tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945606965214740826.post5201648333614065909..comments2023-09-28T02:31:09.567-07:00Comments on Trying to Teach Well and Good: The Twitter FinalTikvah Wienerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13456814067964639015noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945606965214740826.post-22680918110443376362013-10-30T04:45:29.143-07:002013-10-30T04:45:29.143-07:00Tikvah,
I was struck by so many things as I read ...Tikvah,<br /><br />I was struck by so many things as I read about your latest innovative teaching initiative. <br /><br />First of all, I love how you refer to the messiness of your un-schooled classroom. Brene Brown addresses the notion of messiness. <br /><br />Brown says we need to reexamine the idea of engagement in education and she says that in order to reignite creativity, innovation and learning in schools that education needs to be rehumanized. We need to learn how to engage in vulnerability, and recognizing and combating shame. She refers to the unfortunate condition of not doing that as “disruptive engagement”.Brown says that rehumanizing education requires courageous leadership because this will demand honest conversations about vulnerability, which is disruptive and messy. <br /><br />Brown says the reason we don’t currently have this type of conversation is because speaking openly like this shines light in the dark corners, which creates much discomfort. But she says once the language exists for this kind of conversation, a new awareness and understanding will be created and that will lead to a new vision, one that can’t be taken away. <br /><br />As Ken says, you are on to something here. Your student's comment clearly proves that! But equally important, you are working to not only break down the walls of "disruptive engagement", but you are simultaneously staying current with the advancements in technology and all they have to offer us, as you foster a classroom of engagement. <br /><br />In Brown's words, your leadership is courageous and you are truly leading the way! <br /><br />You methods prove that you are "shining light into the dark corners" to not only re-evaluate our current mode of teaching, but you are also giving us the methodology for change. <br /><br />Coupling the "hard" skills of using technology in the classroom with the "soft" skills of keeping it human is a huge feat, my friend! Sir Ken would be quite proud. So would Frank Moss! This is the beginning of that quest to become the beacon of inspiration for the field of education! Kol hacovod! Nancy Levine Siegelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09062308553190759775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945606965214740826.post-74819615884096103652013-06-16T19:02:38.620-07:002013-06-16T19:02:38.620-07:00Ken, thanks for your comments and insights -- and ...Ken, thanks for your comments and insights -- and most importantly for taking the time to join our chat, which you made so much more fun and exciting than if it had been just me moderating. I particularly agree with your point about the kids learning how to create respectful and smart online dialogue. I loved that they were using social media for something positive and intellectual and not to see what Justin Bieber was up to. <br /><br />As for your suggestion that these Twitter chats be a regular part of the class curriculum: the students made the same suggestion at the final, a point I left out in my post. The kids said I should have chats after we've all read the same book. They said it would be great to have a chat only about one book, though they loved the wide open discussion about the year. <br /><br />Thanks again for all you have done to make my first Twitter final so much fun and so much more of a richer experience for my students.<br /><br />-- TikvahTikvah Wienerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13456814067964639015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945606965214740826.post-68979883001138693612013-06-16T13:01:09.343-07:002013-06-16T13:01:09.343-07:00Tikvah:
I taken finals. I have given finals. I ne...Tikvah:<br /><br />I taken finals. I have given finals. I never liked them, and often hated them. The #10final made me see that the future of classroom evaluation can be (and I think should be) a truly collaborative process. How can this NOT be the most fun and engaging final in the history of JDS pedagogy? Teachers, listen up: TW is onto something, and you should follow he lead. In fact, I think her class should feature weekly chats--chats that can be open to any other student (class, teacher, etc.) online.<br /><br />This experience was great fun for me, but I think it might have been amazing for the students. They now know how to hold a focused, honest, and intelligent Twitter disucssion about books. <br /><br />Where else in the world will a bunch of high school students learn such as skill?<br /><br />(Parenthetical note to any funder who has somehow stumbled onto this post. Contact Tikvah--right now--and give her some money so she can make build this Twitter chat idea into a national program. What's happening here is vital. She's teaching students to create smart and respectful online dialogue. This is an essentail skill for tomorrow's leaders, Jewish or otherwise, and I don't know that anyone else out there is providing it.) <br /><br />Tikvah, you and your RealSchool students have long protested the idea of reducing kids to their test scores. I think your experiment offers something more than protest. It suggests an alternative--one that is practical, worthwhile, and a helluva lot of fun. <br /><br />#10final is clearly just the begninng.<br /><br />--Ken GordonKen Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11969140197811446089noreply@blogger.com