Why Are You Yelling At Me?

So, as a high school band director, I work with teenagers on a regular basis.  My favorite line from them is, "Why are you yelling at me?"  This is a favorite BECAUSE I love their interpretation.  I love the way they believe one reality, when truly there's another reality that could be (me REALLY yelling at them).  I have a naturally loud voice, and to get their attention, I crank it up every so often.  But it's not yelling.

The PERCEPTION of what we do though, sometimes becomes a reality for students.  To my point - if all we ever do is lecture, have them fill out worksheets (even if it's on a computer!!!) and regurgitate information, what will they perceive as reality?  Is this the true reality of our world?  OF COURSE NOT. How do we move into creating the reality for kids that they need?  How do we give them the tools and guidance they need to be the thinkers/learners/doers that the world is requiring? There are many ways to do this, and as beginners (just like my sixth grade band students that started learning to play an instrument two weeks ago) we must move a little at a time, paying attention to the details and working to get a little bit better every day.  Incorporate one lesson with a technology based process. Have them use their cell phones to help answer a deeper thinking question.  Give them license to use the different applications they may know about (and we don't - YET) to work out the challenges we present.  That's where the process begins.  And YOU and THEY will perceive this world differently, and the reality they live in class becomes more aligned with the reality of the world we are pushing them into after their high school education.

Listen - I'm a middle level technology user - I do a lot of reading, asking and experimenting.  Sometimes with the students alongside me, and even sometimes with my own children!  The most important thing for us to do as educators is to move (even if it's baby steps!) in the direction that gives our students the tools and knowledge to be what they should be when they walk out of our doors into our world.

NOW GO AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE THE REALITY FOR OUR KIDS.

And by the way, I wasn't yelling....

Until THE test goes away...

All right, already.  A few days ago we had a professional development day that involved two highly regarded presenters in the field of digital classrooms and beyond (Will Richardson and George Couros).  I didn't need the inspiration - I was already there.  I believe in it 100%.  This is where our world exists NOW.  It's not where we're headed.  We are here.  My own children (8 and 11) live with technology in ways that I never dreamed.  Now, back to my point.  I WANT (like many teachers in our schools) to transform my classroom to one that is much more digital.  I WANT to be able to facilitate kids' learning, not make them "sit and get".  I'm just a band director, though, and that means I HAVE to do some of the "old school" teaching.  So do many others.  Many of us WANT to move kids to Project Based Learning, and give them missions rather than homework.  I know I definitely learn by doing.  I know that others do as well.  I know that it's important for us to make that happen for kids and give them the experiences that will provoke thought, inspire them to explore and give them the tools they are going to need to survive in this world.

BUT - (and I know I am about to open a can of worms here) what about THE test?  You know, the state assessment that measures our students' knowledge and ability to demonstrate the understanding of that knowledge.  IF we only look at the digital classroom and beyond as another "tool in our belt", then are we just creating the "jack of all trades, master of none" classroom?  Are we really going to be able to produce the kind of thinkers and doers that the world needs?  Are we giving our students everything we should?

As teachers, we should be giving them all of the above.  I must ask, though, if our hands are proverbially tied to teaching the information on the test, how is it that we can make the progression in education we need to make?  The state wide test is the measure of our students' knowledge.  Are we doing the right thing here?  Am I just trying to live in an idealistic world?

This is my first attempt at a blog.  After proofreading, I see that I like figures of speech.  Maybe that's the title to my next post...