Generation S

Generation S

Every few years someone comes along and tried to define the current generation.  My Generation was Gen X.  There have been several generations since then to be sure.  Today I would like to define the current generation of my students. 
Generation S.

Why S?
The generation I am referring to covers the late 90's to today.  They have never lived without an internet.  The result is that they are defined by the fact that they have never lived without Social Media, Streaming Video, or Satellite Television.  They are unlikely to ever know or have to deal with Social Security.  They do not phone they SMS or Skype.  When they want information, music, reading material, homework help, or pizza they don't need to ask anyone, they Search.  



What Gen S means to teachers...
Gen S will...

• post, tweet, or otherwise publicly discuss their lives and you.
• ignore the books which you hand out in favor of a searchable, easily manipulable, media rich multiple source website.
• read more in a day than most adults.
• read and write in fragmented but interwoven short prose.
• read at a complexity level far higher than our current testing procedures cover.
• think in webs and linkages, as thought thoughts "friend" other thoughts.
• expect instant relevant feedback.

 Gen S will not...

• handle the frustration of waiting with grace.
• have native exposure to grammar and spelling through their sources of reading.
• feel secure and safe when limited media sources or cell service are available.

In the dawn of electricity, we feared the dark.  In the dawn of information, we fear disconnection.

• be held back.

How to Cope with Gen S
The Good News is that good teaching really hasn't changed much, only the tools of delivery.

1. The local fourth grade assigns reading for 15 minutes a day and then asks students to make a concept web of what they read-
• Gen S version-Read Social Media or RSS Feeds for 15 minutes, then turn the web of what you read into prose.
2. A high school teacher assigns a timeline
• Gen S version-Assign a Twhistory
3. A Teacher posts work to a website
• Gen S version-post to a twitter or other RSS feed.

Wanna assign a vocab list-do it

Wanna assign a book-do it, and make the e version available.

How NOT to Cope with Gen S


A) Don't tell them to put their cell phones away, disconnection is one of their biggest turn offs (if not THE biggest).  Tell them to keep them out.  How many times do I hear teachers lament the lack of computer access in their schools when a large number of their students have handheld computing devices set to silent or cricket mode as they pretend not to use them.If they don't have phones, no problem.  Put students in to groups and have the ones without phones be the recorders and reporters who have to turn what the phone wielders find into deliverable material.


Example-Bell ringer assignment:
Describe the relationship between Genghis Khan and yogurt in 3 sentences.  Provide sources for your answer.

B) Don't give too many fixed ended assignments. The answers can be easily looked up.  Instead temper fixed assignments with choice assignments which have connections.

Example-Math problem set:
Choose 6 of the 10 problems to do, then write four similar new problems and solve them. Finally write a single sentence description of the key idea you have been practicing in this problem set.

C) Don't completely go high tech.  Create opportunities to go old school.

Example-Form an arguement
Tell students there is a debate on bringing faster better internet service to your area.  The city council will accept written arguments only.    Choose a side and write an argument.

Example-Reasons to see the world
Take 10 pictures of your school, town or surrounding area. Create a print collage for display.

Good Luck Teacher's with our Gen S friends.

 

Legends of the Fall

Welcome to a new school year.  As the fall begins and the course-load grows, have no fear Mrs E is once again here to brighten your online teaching and learning perspective.

How to get your students on Day 1:
A mom and dad were worried about their son not wanting to learn math at the school he was in, so they decided to send him to an online Christian school. After the first day of school, their son quickly closes his laptop, goes straight into his room and slams the door shut. Mom and dad are a little worried about this and go to his room to see if he is okay. They find him sitting at his desk doing his homework. The boy keeps doing that for the rest of the year. At the end of the year the songets report card and gives it to his mom and dad. Looking at it they see under math an A+.
Mom and dad are very happy and ask the son, "What changed your mind about learning math?"
The son looked at mom and dad and said, "Well, on the first day when I logged into the classroom, I saw a guy nailed to the plus sign on the homepage next to the teacher's pic and I knew they meant business."

Keep em working:
Child logs out from his first day of online class.
Mother asks, "What did you learn today?"
Child replies, "Not enough. I have to login again tomorrow." 

Make sure they know their tech skills:
Teacher: How do you spell "dog"?
Pupil: d, o, g, enter.

Reach out to your struggling readers:

Make sure they have a great internet connection:  

Physics Teacher: "Isaac Newton was sitting under a tree when an apple fell on his head and he discovered gravity. Isn't that wonderful?"
Student: "Yes sir, that's why I always use my mifi card and study outside, otherwise I might not discover anything."

Give them transcripts with the videos:
TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O.
TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: The video said it’s H to O.

Curb Cheating:
TEACHER: Clyde , your composition on ‘My Dog’ is exactly the same as your brother’s. Did you copy his from last semester?
CLYDE : No, sir. It’s the same dog

Stay accessible:
After a long IM session trying to explain a challenging topic the teacher types,"do you follow?"
Student types back, "NO! old people talking to kids on twitter are gross!"





 

Real?

Dear students,

I am real.  I am here. I want to teach you and I am glad you are here!

I have recently been struck by the perception of my students that I am somehow not real.  They do things like apologize for calling or emailing.  Do students in brick and mortar classes apologize for raising their hands?

They also seem surprised when they learn I have kids, pets, and hobbies.  I know brick and mortar schools can create the same surprise when a kid sees their teacher out to dinner, but not so surprised that they actually doubt what they just saw.  And yet a student this week posted to a discussion "you actually grocery shop?"  ( we were talking about consumer messages about product safety)  Um...how did they think I got food and toilet paper?  mail order?  online shopping and delivery?


So kids, yes I am real.  I am here and I want to teach you!

Turns out my students are not alone.  Innosight Institute recently blogged about this unreal teacher feeling are-online-learning-teachers-real-teachers?

So in a world where some of my students most real friendships are carried out online via social networking how can I improve my reality perception?  I think therefore I am???? But computers have logic ...are they?
So I reached out to friends (well discussion boards friends) on the subject and they had the following thoughts on the subject:

-You are right that in order to think a thinker must exist (anything that "does" or manifests is proof the thing exists). However, often this debate is about whether thinking itself is what defines existence, and that is definitely not true because if it were, then one would cease to exist if one stopped thinking. It is quite possible to learn to stop thinking, and when one does one becomes more aware of one's existence, not less aware. In terms of existence, all thinking makes one aware of is the existence of thinking.

-I exist, the rest of you are just computer simulations created for my amusement. Prove me wrong.

-I think therefore I am" is wrong, it should be… “I believe therefore I am”...

-If I run up to you on the street and (in a fit of rage) I bite off your little finger, how much more real is it if you think I bit off your finger vs. you believe I bit off your finger?

-"If I run up to you on the street and (in a fit of rage) I bite off your little finger... "Is this something we should be worried about? How often does this impulse come over you?

Seeing that as unproductive I am left wondering does it matter if I am real? 

And I have concluded that what matters is if the learning is real.  I happen to believe that I have a direct impact on student success and perseverance in learning subject matter.  So, if I am unreal and effective then I am OK with that.

They use me to accomplish real learning therefore I am content with my own dubious existence really  I am....