Mitch Resnick: Let’s Teach Kids to Code

Mitch Resnick, of MIT Media Lab and Lifelong Kindergarten, has a new TED Talk out, here and embedded below. Take 17 minutes to watch it today. You will not be disappointed — learners of all ages, elementary through adults.

As a result of this talk, more and more people will be inventing, designing, creating, building, sharing. Scratch is free to download from MIT. Get started today!

(If you already have an account, you can work on the beta version of Scratch 2.0.)

In addition, MIT Media Lab and P2PU are sponsoring a free class “Learning Creative Learning,” which will use Scratch. When you register, add the code #geniushour if you want to work with a group of genius hour teachers.

Now watch the video:

The graphic above was inspired by Mitch Resnick’s Lifelong Kindergarten video. You can watch it here:  http://youtu.be/z7rlLml5ReQ

Embracing the ‘S’ Word

I’ll never forget the first time I had a student come up to me and say, “Mrs. Krebs, so-and-so said the ‘S’ word!”

Oh, my, I thought. I was new to second grade at the time. I didn’t know what to do.

“Which one?” I mistakenly asked. Her precious little lips formed the first syllable of the forbidden word as she mouthed, “Stu…”

I actually don’t remember the rest of that story, but recently I used the ‘S’ word myself in an interview with Center for Digital Education.

I love the story Tanya Roscorla wrote about genius hour, “Google’s 80/20 Principle Applies to Students.” The amazing teachers from Canada, U.S., and Mexico–Gallit Zvi, Hugh McDonald, Juan DeLuca, Julie Jee–and my student, Meghan, were so professional and explained genius hour very well. Then I got to my quote, and I was embarrassed:

“It made all the difference when I stopped giving them stupid assignments that I chose.”

I didn’t like it that I had said “stupid assignments” in the interview. I thought I could have described assignments that I sometimes gave as boring or useless or tortuous or meaningless. But no, I said stupid. I told Tanya in a Twitter message that I wish I wouldn’t have said ‘stupid’ assignments. She didn’t suggest an edit, so I decided it was there for me to own.

And I do. I did give some stupid assignments. According to Dictionary.com, stupid can be synonymous with foolish, senseless, tediously dull, inane, pointless, annoying, irritating, troublesome.

Hmmm…yes, some of my assignments over the years have been annoying and irritating to students because they weren’t appropriate–they were too hard or I didn’t give students enough time to complete them adequately, so they raced through just to say they finished.

Some assignments were tediously dull. Sometimes even pointless. I have asked students to read a chapter and write the answers to questions at the end. I’ve passed out worksheets and word searches. And had students write a lot of spelling words.

And some assignments have been foolish and senseless. I came from the old school where we wrote sentences for punishment, and I am ashamed to say that I had stooped to that a few times in my early years of teaching.

So, now I’m embracing the ‘S’ word. I forever do not want to assign another STUPID assignment.

Genius hour, yes.

Choice, yes.

Challenge, yes.

Real-world problems, yes.

Learning, yes.

Most definitely, yes to learning!

ITEC 2012

Connected educator. Leader. Learner. Colleague of my students.

My life as an educator has changed dramatically over the past two years. One of the ways can be illustrated in my experience with ITEC, which is Iowa Technology and Education Connection, a conference held each October.

2010Brenda and Mary went to ITEC and came back telling me all the exciting things they had learned about connectedness, Twitter, blogging, and more. “What’s ITEC?” I asked. They explained.

2011 – The next year, I was anxious to go myself to learn more about this new connected educator I was becoming. I wrote about Day 1 and, several months later, Day 2.

2012 – This year, I went back to ITEC, excited to learn more, but I also decided to contribute. I signed up to lead a session about genius hour, where students are given time and autonomy to learn, create, and produce something meaningful to them.

I suppose it was because of my interests, but each session I attended (except “Bringing History to Life Workshop” by Karen Lampe) included some reference to genius hour learning.

I went to ITEC for just one day this year because I had committed to present on Tuesday at Northwest Iowa Reading Council on being a connected educator. (Remind me not to present two days in a row again–for a while, at least!)

I am thankful for the professional development opportunities that my school gives me, like the chance to go to ITEC and other conferences.

It’s hard to explain, but ITEC and other PD experiences have helped make me more connected and a willing leader, given me a renewed love for learning, and led me to develop a collegial partnership of learning with my students.

I am profoundly grateful for the journey I’m on!