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Student Voice
Aren't we always searching for ways to engage our students? Isn't it amazing how jazzed they get when they break out of the normal school setting and expand their opportunities? The things students remember the most are the things they create and take ownership of. Do you remember everything your teachers taught you? We do remember whether they made us love their subject area or how they treated us and the projects we created in their classes. (Ok, and maybe the field trips!) Engaging students is far more than technology. It's empowering them to take initiative and be entrepreneurial about their approach. It's giving them the opportunity to be passionate about what they have to say. This "tuesdays" is about giving the students the chance to solve problems and do it their way.
By the way, last week I started iAppinars for those interested in sharing some of their favorite apps. Michele joined me and showed me a few I had never heard of. I love when that happens. Consider joining us next Monday by clicking on this invitation link.
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Student Voice is a movement that is for students and by students. What gets students most excited? When students know they can really make a difference, they become passionate about their cause. Whether it is a local issue in the community or a way to challenge the status quo, giving students a voice is not only important, it is vital to our future. On the Student Voice site, there are numerous blogs, by students, for students and about what students what to get involved in. Some examples are trying to understand why the Chicago teachers' strike discussions only included the union and the city. Why wasn't there a student voice? Interesting. According to the Student Voice site, "Students are the most underrepresented population in America and we aim to change that." I really like the way they are trying to voice their opinions in an effective manner with research, facts and recent topics. Wouldn't it be great to have student blogs on all our high school websites across the nation? How hard could that be? Of course, it would take monitoring, but to truly give the students a voice, we have to give them a wider audience to write and act than just the classroom.
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"Adding A Voice" to the curriculum is simple and valuable. How do we get to know what our students are passionate about? Let's get them writing in all subjects. How great would it be if your students "digitized" some of their assignments? That writing that they hand it no longer needs to be between just the teacher, student and perhaps a few peer reviewers. Instead, using Audacity (Windows or Mac) or GarageBand (Mac only) students can begin to keep an archive of their accomplishments in school. Audio is much more simple than a video project and can be easily accessed by family and friends and even brought down to nano-size on their phones. If you don't have time or are a little scared of doing an audio project, why not demonstrate voice recording in class? It makes an incredible science and math lesson as they are able to visualize audio wavelengths. Encourage them to download Audacity for themselves so that they can begin their own initiative of digitizing their schoolwork in their own voice. Anytime I have done this with students, I am amazed at how much more passionate they are about what they have written when I hear it in their own voice.
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How do we really allow students to be independent, self-starters, and participate in student-led activities? NBC's Education Nation hosted a Student Town Hall this weekend featuring education issues that matter to them. They gathered an impressive panel of powerful students who recognize their need to be stakeholders in the education process. The largest group of student-initiated and student-led movements is seen all over the county in the "See You at the Pole" movement. Students gather to pray around the flagpole at their school the fourth Wednesday of September (tomorrow, by the way!) and organize, advertise and execute totally on their own. Many well-meaning adults try to help, but are totally denying the students the ability to be passionate and independent in their thinking. I wrote a 16-9 movement blog post about it yesterday, but mention it here because it is a perfect example of how students are engaged, motivated, articulate and empowered when they are passionate about a cause. Let's try to afford our students as much guided, but independent opportunities to express themselves on the big issues. After all, they are the future and it's looking good.
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| What is "tuesdays with Karen"?
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"tuesdays with Karen" is a weekly newsletter/blog designed to encourage, equip and empower teachers to be creative with educational technology. Please add your technology comments to my "tuesdays with Karen" blog. |
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