Girl Rising and CNN reports – Must Reads for LCS students!

Check out the links to the Girl Rising reports on CNN.  I urge LCS students to navigate the CNN reports and articles. It looks pretty interesting with powerful stories from around the world.

Girl Rising on CNN

Why is it that CNN has devoted so many stories and so much journalism to these stories of females from around the world?  Why do you think that is the case?  The stories about educating females, forced marriage at early ages, child slavery…they are all powerful and important.  CNN has some very famous people writing some very strong pieces.

You should really check these out.

Along the way, read this piece on school proms.  It’s on the Girl Rising web site as well.  It gives us, at LCS, something to think about.

Leaning Forward with Technology at LCS

Technology is integral to learning at LCS.  Students have regular access to technology at school while developing competent users of, and learners with, technology is a high priority.  We strive to support students as they develop their digital citizenship and learn how to manage the multitude of technology tools at their disposal. It is an essential aspect of learning at LCS.

Elementary students regularly access the computer lab through scheduled classes and during specific projects.  All elementary classrooms have a desktop computer to share and a SmartBoard for students and teachers to use.  In addition, a classroom set of laptops and I-pads are available and shared amongst elementary classrooms for additional learning experiences.

In the secondary school each scheduled block of the day (4 blocks in total) sees the collection of 60 laptops in the library borrowed by students for classroom work.  Our laptops are checked out from the library and each block they are fully utilized. In addition, students learn with technology through various classes.  For example, science labs utilize science probes (in conjunction with laptops), Film Art classes use editing software, and Art classes exploit our classroom set of I-pads.   Technology is in demand.

Many secondary students bring their own laptops or I-pads to school on a daily basis.  Over 80% of our secondary students own a laptop and over 60% bring them to school daily.  More older students bring personal laptops than younger students.  If students take care of their belongings at school, then their belongings, no matter how valuable, are safe.  We have had very little theft this year and two cases of disappearing laptops have occurred in the middle school and were the result of students leaving their items unattended overnight.

All students and parents (Grades 4-12) are required to acknowledge and sign our Responsible User Policy.  This document details expectations around use of technology at LCS.  Students in Grade 6-12 also sign a Laptop Borrowing agreement which Continue reading

TedXTeen – Role Models and Inspiration

Role Models.…Students need role models.  Role models they can identify with.  They need examples of young people doing extraordinary things – and being ordinary people along the way!  They need mentors to support and encourage.

I recently came across TedXTeen.  Here’s a collection of really interesting young people.  It is worth exploring the links from TedXTeen. I’m sure it will prove interesting.  Here’s the link.  Navigate yourself to the talks by participants!  Here’s the link below:

TedXTeen Talks March 2013

 

 

 

 

 

Who Inspires You?

Given the unique wiring of an adolescent, how do kids make decisions about who they want to really be?  How do they learn their values?  Who influences them?  Who do they look up to who can provide guidance?

In the post below there are some links to interesting young people doing interesting things.  Who shapes you?  Who influences you?

Clearly, parents, extended family, teacher mentors, and other role models have a huge part in shaping young kids.  Having said that, I believe young people can find tremendous role models within their peer group and through their social networks.  We can find really positive role models who are teenagers who have posted their accomplishments on youtube or personal websites or blogs or through presentations at organizations like TEDxTeen.  We have alumni from LCS who are excellent potential role models, and close in age to our current students.  If kids are willing to explore these networks, there are inspiring young people out there.

Adolescence is challenging.  Knowing that there are young people out there who are working hard to figure their own paths and are willing to share their thoughts and challenges with one another through social media.  It holds really very powerful potential.

Here’s an inspiring role model!!   Recently, 14 of our students returned from the Global Issues Service Summit in Nairobi.  One of the speakers was Cassandra Lin. She’s a teenager from Rhode Island.  Talk about a role model!

Here’s a link to her presenting at a recent TED talk conference.

She’s awesome.  She was also a huge inspiration to all of our students who attended the GISS in Nairobi.

Here’s another role model!!!

Below is a great Ted Talk given by a 15 year old. Here’s the description off the web site.  She’s good fun to listen to and an inspiration to 15 year old females!

“Fifteen-year-old Tavi Gevinson had a hard time finding strong female, teenage role models — so she built a space where they could find each other. At TEDxTeen, she illustrates how the conversations on sites like Rookie, her wildly popular web magazine for and by teen girls, are putting a new, unapologetically uncertain and richly complex face on modern feminism. (Filmed atTEDxTeen.)”   

Here’s her Ted Talk at TEDxTeen

 

Here is another interesting individual.  I heard him speak at a conference a few years ago.  It is worth hearing the story of

Ryan Hreljac of Ryan’s Well.

 

One reason I am interested in this topic is that our teens are challenged daily.  Take the entertainment industry for example.  Chris Brown, the music artist, recently performed a concert in Ghana.  We had many students flock to the concert.  It’s not often that a big name in the entertainment industry holds a concert in Accra, Ghana.  I can see the lure.  Having said that, Chris Brown is known as a convicted felon, a history of violence and drug use, someone who physically assaulted his girlfriend and yet he is a celebrity who draws a huge crowd.  How can this be?  What type of role model is this man to our students.   Why expose our kids to this individual?  How come our students were so eager to see this concert?

I think our kids need powerful role models.  They must have powerful role models if, in fact, they are lured to concerts and entertainment like a Chris Brown.

We are talking about values and mindful behaviors.  We are talking about smart choices and principled actions.

Learning principled actions, treating others with respect, honoring respectful and caring behaviors is essential during formative years of adolescence. Positive role models support such learning. Finding them through sports, entertainment, one’s family, at school, or through other resources is the challenge.  There are many positive role models out there. Helping guide kids towards those role models is a collective responsibility.

 

Parents Building Community at LCS

On Wednesday, Feb 20, over 30 Grade 6 parents (approximately half of our Grade 6 population) attended an evening parent gathering hosted in a private home.  The purpose of the evening was to get together to talk about social media and the challenges of parents and educators.  Facebook usage dominated the conversation as did the topic of challenges associated with extensive online interest, involvement, and obsession!!  Kids are plugged in.  It’s a challenge for parents to make decisions around family rules and expectations.  Every parent handles things differently.  Over the years I have found it incredibly valuable to communicate with as many parents as I can to help shape my decisions as a parent and as a school leader.  Schools have a responsibility to support, educate, and provide information to both students and parents around this important topic.  This evening meeting was a great example of parents collectively tackling the challenges of parenting.

I was very impressed with the turnout of parents.  The community is naturally very

Grade 6 Parents Gather for a Lively Discussion and a Meal on Feb 20 2013

interested in this topic. I would urge parents to rally around one another, exchange ideas, tips, and suggestions.  It is not easy to parent in the digital age.  We all share the same concerns, hopes, and fears as parents.  Moreover, we are all  in uncharted territory when it comes to technology and share similar questions.

Below is a link to the presentation.  Feel free to view it.  In addition, I’ve added  a link to an excellent Ted Talk that is worth listening to. It’s about our  “plugged in” world we have become!

This is the presentation to Grade 6 parents.  This is the powerpoint presentation.

This is the same presentation to Grade 6 parents as a movie. It’s a larger file for downloading (28 mb) but plays fine.

Connectivity, Inquiry, and Learning

Ever since the 1990’s when “google it” became a standard expression, a verb,  and a universally understood action, I’ve wondered how lives would change as “google it” would be a reality anytime and anywhere.  For a moment, consider how much more information is being exchanged in your lives with our ever expanding connectivity?

As 2012 closed down a few weeks ago, I found myself thinking about this even more.  Over the holiday, while spending time with my wife and two sons (both in their 20’s) we were regularly engaged in discussions that often led to a need for additional information.  One of us would inevitably “google it” to complete the discussion, or more often win the debate! This was true in our house, in our car, on the beach, or on a hike.  Growing coverage and access in Ghana is impressive!  Besides seeking debate-winning nuggets of information, we regularly gathered movie reviews, weather reports, and news headlines.    We listened to news podcasts, watched video clips on Youtube, skyped with family members on other continents, fact checked through Wikipedia, and checked on work responsibilities. We looked for directions using Google maps, tracked international flights, ensured we understood the rules to card games, and downloaded reading materials and ebooks.  We had a very personal and intimate experience as a family but, make no mistake, we were plugged in, (when we weren’t napping with our books on the beach) and we were online using our connectivity.   I do like my iphone and ipad!

Beyond a minimal nugget of information to sway an argument, I found myself thinking more and more about how this extensive connectivity provided opportunities for my individualized learning.  While traveling down the coast, we were picking and choosing the topics and the timing for extending our learning.  We were glad to have solid 3G access as we searched and shared historical info Continue reading

Parenting Our Digital Natives…Resources for Parents

Our kids are digital natives.  We know that.   We have to make adjustments as parents and educators. What are the opportunities?  What are the challenges?  If we don’t embrace, learn, lead, teach, manage, and understand then we are in danger of committing malpractice as parents and educators.

Fundamentally, though, it’s not parenting styles or intuition that is changing.  It is the playing field. The playing field is a globally connected, anytime/anywhere accessible world, immersed in digital devices that overload us with information, interactions, decisions, and an ever expanding horizon.  Ethical, responsible, and thoughtful decision making and inquiry are needed for people to navigate and harness their connectivity. But ethical, responsible, and thoughtful decision making has always been the goal!  Helping kids make good decisions and mentoring kids towards becoming responsible beings is what parenting is all about.  The landscape in the 21st century has changed!

There are many resources for parents.  A quick search of resources in google and youtube for parent resources leads you to many links.  There is good information available to help guide parent decision making and parent/child discussions about online ethics. Parents must stay informed, accept the realities of our digital world, and reflect upon the impact it has on our parenting decisions.  Conversations, structures, and rules for our kids all need to be considered.  Our actions as adults matter as we help shape and guide our kids forward.

Below are some links for parents that can produce some interesting dialogue. The youtube videos are relatively short but provide some fundamental thinking and ideas.

 Digital Generation Parents Share Their Wisdom

Cyberbullying Solutions for Parents

FB, YouTube, Texting – Rules of the Road for Kids

Tips for Digital Generation Parenting

Sexting and kids – what parents need to know

Slideshare for parents – a resource from David Truss

Disconnect to Connect

Raising Digital Kids, Engaging Your Kids – a resource from David Truss.  This is a nice summary of some things to think about as you are discussing limits and engaging in dialogue with your son/daughter.

Here is an interesting article from the Washington.   For parents who are thinking hard and long about steps to take with their kids, this is a good article to provide some support.  Mom’s Code of Conduct for her son

 

 

 

Digital Images and Cyberbullying – What to do?

This post is dedicated to students who have been cyber bullied.  My goal is to offer some support, resources, and learning for students.   I have embedded several videos and a web site links for students to view.  My goal is to support the building of community where every individual feels safe and valued.

With respect to cyber bullying……….

About one-third of online teens (ages 12-17) have been cyberbullied. Girls are more likely to be targeted.

(Lenhart A. Cyberbullying and Online Teens. Pew Internet & American Life Project, 2007.)

These numbers are staggering.  Online bullying is far too common place.  Inappropriate decision making (or a lack of decision making) is far too common.

Here is a profound video…have a look. It’s called You Can’t Take it Back. It’s from the web site www.netsmartz.org/RealLifeStories.   If the video doesn’t open from the blog, use the link right here:

You Can’t Take It Back


 

Here is another short video along the same lines.  It’s called “Your Photo Fate”.  Again, make good decisions!  It’s from the web site www.netsmartz.org/RealLifeStories

Again, if it doesn’t open below from the blog, use this link: Your Photo Fate

 

This 16 year old radio news reporter broadcast this story on the radio on January 7, 2013.  She lives in New York City.   The title is:  Online Shaming A New Level of Cyberbullying for Girls  Listen to this story about teenagers, from teenagers

So what can you do about it? Here is a great site for students who have been cyber bullied, check this out:

A Thin Line

The site is sponsored by MTV.  The point of the site is clear, if you are a victim of cyber bullying, there are steps you can take to fight back and take control. Don’t let bullies win!

Here’s a link to a set of Frequently Asked Questions around Cyberbullying addressed to teenagers.  If you wish to see it, click here.

The Media and Teenage Girls

This post is focused upon the portrayal of female teenagers in the media.  There are two resources on this site.  Being aware of the impact of the media and effects the media has on how girls self-perceptions is really important.

In browsing sites the other day my wife found this video and shared it with me, so I would share this with secondary school students.  Have a look at the documents and videos on this post and consider the important messages they hold.  How does the media impact young women?

A Girl’s Guide To Battling The Harmful Effects Of Mass Media from MoveOn.org

 

In addition, take a look at this site.  It is called Day of the Girl.

It is a site with excellent resources for teenage girls around the topic of the media.  It is worth taking a look at and browsing as deeply as you wish to.  There are many voices of teenage girls on the site.

 

In addition, there is a site dedicated to the film Miss Representation.  We will be showing this movie at LCS in the future.  It is a powerful movie.  If you wish to know more about this film and explore the topic, google Miss Representation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phones – Learning Tools or Short Cut Tools?

This was the image of a teacher’s desk during a recent mid-semester exam.  Our students were not able to hold onto the phones because some students will use them to gain an advantage over other students.  In a straightforward semester exam, phones offer multiple methods for cheating (creative short cuts!!)

 

When will these phones be used as learning tools, not as “cheating” devices during exams for students?  When will they be  learning tools on a regular basis in the classroom?  How are we going to deal with the ubiquitous nature of technology in schools?  The proliferation of smart phones, tablets, ipads and other wireless devices in schools coupled with growing bandwidth and wireless access, presents unknown potential for teaching and learning.

How will these tools support the end goals of a K-12 education?  How will these tools support the development of the skills needed for being a self-regulated learner, a self-reliant learner, and a lifelong learner?

Perhaps they impact learning more than we consider at present.  Consider the amount of communication the tools already support amongst students.  Perhaps, in all that texting and image/document sharing that is taking place all the time – literally 24/7 (with a few hours in the middle of the  night to catch some sleep) there are some educational and/or school related exchanges of Continue reading