Periodic Daydreaming

June 6, 2017July 21, 2020

9-Why We Should Keep Writing

My mom and I were traveling this weekend to a family event in Stillwater, Minnesota. She is a former high school teacher, so we tend to talk about education more than any other topic. There was a point in the conversation when we were talking about the effectiveness of various teachers and she said to me, “You’ve always learned on your own since you were little and you continue to want to learn. Why do you think you’re like that?” While this characteristic is obvious to anyone that knows me, the reasons why aren’t at all apparent.

When I was a small child, I’m positive the amount of free play and imagination I had were driving forces. While I took dance lessons, much of my time was unstructured play with my sisters and sometimes cousins. Throughout grade school and high school, I’d be lying if I said grades and adult approval had not motivated my learning to some degree. However, I also know I would have accomplished the learning without the grade attached as well. The learning opportunities I got most excited about were projects and experiences where I had the option to explore a topic of my choice.

I do know that reading and writing have played a central role in my learning throughout life. These are two tasks that require time, focus, and often multiple attempts. I don’t usually procrastinate with these two tasks, and often reread a chapter or revisit my writing even if I’d edited it two times prior. While many still remember the three R’s (Reading, Writing and Arithmetics), I’m pretty certain reading and writing will continue to hold a central location in learning, and we in education need to keep encouraging our students to pursue these. (No offense intended to the math teachers I know. A foundational understanding of most topics is essential. However, as technology and times change, it is reading and writing that take the stage.)

While I teach primarily environmental science and chemistry, increasing student opportunities to write has been a goal of mine this year. Writing can be a scary endeavor for both the teacher and the student. In fact, you’ll frequently hear teachers express their hesitation towards a writing assignment, claiming “I’m not an English teacher!” News flash: Writing is a skill that goes beyond the English class, and it’s a skill like reading that every teacher should spend time focusing on. I can’t think of a single discipline or career that doesn’t involve some form of writing as a necessary skill.

When I started my adventure into increasing writing opportunities, I quickly realized I needed to address the usual student questions. These questions were stifling but also eye-opening. Stifling because, I realized how scripted the writing process had been for most students and eye-opening because there are students who have amazing things to say, that would not be heard without writing. Here is a summarized list of the most common questions, along with my usual responses.

Student: How long does it have to be?

Me: I don’t know as long as it needs to be. How long do you think it should be? I care about quality not quantity.

Other variations of this question involved the typical five paragraph essay format. A single paragraph for the introduction, three paragraphs for the body, and a concluding paragraph. While this general format provides structure for students initially, students at the high school and college level need to realize that writing extends outside the box of the five paragraph essay. In fact, if you limit yourself to five paragraphs in some cases, or extend your work to five paragraphs in others you might actually be taking something wonderful and creative and turning it into an encyclopedic excerpt for the boring and dull.

Student: Do I need an introduction and a conclusion?

Me: Do you want your writing to begin and end? How do you plan on grabbing your reader’s attention? Do you plan on providing closure for your reader, or do you want the reader to continue pondering an interesting question or concept?

Of course writing must begin and end. Again I think students have to realize that the introduction and conclusion are the bookends of any piece supporting the middle. Without strong bookends the middle falls apart. Every person has a different writing process. Certain people need an introduction to proceed to the body of their work, while others can skip the introduction initially, preferring to come back to it at a later time once the middle is completed.

I personally feel like the writing process is often rushed for students. This is due to teachers trying to cram too much into the class, week, unit, semester, and year. This is also due the students procrastinating with their writing, not realizing the time that must be devoted to the process. In this situation, the conclusion is often really redundant or flies at you out of nowhere. I’ve read many papers, where I’m thinking, “yes now this paper is finally going somewhere!” only to realize it’s the fifth paragraph and the starting phrase is “In conclusion,…” AAHHHH No, no, no keep going!

Student: Do I have to write? Can’t I just make a prezi or a google slides presentation instead?

Me: NOOO! We both know you can rock the prezi or the google slides. Writing is a skill that takes practice.

Because I teach science classes, students often believe they can talk me out of assigning a writing assignment. Hah! Never. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen some pretty impressive videos and google slides, and I do honor these modes of communication and creativity in my class at times. However, for many students these are the easy way out, and it is really important to expose students to the risk of writing in the science class. This way students can see that writing is not just a skill of the english or social science class, but an essential skill for many careers and disciplines.

While my students might see me forcing writing on them, hoping they will grow as writers, and eventually learn to value both the frustration and reward that comes with the process of writing. What they may not realize is that I am forcing writing on myself as well, in hopes that I will continue to grow. I am struggling through this blog post right now, reaching that point where I need to end…but I can’t quite find the perfect way…Luckliy, I have more than five paragraphs, and I know I can write something amazing tomorrow or the next day. Ray Bradbury said it best:

“You must write every single day of your life… You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads… may you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of that love, remake a world.”

May 25, 2017July 21, 2020

Collaboration is Not Always Key

Collaboration is not always key.

iPhones are a beautiful distraction.

These are two ideas I have thought about a lot this week as the school year winds down and everyone is a bit stir crazy.

The central role of collaboration is emphasized in both education and business. A job description never describes the ideal candidate as someone who must work in solitude to make progress. In fact many work and school spaces are being designed to encourage and facilitate collaboration. However, if you are constantly collaborating, what impact does this have on learning or progress at your job?

I began thinking about this question after reading an article from The Economist that popped up on my Twitter feed entitled The Collaboration Curse. The article considers the true cost of collaboration in terms of the actual expense of constant communication, commenting, and feedback through various forums of email, meetings, social media etc. More importantly though the article claims that collaboration prohibits deep work:

Deep work is the killer app of the knowledge economy: it is only by concentrating intensely that you can master a difficult discipline or solve a demanding problem. Many of the most productive knowledge workers go out of their way to avoid meetings and unplug electronic distractions.

Deep work sounds a lot like “deep learning” in education (not to be confused with deep learning in the progress and development of artificial intelligence), yet we continue to constantly push the group work and peer connections at a rate that might be detrimental to further learning. I’m not saying we should remove all collaboration from classes, but there is a comfort zone of appropriate collaboration. Every teacher has probably witnessed instances when collaboration is working, when all students are contributing and participating, offering ideas and feedback. However, there are always those times when one student is powering through dragging the rest behind. While the one student understands, the others are nodding their heads with a facade of comprehension. So then we might consider ability grouping, where students can work at an appropriate pace with students who are at a comparable skill level but yet we are still grouping.

I believe it’s okay to stop grouping in certain situations.

Students need to learn how to work independently and productively. They need to understand how they as individuals learn best and it is difficult to see how this can happen if they are always moving from one constructed social situation to the next. There is definite and necessary skills reaped from collaborative group work, but it can also add another layer of compliance for some students who are pleasers. Their first motivation is to please their teacher and now their second motivation is please their group members. When we do finally ask students to work independently, many will continue to function in groups because they thrive on the attention of the social connections and we haven’t necessarily created a school wide environment conducive to true independence where students have the ability to do what is best for their own depth of learning.

There may also be a fear of providing time for independent work, because if students are working alone on a variety of tasks and someone of importance walks into the classroom, will it look like learning is happening? Collaborative adventures are easy to point at and assume students are making progress in their learning, compared to time spent independently. Because of this, we see collaboration as more valuable and we instead expect them to do “deep learning” at home. Many students are successful doing this, but a large majority are not. Consider for a moment how much of our lives are really driven by independence and how much of our success in adult life relies on our need to to truly understand our personal requirements that allow us to continually learn and improve. Skills of independence as well as collaboration are vital to the future of learning and business.

What environment does promote the intense concentration necessary to fully grasp a complex concept or solve a challenging problem? I believe this environment is probably unique to the individual. In nature, each species has an ecological niche which describes its unique position in an ecosystem and the critical limits and conditions necessary for that species to survive. Some species have a narrow niche and are specialists because they depend on a specific resource to thrive. (Ex. The panda requires bamboo, while the koala requires eucalyptus.) Others are generalists and have very broad niches and can thrive in various environmental conditions like the coyote and raccoon.

Like other species, some people are also generalists and have the ability to focus in a variety of environments, while others are specialists requiring unique conditions in order for learning or productivity to occur. My optimal place for creative and complex tasks is at a coffee shop or cafe (with slight background noise and natural light), where I can feed off the energy of the atmosphere and gain some focus from caffeine. I appreciate subtle music and quiet conversation while I work, as long as there isn’t that one person who decides his conversation is important enough for the whole room to hear. In fact, silence will usually distract me, because I’ll pick up on the slight buzz of florescent lighting or another slightly audible and annoying background noise. I appreciate natural light and the less industrial atmosphere of most coffee shops compared to traditional schools and offices. There is often a range of seating choices, from a more comfortable place to read to a table-chair combination for one (or a small group). When the weather is nice an outdoor patio area is especially appealing.

Each person can most likely describe an ultimate environment for productivity and focus. Some people prefer a certain style of music while others prefer complete silence. Some people are most productive sitting upright, while others might find a lounging position more comfortable.

Now imagine your typical classroom or office space. While new designs are much more flexible, they still often lack the spaces of solitude necessary for some individuals. Most classrooms today also lack general aesthetic appeal in terms of seating and color. The walls are white and the desks and chairs designed for a small person, not for the wide range of body types present in schools today. Teachers do their best to make it a welcoming space, but for me it’s still not Starbucks.

Now even at Starbucks, the one item that impedes my ability to focus is my iPhone, my beautiful distraction. I love my iPhone, because as a piece of technology it’s not only sleek and appealing, it’s very useful. The iPhone functions as the internet, gps, camera, recorder, planner, personal trainer, step-tracker, mobile music DJ, and restaurant guide, etc…..oh and as a phone wrapped into one device. At the same time though, it’s an addiction. I find myself having to continually refocus over and over again. (In fact right now, I just got a twitter notification, so I’m going to have to read this paragraph again.) I am constantly conflicted about this form of technology. In some ways it’s helping me to connect with people I wouldn’t normally keep in touch with, and in other ways it’s destroying my ability to connect with people who are five feet away.

Cell phones in schools are also a beautiful distraction, because they can be a great learning tool (an entire computer in your pocket), for students to use. The various apps make tasks like research and movie-making easily accessible. However, it’s easy to see that for a large portion of the time the students are experiencing a common addiction, and instead of listening to a classmate or considering the challenge of the moment, they are focused on their next SnapChat connection. While there is a wide range of responses schools have to cell phones from prohibition to an open door policy, the trend of cell phone use is increasing and the technology is not going away. (It might drastically change if Elon Musk extends his neural lace concept to somehow connect the human brain directly to an iPhone. Given his recent work, it’s not improbable.)

So how do we help ourselves and our students navigate a world overdosing on collaboration and iPhones?

While I don’t have a ground shattering answer, I think it lies somewhere with the foundational importance of reflection.

If we encourage students to be more reflective and provide them the time to do so, they will better understand themselves as individuals and the world around them. They will begin to identify how they learn and grow, what works, what doesn’t. They might then have the self-awareness and motivation to seek out an environment conducive to their success, or make a personal decision to put the iPhone away (wishful thinking I know…) Reflection might be the one tool that will help students navigate an unpredictable future involving constant connection, artificial intelligence, and who knows what, without losing sight of their essential ability as humans to continue growing and learning.

May 20, 2017July 21, 2020

It’s in the Little Things

I have always been obsessed with tiny houses and fascinated by the people that choose to live there as a permanent residence. (Note: A tiny house is a house under 400 square feet, while a small house is a house under 1000 square feet.) The most well-known name linked to tiny houses is probably Jay Shafer who began living in an 89 square foot home (take a brief tour of his tiny home here) and founded Tumbleweed Tiny House Company in 1999. In 2012, he left his first company for new adventures founding Four Lights Tiny House Company. (Go ahead click on the links. Check out the tiny houses. Do you think you could live in one?)

There are usually one of two reactions to tiny homes:

Reaction 1: How could anyone ever live in a space so small? Where would I put all my shoes?

Reaction 2: Wow! Awesome! I would love to live in a tiny home. Life would be gloriously simple!

What initial reaction do you have?

I imagine the reality of living in a small space falls somewhere between these two extremes. There are some obvious advantages to tiny house living that come to mind. First, cleaning would not take nearly as much time. Additionally, the stress that comes with owning lots of useless crap would probably be reduced. Your choices of items like shirts and coffee mugs would be simplified, and these self-imposed limitations would save you noticeable time cumulatively. Most significantly though, tiny house living probably has incentives both economically and environmentally. Just consider the cost of heating a regular 2,000 square foot home and the associated environmental consequences of that energy use compared to that of a 100 square foot tiny house (not to mention the reduction in the amount of materials used to build the home). Furthermore, some tiny homes are designed to function completely off the grid, which would definitely bring reducing energy and water use to the forefront of considerations.

Now for the obvious disadvantages. First, you just can’t own tons of stuff. You probably will not opt for a large jacuzzi tub in your bathroom in a tiny house. (However, some have chosen to include an outdoor hot tub.) You’ll need to make efficient use of all space, therefore some items are just unnecessary or impossible, like treadmills, large lazy-boy recliners, and big screen televisions. You will not be able to have a basement as a large space for storage (or a freezer full of food). In fact, meal planning might have to become much more purposeful. (But is this really a downside?) Also, while I am just over five feet and small spaces do not frighten me, I can imagine someone over six feet with any form of claustrophobia might be intimidated by this limited living arrangement. And not to be overlooked, depending on where you live, you may run into some zoning issues, if you’re living in a really-tiny, tiny house. (For more merits of tiny house living check out this blog!)

While I’ve fantasized about these tiny houses for years, I have never actually lived in one. Why? Hmmm. Well, first I have two dogs, and I’m not sure how they would adapt to the space. I have not identified the perfect space to put one, and I also love having a garage that I can drive into during the Wisconsin winters. So yes, there are a few aspects that are preventing me from diving into the growing revolution of tiny houses.

But here’s why tiny houses interest me. Like many changes in society they began small (that’s obvious!), but have started to take off over the past two decades. Many people are now choosing to live in less space, and not just those seeking solitude off the grid with a grand view. Others desiring to live with many advantages opt for luxury micro-apartments, like New York City’s Carmel Place where their own personalized space is creatively designed and furnished and includes several amenities like a concierge service, housekeeping, and access to social areas and workout facilities. There are even tiny house hotels popping up for those who would like to test drive a model while on vacation.

Because I love the creativity and concept of tiny house living, and I teach environmental science, this is an interest I bring into the classroom. Now I know it isn’t the best practice to force your personal interests on your students, but I think students do appreciate it when you are passionate about something. During this time of the school year when my students are losing momentum and many are taking several advanced placement tests while simultaneously counting down the days to graduation, my environmental science students design their own tiny house or micro-apartment. This project is usually a hit for many reasons.

Creative Outlet- First, the students enjoy the creative outlet that the project offers. They really dive into every detail of the space. Artistic students thrive, while those that are less artistically inclined can create some amazing designs using an online floor plan design program, like Floorplanner.com.
Clear Vision/Purpose-The students also seem driven by their vision and not by the grade they are aiming for. Some students desire to build these someday. This is important, because there have been many times where I have my teacher vision that is crystal clear, but this of course is not translated to the vision of my students.
Flexibility and Freedom– Students are able to shape and mold the project as they see fit. They are given a simple checklist, but this is not set in stone. In fact, if they feel it is in opposition to their tiny house vision, they are able to ignore or modify that item.
Multiple Points of Connection- This project is clearly connected to sustainability and renewable energy, but it can also be connected with economics and math if students calculate the cost to heat the space for the year or the cost per square foot. Those that lean towards interior design are able to examine materials for their environmental impact while assessing their aesthetic look. Others enjoy spending time designing the exterior features and the outdoor space, considering exactly where their tiny home should be placed for maximum enjoyment. There are probably several more connections that could be mentioned if the students were to actually build a tiny house. (The possibilities are endless!)

The tiny house movement, is very much like the movement of innovation in the classroom. Many teachers are slightly reluctant to make the switch and take a risk but the idea of possible improvement appeals to them. Just like the tiny house movement, one does not need to begin building tomorrow, but may instead decide to spend a couple of nights at a tiny house hotel before devoting more time and energy towards the endeavor. Like tiny houses, innovation is education is a broad concept, and there are many directions one could go. It does not need to be extravagant or complicated. You don’t have to invest in a luxury micro-apartment, you can start simple and make improvements and modifications along the way. Also, innovations and risks are never set in stone, just like living in a tiny house on wheels you can always change your course for a different view that might be more suited for students. Ultimately though both movements take you closer to a clear purpose in life that provides contentment and fulfillment.

My students are not the only ones thinking about the approaching summer. (In fact, there are 24 days of school left.) Summer is a necessary time for educators to not only to relax and recharge but also reflect on the previous year. We often use this time to find inspiration to make impactful changes. Hopefully, you like me might be inspired to stay at a tiny house hotel, and no matter where your summer takes you the mental image of the tiny house can help you remember:

It’s the little things that make life big.

May 5, 2017July 21, 2020

What’s Your Time Bias

My mom doesn’t read books that often, because she’s a finisher. She finishes everything she starts. Her logic is as follows: if she were to start reading a book, she’d have to read until the end and she would get nothing else done during that time. Other people are serial starters (I might fit into this category at times.) Serial starters love to act on a new idea or whim, but struggle to follow through to the finish line, whether it’s finishing a book, completing a craft, or organizing a closet. They become bored or distracted because some shiny new idea has crossed their mental path. In addition to finishers and serial starters, there are also intimidated initiators. Intimidated initiators may have strong desires to begin a goal, but fail to ever step up to the starting line, preferring to observe from the sidelines. They see limitations first and this often blocks any sort of progress down an identified path.

These three categories are definitely extremes and while we can categorize some people like my mother as more of one than another, most people are a mixture of the three depending on the context. For example, I am a serial starter when it comes to reading books and tasks I see as boring (like folding laundry), but I’m definitely a finisher when it involves my professional life. The ideas in my head about education are still characteristic of a serial starter, because I’m mentally all over the place, but when I choose to do something my actions are that of a finisher. And finally, when it comes to expanding my environment or partaking in new social situations (like splurging on a grand vacation, traveling long distances alone, or willingly joining a large crowd), I’m an intimidated initiator.

All three of these are the results of a “time bias”. The finisher sees time as best spent in action and finds fulfillment in getting stuff done, checking items off the list. The serial starter sees time as best spent tasting it all, forever in search of the next best spoonful. The intimidated initiator believes time is best spent in thought analyzing every detail of the situation to determine whether the risk of action is low enough to proceed.

Now as stated earlier, most people do not fit completely into one of these extremes, but these characterizations of time bias are useful when trying to understand how we operate individually and also in the context of a collaborative team. In isolation a finisher can get a lot accomplished, but in collaboration a finisher might be distancing herself to the point where she has lost the necessary connection and support needed for true growth. The serial starter, as an individual can see the vast array of options and isn’t afraid to test the waters. However, in the collaborative team, this might lead to a loss of focus and purpose, leaving others confused and exhausted. Finally, the intimidated initiator takes the time to make informed well-reasoned decisions in her personal life, but in the collaborative context she may be inhibiting forward movement.

Now yes, this seems like a pretty pessimistic situation, why would anyone want to even consider these time biases? Well, in a healthy collaborative setting these biases can actually help with growth if the group culture and dynamic allows for it. First a finisher can provide the necessary forward momentum that limits the intimidated initiator, while the intimidated initiator can provide the moments of pause needed reflect before the finisher and serial starter jump off the cliff. The serial starter can be an asset to the team, because while the finisher sees value in finishing everything, the serial starter has no problem changing course and leaving behind a task or idea that just isn’t working. Additionally, when the serial starter finds something that does work, the finisher can provide the push in the last leg of the race, when the serial starter loses steam.

Ultimately though this dynamic between the finisher, serial starter, and intimidated initiator can only work if there is a healthy environment of communication, trust, and understanding. All three must take a step back in order to see their own limitations and recognize the strengths of the others so that growth and change can happen in a productive way that doesn’t thwart or isolate some while rolling over others. We are all different, with skills to offer, and we need to continually remind ourselves that we all have good intentions and desire the very best outcome.

So there’s the positive ending of a potentially pessimistic assessment of time bias. (Oh and mom, I hope you don’t feel like you need to drop everything and read a book now. You’re perfect just the way you are!) Let’s raise our glasses to all the finishers, serial starters, and intimidated initiators. You are all valued! Cheers!