Developing Solutionaries - How Facebook Makes It Happen

I like to play with words.  I believe words mean things beyond the definition.  Finding the right word is difficult...like in Throw Mama From the Train...was the night moist, wet, or sultry.

Sometimes words don't exist, so people invent new ones. 

Here's my new word for what I seek to do in my class over the course of a year, and then beyond that, as I keep in touch with my students.

I want to develop students who will be SOLUTIONARIES.

It's a morphing word of Revolutionaries who provide Solutions to problems facing their world.

I tell my students at the beginning of the school year, while their test results are fresh on their minds from the previous year, that I don't care one iota about their results on a test that requires nothing more than a 25% chance to guess right.  That goal of education is too simplistic and demonstrates the low level of expectation our government has for our students.  I've done the math...to "meet the standard" of 6th grade social studies standards requires between 51.4% and 57.2% of the answers correct on the CRCT in Georgia.  I'm sure the percentages do not change for my 7th graders (results of which I do not have access to at this point to determine how I did last year).  For me, this is entirely unacceptable, embarrassing, and a slap in the face to the students in our state.  So I don't accept that level of productivity from my students.

Instead, we discuss, debate, and argue about the complexities of the world.  This past week, we looked at a Deforestation Dilemma.  I posted a video on Facebook for my students to review.  We also watched it together in class. 

The debate topic was: The people of a certain village in Africa have requested access to acres (hectares) in the Rain Forest in order to clear the trees away so they can grow food for their village.  The desert has expanded to their land making their soil unusable.  Without new land, the people cannot grow their food, and the government cannot afford to feed more people in their country.  So what should be done?

Each class was divided into two groups: Group 1 - Give the villagers rain forest land under certain regulations, and Group 2 - Deny the village new areas, and come up with an alternative solution to feed the people.

My students thought this was simply an exercise of classroom time-making.  But then, the reality of the world entered my room.  It was awesome!

Here is the conversation (debate-like) from my post on Facebook.  I did not request my friends from high school to participate, but they did, and they brought the world into my classroom.  David Addison is currently reforesting in the Dominican Republic.  Jon Sanders is currently in Florida working to become a teacher.  The three of us graduated from high school in 1981.  Our lives reconnected within the past year, thanks to Facebook connections.

I pulled up my Facebook page in class and shared with the class the online debate.

So, you can imagine how my students responded.  They did not want class to end.  They wanted to hear more from David and his work.  They want to take him up on his invitation to come to a developing country to discuss sustainable living, reforestation, and his work.

My students became passionate about the destruction of rain forests.  They were as deeply passionate about the need to help people in need.  We haven't even gotten to the deep issues of class yet, and already they are preparing to be SOLUTIONARIES.  Thanks to Dave and Jon.

On a side note, anyone want to debate the use of Facebook in the classroom?  Trust me...you will lose that debate to a bunch of 12 and 13 year-olds.

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Posted via email from Room 755

Blaming Bullies for Suicides is Akin to Blaming Teachers for Failing Schools

I'm not sticking up for the bullies, but I have your attention now. 

The recent suicides are a collective tragedy.  Several teachers have chimed in.

Vicki Bell
Tom - Be ready for language, but passion like no other on the link he provides.

My addition:

NEVER TAKE A PERMANENT ACTION TO SOLVE A TEMPORARY SITUATION

I know it is cliche-like.  But many people take permanent actions in so many settings wherein with patience and perseverance, the situation will change and true growth will occur.

Suicide is the ultimate "permanent action."  There is no coming back from dead in this life.

I could go on and on about the role that violent video games, TV, movies, music, cartoons, and even Shakespeare have romanticized, glamorized, and in some ways encouraged young impressionable minds to end their life to make a point, ease the pain, or otherwise "get revenge."

There is no question that bullying plays a part in the recent suicides.  Bullies thrive on the power they receive from the action, usually because it is the only place in their lives where they feel in control of their situations.

To blame only the bullies in this setting is akin to blaming teachers for failing schools.  Here's the connection.

Before teaching, I spent a few years counseling kids through my ministry.  In a high school of about 150 students, there were 3 deaths in a single year.  None suicide, but many students were considering it as an option when they felt the "life isn't fair, so why continue" situations that everyone faces.

Kids are struggling (and always have, I suppose) with creating an identity.  They live in America where power is admired, and the race to the top is policy not just in education.  When young people do not find themselves in power, control, or are questioning their identity and place in the world (all temporary situations) the immaturity of all kids is to take a permanent action to make their voice heard among the noise.

Bullies, gays, minorities, religious outcasts, are all seeking the same thing.  The desire of power over others, circumstances, or self.  When they can't have it immediately, their hope is vanquished.  Thus, they seek a permanent solution to a situation they believe will never change.

As adults, we fuel their struggle with indifference, attitude, and culture.  I believe our kids are all seeking the same singular thing...HOPE for a better future... but have a distorted view of what hope really is.  Adults, if we are honest, our generation screwed up that hope. 

Teachers, the single best thing we can do for our students of this generation is to allow them to dream again.  I'm convinced of this.  I have 7th graders who have no idea what they want to be in life.  To me, that is the most tragic thing of this generation; they have no purpose for living, when they have no dreams.  They have been (mis)directed into believing there is only one way to success...our way.  It's time to stop this "formal, college-bound education is the answer to all our woes" mentality, and become caring humans again.

Kids are telling us what they want to know, we just refuse to listen most times.  So perhaps it's time for us to shut up, observe, listen, and love our kids again.  Stop stealing dreams and hope, and begin to inspire them to have the dreams and hopes that are buried deep within each of us. 

Posted via email from Room 755