For the last few years, we have spent much of September and October talking to our students about dealing with digital distractions. We give presentations to parents and educators. You'd think we knew what we were talking about. So guess what I did this weekend?
As you may or may not know, Dr. Kelly and I have both gone back to school to work on advanced degrees and yes, this weekend I had homework. I read my textbook while watching t.v., which took an hour and a half longer than it should have. I created flashcards, but kept my Facebook page open, so I constantly went there to see what my friends were saying, or reading interesting articles that popped up. And all this time I had my cell phone nearby, so I was repeatedly interrupted by daughters who had questions or needed to borrow something and others reporting weather conditions and debating politics. Needless to say, I wasn't very efficient, I didn't retain a lot of information, and everything took forever. I would give myself a "C". I got most of the work done, but I didn't do it very well.
Here's what I should have done:
- Finished my reading before or after my favorite t.v. show, not during. I could have finished it in 1/3 the amount of time and remembered a lot more of what I read.
- Closed all of the other tabs on my computer while working on my flashcards. Yes, ALL of them.
- Turned my cell phone off or put it on the other side of the room so I wasn't tempted to check it constantly.
If I had done these three things, I would have finished the work faster and more accurately, and probably have done better on my quiz the next day.
So
parents, check to see not just if your child is doing his or her
homework, but how they're doing it. And students, learn from my mistake.
Next time you complain about how long your homework takes, think - is it the
amount of homework, or the worker?
Do you have any suggestions for overcoming digital distractions? Share them below! It turns out that everyone - even Ms. Nan - could use a little help.
Many
gifted students are wildly creative, love to do puzzles, and have
intense interests, sometimes in fields that a lot of people don't
understand. Lately, some of those people have been banding together in
something called the "Maker Movement." Makers are just that - people who
like to make things: robots, electronics, 3-D printing, metalworking,
woodworking...you name it. These folks share ideas on how to create
things that interest them - sometimes ideas that lead to new inventions,
careers, and a whole lot of fun!
Make Magazine,
which launched in 2007, has been the impetus behind this movement, and
says, "Many makers are hobbyists, enthusiasts or students
(amateurs!)–but they
are also a wellspring of innovation, creating new products and producing
value in the community. Some makers do become entrepreneurs and start
companies."
Make
also hosts what they call "Maker Faire" at locations around the globe.
One of the largest Maker Faires is held at the Henry Ford Museum near
Detroit, this year scheduled for July 30-31. According to their website,
"Maker Faire is like a three-ring circus of innovation. Robotics,
electronics, rockets, food, music, fashion, science - if somebody makes
it, we'll find a place for it at Maker Faire Detroit." There have also
been Maker Faires of various sizes in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and other
midwest cities.
If you have a passion for creating your own fun, this might be an activity you'd like to try - you can buy Make Magazine
at Barnes and Noble, check out a Faire, and think about what you'd like
to MAKE. There are also scores of YouTube videos with examples from
other Makers, including this one, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Reimvk8D2Ho, where Joey Hudy shows President Obama how to use his marshmallow launcher and nearly gets tackled by the Secret Service.
If you end up making something cool, (or if you've already made something), share some photos! And if you launch a marshmallow at the principal - you didn't get that idea from us!
