This Is Just To Say. . . Are They Really Who We Think They Are?

It was a great day to be back at school and to make those kids feel good and have fun.  The teacher stood in front of his students and chatted for a few minutes after the bell had rung.  They spoke about fun things that happened on the weekend, about the latest movies in the theaters, about how some people get constipated from eating too much turkey.  He saw the light in their eyes and they heard the care and sincerity in his voice.  And as all of his most important teaching was happening, he thought about the next lesson he was about to deliver.

His students were going to work on multi-media projects.  They were tech-savvy and ready for anything!  This was the "YouTuberation" and he knew that creating a one minute video on the work of William Carlos Williams would be a piece of plum cake.  His rubric was well conceived and succinct, he had some great poems to share, and the project explanation was superb.  The man even brought in a stinking red wheel barrow for inspiration.  The class was kickin' and the kids were excited.  And then, they began creating, or at least, they began thinking about how to create.

The problem that this well intentioned and progressive teacher ran into was that he overestimated his student's ability and tech awareness.  Obviously he knew that he would need to prepare them for some of the rigors of creating videos, but he didn't anticipate having to walk them through basic computer functions and capabilities.  The man had read all about how important it was to transform the teaching paradigm within the classroom.  He knew that his students needed to be engaged and a part of the larger conversations taking place digitally around the world.  And even though he was ready to make it a reality for them, were they ready for the rigors and challenges this new digital curriculum would present?

His first thought was about the shift that needed to occur at a national level.  As students progress from grade to grade, they are expected to understand new universal pieces of information and new ways of thinking.  This had to become the case with technology as well.  As the nation creates a Common Core set of standards, aptitude for engaging with and utilizing technology must be addressed and made a priority.  Students can read, write, and solve equations all day, but if those skill sets cannot be translated digitally, then we are sending unprepared people into an increasingly digital world. 

His next thought quickly spiraled into the ether of the cosmos and the "what does it all mean?" conundrum that has riddled teachers and students forever. William Carlos Williams seeped into his brain and his students transformed into letters making up a single stanza beautifully rich poem.  But he digressed and decided that in order for his students to feel successful, he needed to create some short tutorials on basic movie editing and teach them how to save files on a flash drive.  For the moment, WCW would have to wait.