DAN ARIELY: WHAT MAKES US FEEL GOOD ABOUT OUR WORK?, and
WHAT MY GUITAR TAUGHT ME ABOUT IMPROVING EDUCATION: STEVE JOORDAN
One great video here and one mediocre one, each with a similar theme. The theme is, "people investing in their work", which is applicable to humans everywhere, but especially in an educational setting. As you watch Dan Ariely (kind of a favorite of mine, check out his books), think about what his research results say about homework, busy work, or homework that piles up and is put in the "they'll never know if I just throw this away" file. Also, take note of how easy it is to keep people motivated.
Summary: When the finished product is something that will be used or viewed by others, people are more likely to invest in the process.
This second video is extra credit. The message is essentially the same as Ariely's IKEA effect, though he does say more. There are three reasons I personally like the Steve Joordan video though: 1. He plays guitar even though he's not that good. 2. Accent. 3. He is a university professor giving a Ted Talk but he still takes the time to answer and defend himself in the comments section of his own tedtalk. Not only have I never seen this before, but also his comments are actually good summaries of the whole talk. You could just read those if you want. Either way, check it out and see what you learn.
Parents can be awesome supporters or nightmarish critics or something in between. This article I'm sharing here by Ben Stern I found a twitter a while back. It may make most sense to elementary teachers, but has lots of useful stuff for teachers of all levels, even if you don't have trouble with parents. He also features a lot of useful apps and programs to help you along the way.
click here: A Teacher's Guide to Communicating with Parents.
Another great read on the topic of parents, coming from Rock Star teacher, Ron Clark (a movie was made about him). This is just a good article, the kind that one teacher at my school recommended "can we just print a bunch of these and hand them out at parent-teacher conferences?"
This video is interesting. It's a smart kid who is a good speaker and he talks about school. I can't tell if I like him because it's a good video or if I like him because we're both fans of Sir Ken Robinson and Shane McConkey. Either way, it's centered on education, it's unique, and it's worth the watch. See what you can learn
INSPIRATIONAL SUMMER VIEWING: RACE TO NOWHERE "I'm afraid that our children are going to sue us for stealing their childhoods"
I have a theory about AP testing, though it is still mostly a question that has yet to be answered. I haven't, and don't plan to argue it with the cyber pedagogue pundits, but I have always wondered if the extent to which students sacrifice themselves for the sake of the almighty AP test is worth it. Feel free to comment as you wish if you are convinced one way or another.
Four good friends of mine have argued in favor of the AP slavery, but they also all were top-of-the-class ivy leaguers (a prereq for being my friend). I have yet to hear the testimonial of someone who regrets giving all they did for the sake of the AP, or the IB, or whatever, but I am convinced they are out there, and this highly recommended movie is what makes me so confident: RACE TO NOWHERE (I learned about this film from the book "How Children Succeed" buy Paul Tough, another must-read to be blogged later).
There is a related news segment from CNN on the topic and the movie itself, also worth 6 minutes of your time (especially if you don't watch the whole movie).
Or... if you have poor connection quality, give this article from the Washington Post a go.
How to see the actual film: I'm not totally sure of the answer to this question. They do have viewings occasionally and you can check the website for those. Otherwise, your options are to buy the dvd ($30) or buy a huge package containing rights and a dvd. (same link). I'll be honest, the version I watched was on loan and had Chinese subtitles at the bottom, which is unfortunate not only because I don't read Chinese, but because a film like this should be more readily available. You could show this blog to a couple teachers and get them together at your house then "pass the hat". I don't know, you'll think of something.
Also related: I believe this film also references the book, "The Case Against Homework" by Sarah Bennett and Nancy Kalish. I don't recommend this book because you get the point after reading the first few pages. You especially get the point, if you read this pdf file that sums up all the main points.
With most documentaries or books making an argument about something societal, there is a counterargument and twitter blows up with haters and experts etc.. In the case of this film and book, there is very minimal to say against it. The film/book never promotes a "no homework" or "hard work is overrated policy" at all. Instead, they promote being aware of why and how much and suggest that in recent years we have pushed the "AP mentality" all the way down to kindergarten, which is like adding plates to the weight bench before the kid has learned to lift the bar.
You could be the first hater! If so, leave it in the youtube comment section, not this one. If not, give it a try and see what you learn.
Dr. Rita Pierson, who passed away only one month after giving this Ted Talk, has some insightful and inspirational words to share with educators everywhere concerning a basic, yet often overlooked need in the classroom, "the value and importance of human connection; relationships".
Here is her eight minute Ted Talk. It's worth your time to see what you can learn.
This week is a bit of a personal favorite. It's another Tedtalk, and it is specifically of interest (probably) to English and/or writing teachers. It's a favorite to me not because I love texting or am a purist of American written language, but because I am a big fan of this guy, John McWhorter. I ran several miles with his linguistic lectures in my ears a few years ago. He's brilliant and funny and in this talk he gives a breath of fresh air to those of us who are afraid that texting is ruining written language. Watch and see if you agree or disagree and while you're at it, see what you can learn.
Of all the Tedtalks, this is one of the most famous. It is also one of the funniest, and most interesting. Lucky for our purposes, it happens to be about education. It's really good! Watch it, and see what you can learn.
