine the shock of the drug dealer who’s backpack was full of nothing but Go-gurt and Lunchables.

I’ve had some tough students in my day, but none as tough out as that heroin dealing four year old.

The World At Your Fingers

A tiny inexpensive computer rests in my palm. Just fifty years ago this machine would have been bigger than a classroom and cost millions of dollars. With the swipe of my fingertip I can answer almost any question, access most of the knowledge of humankind, create content, and communicate across cultures, languages, and thousands of miles.

I am a student in your classroom.

Out in the world I’ll work in teams, collaborating to creatively solve problems. I’ll follow questions through a sea of information until I reach original conclusions that I’ll need to communicate clearly and persuasively. Mostly, I’ll have to learn these skills on my own.

Why are we training students for the past? Isn’t it time that our classrooms were as creative as our students? This unit will help students harness the power of information and practice the skills to make it work for them. Creative Classrooms empowers students to create, collaborate, and communicate in the modern world.

My Classroom Rules

Hammurabi’s Code of Conduct

Observe the Golden Rule. In other words…

Food and drink

Leave the room as neat and tidy as you found it. I allow you to eat and drink in class (within reason: no waffles please). If your class leaves food or drinks in the room this privilege will be suspended.

Cell phones

Cells phones and any personal communication devices should be turned off during takeoff (class) and stowed in a bag, backpack, or under your desk. Please do not answer phones, text, or allow your phones to ring or vibrate during class. Feel free to bring a laptop to class (desktops are not a great idea),  but it must be shut unless I say otherwise. The first time your cell phone goes off in class, I will answer it; there won’t be a second time. I've had some hilarious conversations with friends of students! Don't let it be yours.

Sleeping in class

You may not sleep in class without my permission. I haven't given anyone permission yet. Sleeping in class will affect your grade, open you to surprise attack, and leave silly red marks on your face.

Discussion

There is a great deal of opportunity for discussion in this class.

Discussion (and life in general) works best if you observe the following rules.

Listen.

Speak your mind (not just your heart).

Restate what the other person has just said before you respond to it.

Attack ideas, not people. Don’t kill the messenger.

Ask as many questions as you make statements.

It’s ok to disagree. You can still be friends.

Work towards understanding.

Do us all a favor and think about what you are going to say before you say it.

Follow this guide: Is what you are saying true? Is it important? Is it worth saying? Is it hurtful?

Don’t repeat things that have already been said. Don’t begin with, “Somebody already said this…”

Respond to the thread of the discussion, not what was said five minutes ago (let it go).

If you start a sentence with, “I’m not racist, but…” you probably are and you definitely shouldn’t say it.

I’m glad you are a part of our our class. It’s going to be a great year. Now sit back and enjoy your flight.