Writing Quote I Agree with

"The first thing I want to say to you, who are students, is that you cannot afford to think of being here to receive an education: you will do much better to think of being here to claim one. One of the dictionary definitions of the verb "to claim" is: to take as the rightful owner; to assert in the face of possible contradiction. "To receive" is to come into possession of: to act as receptacle or container for; to accept as authoritative or true. The difference is that between acting and being acted-upon…" –Adrienne Rich

I have to concur with Rich on this quote.  Regrettably, our public education system has created a sense of “being acted upon.”  If there is a doubt, simply ask the students who are "products" of public education: they complain of the reading they HAVE to do; they complain of the writing they HAVE to do; they complain of HAVING to be in school and “march to the beat of ‘someone else’s” drum instead of their own.   

Partly, I believe this is true simply due to teenage rebelliousness and angst: there are always thousands of things more engaging for me than reading, writing, and being in school.  However, I was talking with my high school senior just this week who had seen “Shift Happens” for the first time in her high school.  I have been showing this same YouTube video to the 8^th graders who come to campus since around 2008. . . .Yet she acted as this was “new stuff” to her.  That is because she was engaged by the instructor who was “talking” her language: digital delivery. Her video experience in fall 2012--along with the experiences of her three, older sisters--confirm for me that public school is really geared for students to "receive" not to "claim."

 

 

Secondly, I have to confess the Sir Ken Robinson has also had an impact on my thinking.  His little video, "Changing Education Paradigms" certainly validated for me my own thinking about public schools: the schools in North Carolina are still in the early to mid 20th century factory mindset. Schools look like factories (unless they have been built in the last 15 years or so).  Schools move students around by the ringing of bells.  Schools batch students like "products" in terms of their ages, even tho' any self-respecting educator realizes students learn at their own pace and in their own way.

Lastly, I have to agree with Rich's assertion that students must "claim," e.g. "take as the rightful owner," their education.  The idea that adult students are "tabula rasa" has been refuted over and over again. Students come to post-secondary, and even secondary education, with a plethora of experiences and knowledge upon which they can stake the claim to THEIR education.  Certainly, with our digital natives, we have to acknowledge that students believe they no longer need us for information.

However, as I keep reminding my faculty, our students DO need us to place this information into a useful context and we offer a safe place for them to explore wide ranging information they may not pursue in their homes or their "home community."  Faculty still have a critical role in students' lives and their success! And I believe that is the heart of Rich's quote: students take claim and faculty facilitate that process for them.

Who Are the Enigmas and How Are They Different from Millennials?

You can search YouTube and find a huge amount of information about the Millennials (those who are 16-34 years of age). We all know about the Millennials:

• They are extremely flexible & adaptable (see how our understanding of marriage has changed simply because of  Millennials and their value of diversity.)
• They are the first digital natives (see Mark Prensky's work to more fully understand this term.)
• They tend to be collective in their thinking, their work habits, and their social behaviors (my daughters--while in high school--defined "dating" as a group of friends going out at once instead of a single "boy/girl" pairing. As the father of five daughters, I appreciated this "newer" definition!)

Millennials are moving into the work force at a rapid pace because 10,000 Baby Boomers are turning 65 years of age each day, 365 days a year, for the next 6 to 10 years!

But at this point, I am interested in exploring the NEXT generation, the Enigmas: those who are in our elementary and middle schools NOW. Those who are already posing a puzzle for educational programs, network shows (at least as networks are today since they are teetering on collapse), clothing designers, foodies, and the huge list of others who are always chasing the next new thing. Let's consider what we know now.

First, we DO know that this generation behind the Millennials are--like their older brothers or sisters--digital natives. My high school seniors are already complaining how the younger sibling at home had his/her first cell phone at age 4 or 5. And these younger siblings are as adept as the older ones about such things as scanning the web, using Web 3.0, using cell phones as alternative "television" (which we already know the Millennials have abandoned network TV), social media users and music "rippers." One of my 16 year old students commented how his younger sister was listening to music from the TV show Empire--which her mother refuses to allow her to watch because of the show's sexual themes. "How," her mother asks, "are you finding music that you do not hear on the program since I tell you to leave the room when the show airs?" Perhaps this middle school daughter is already using Web 3.0:

What else do we already know about the Enigmas: they are bored with school. They are bothered with having to get up, travel to school, sit in their places, move only to the sound of the bell, eat only at the sound of the bell, and follow rules that they do not understand nor had input in shaping. The Millennials have already "been there and done that," but the Enigmas are realizing that this 19th century model of education is clearly not for them and would rather "check out" than "Rage Against the Machine" (which was more of the Millennial reaction.) Consider this clip:

We are now hearing how this elementary school or that middle school is giving tablets to the students so the students can "learn" 24/7" because of access to the technology. As the links I have included illustrate, teachers are realizing that learning, particularly deep and lasting learning, happens outside school time. On the other hand, these very teachers realize that their educational goals must compete with a universe of games, social networks, and media made available through these tools.

Another aspect of this "Enigma" generation is that they are increasingly lost within the rapid rate of change they embrace through being digital natives. Consider the changes that have occurred for this young people:

• 15 years of war delivered to them whenever, where-ever
• gender identification shifts that defy the traditional bi-gender models of their parents and grandparents generation
• family dynamics have shifted dramatically with blended families or single adult families increasing the "norm" in contrast to the "Ozzie and Harriett" generation of mom and dad and 2.5 children
• 24/7 access to the world of entertainment which pitches a narrative of conflict across all lines: racial, gender, generational, national, economic, and so forth
• values changing at such a rate that school-age children are hard pressed to explain what values they hold

This list could go on and on, But we do know that the Enigmas are even more adept than their Millennial elders at living and working in a digital world and that they are fed-up with 19th century educational models and that they are "dazed and confused" by this world that the can access by their handheld device that is nearly always in their hands (watch young people in public who carry their phones with them).

We know that the Enigmas are a "puzzle"--for those of us who are intent in helping them develop and for themselves!How do we understand this metaphor? Obviously, the puzzle image suggests the "connection" they live by. Watch middle school children and how they group as an example of this "connection." Also consider how each piece has a role but that the old idea of the "queen bee" seems to have dissipated. There is not as clear a hierarchy among this new generation. It may evolve, but I doubt it. I believe that the Enigmas will continue a more egalitarian move into young adulthood.

Let's consider this puzzle metaphor further: each piece is relatively equal in importance and it takes all to produce the finished product or image. Clearly the Enigmas believe this concept, whether they are doing school work, social networking, or even thinking about their own identity. They are a contributor along with their "friends" in terms of who they are becoming. Consider the images of these late elementary and middle school children of their older selves: they still think in a collective sense. They see themselves and their "group" as moving forward together, even though the also realize that family lives are extremely mobile. Perhaps this investiture  in their  friends is an attempt to holdback what they know is the inevitable: fragmentation is looming on their horizon, yet they really wish for some sort of stability.

We can also conclude that these young people will wait longer to get into relationships. Part of this reason is that Enigmas, more than any other generation, believe that they can explore more fully who they are. They are taking in input from all over and they want to experience all they possibly can. We are seeing an explosion of gender identity explorations more than ever in this country and it is driven by the Enigmas who are searching for it all: not only sexual identity, but gender, cultural, inter-personal. Just to illustrate: what is the cultural identity of the United States today? How do late elementary and middle school students really see themselves?

We know that the "melting pot" metaphor is no longer in play with these students. They may buy into the "salad" metaphor, but the Enigmas aren't sure yet if they are the greens of the salad (or which nuanced difference they may be of the "greens.") Maybe they are something like a tomato (are they chopped or cherry?) Or maybe they seem themselves as the dressing--what kind of dressing are they: low calorie? regular? sugar free? And these questions are answered even before selecting the "flavor": Ranch, French, Italian, Thousand Island, and so forth.

And one other thing we have to wrestle with (I mean "we" as adults who are invested in our educational system) is that the students in elementary and middle school ONLY socialize f2f at school since the "neighborhood" school model is no longer in play. Schools of choice and changing population patterns (the "re-gentrification" of downtown areas) are leaving the schools as the only location for "face time" among our students. Certainly, they are capable of communicating through their virtual lives, but we all know that relationships differ significantly between f2f and virtual.  How can a teacher "manage" this need for social interaction? And if a teacher is "managing" is this teacher "educating"? Also, if the "sage on the stage" is dead for 21st education interaction, how does this teacher "facilitate from the side" while managing social demands from students?

I know that some may see this post as tenuous at best. Please feel free to post comments (I am planning on enabling that option as I finish this document). I relish the opportunity for us to enter into a conversation about the last of the Millennials and the arrival of the "Enigmas." If nothing else, we may be able to come up with a better name for the generation in today's elementary and middle schools! Until then, however, we can use this puzzling term in our conversations.

This I Believe

Since I was having password trouble, I could not write with you this AM as I normally prefer to do.  So I apologize for my delay in sharing with you my notions of what I believe:

• I do believe fully and completely in each and every one of you and in your potential to make a future for yourself, your children, and your grandchildren.  I would not have stayed at this community college nor in education if I did not hold this belief.  The brightest part of my year is in March when I have a chance to engage the current group of 8th graders.  At this point, we have been hosting the 8th graders here for about 10 years now--so I have talked with over 20,000 8th graders. I believe this illustrates my commitment to you and the future of us all.
• I believe we live in an imperfect world and that we work to try to make it perfect, it cannot be.  Some call this imperfect world the "fallen state" from the particular perspective.  I do not.  I simply believe that the world--by definition--is imperfect because we--by definition--are imperfect.  I am not saying that we should not try to do our best.  I am not saying that we should not strive for perfection.  But I am saying that we do not need to "beat ourselves up" because we fall short of some notion of perfection.  We need to acknowledge that we did, in truth, try our best and that we have learned from our endeavor.  That is what life is about: striving for perfection, falling short, and learning.
• I believe  in the future and what marvels it holds for us.  My grandmother was born in 1893. She was a teenager when the Wrights "flew" at Kitty Hawk.  She saw Neil Armstrong step onto the moon. Can you imagine moving from a horse and buggy world to the moon within a life time?  Can you imagine what is out there for us to still discover? 

My grandmother, Dovie Mae

• I believe in love.  I love my family and my wife, passionately.  I love the people I work with--and have worked with for 29 years now.  I love my students and the passion they bring about their future. But I also remember well the line from William Blake:  “He who binds himself to a joy/Does the winged life destroy/But he who kisses the joy as it flies/Lives in eternity’s sunrise.” This means to me that if we hold onto those that we love, we destroy that very thing we love.  So with regret, I have to encourage and support my students when they move on to the university.  I have to encourage and write letters of recommendations for my faculty who "fly."  I have to encourage my daughters to spread their wings and fly, when I'd rather they be at home--safe and sound, where I could simply look in while they sleep. 
• I believe in learning stuff.  I don't care whether it is about astronomy or zoology.  I don't care whether it Achilles or Zola.  I don't care if it is . . . .well, I hope you get the picture.  I have not told you yet, so I am sharing this now: by the end of this term, I can promise you that I will have learned more from you that you have from me.  And I appreciate this learning opportunity!
• I believe in awe. Sam Keen wrote a profound book, An Apology for Wonder, that I go back to from time to time to remind myself of the awe we seem to have forgotten. I can see how we have lost our sense of awe: we have seen men walking on the moon, we have seen information and change happen in "real time," we have let our language rob us of the capability of sensing "awe."  But I have seen a golden sunset bathe the countryside around the college.  I have seen light streaming through the stained glass of Coventry Cathedral.  I have seen snow in Glendalough, Wicklow, Ireland. I have seen a rainbow touch the waters of Lake Innisfree. . .  .these are all "awe-inspiring," and I would encourage you to think about what the term "awe" really means!
• Lastly, I believe in this equation: difference DOES NOT EQUAL deficient. I believe we have tended to embrace the opposite; however, different is simply that: different.  We tend to want to find what is wrong with differences instead of simply accepting them.  I owe a boatload of thanks to my graduate faculty in grammar who drove this point home with me and which resonates with everything I do: different is simply that--different.

"Why Am I Here?"

On 6 December 2012, Traci Crisco from the Adult High School/GED area of the Davie Campus asked me to visit her students and talk.  I have visited with Traci and her students many times and am always eager to visit with her, so I arrived and planned a few activities for the students. One of the first things I did was create a wiki (click here to see the wiki) and asked the students to ask me any question and that I would answer their questions at the wiki. However, one of the first questions I saw was this one: "What are you here for?" This blog entry is my initial reflection on the nature of this question--"Why am I here?"

 My first response to this question had to do with the multiple ways I could read this seemingly simple question: "What are you here for?" I could read it directly, e.g. "Why are your visiting us today?" Or, I could read it as a little more pointed: : "What the hell are you here for?" I also could read it philosophically: "Why are you here on this planet?" or I could have read it ironically: "Yeah--why are you here?" I believe that part of the reason of my "being here" is answered with this brief reflection on ways to read the question: I love language and the potential nuances language carries. So this first reflection is part of my answer.

I have to concede that another reason "I am here" was to do with my parents. My dad was a veteran of WW II

Arnold Lester Branson circa 1941

He had been a POW of the Germans for about nine months (early September 1944 until May 1945), returned from combat, married my mom, and went to work with Western Electric making telephones.  He had what was called a "piece rate." This term means that he could potentially earn extra money if he exceeded his base rate. By 1953, because he had meet and exceeded his piece rate, I was born.  Thus, another answer to the "why am I here" traces to my parents and their lives and the choicest they made.

Another aspect of this question--certainly appertaining to my visit to Davie--is what I wanted to accomplish with the students that day.  I listed three things on my Prezi that were my goals for that class time:

• You may choose to read more
• You can demonstrate that you better understand the reasons for reading
• You may be able to demonstrate some fundamental critical thinking skills

I believe I accomplished these goals and here is the evidence: I have invited several students to join my wiki, which will guide them to read (and I hope write) more. I asked them several questions--from naming movie allusions from a comic strip to reasons why Scrooge gave the Cratchit family a turkey for Christmas (think about it: turkeys are indigenous to the New World and it had to be expensive to offer a turkey as a gift in the 1840s).  Students eagerly engaged in the responses and I believe both have deeper understanding of reading and were able to demonstrate some critical thinking.  As one faculty member noted as I was getting ready to leave: "[The presentation] made them think."

Since I do have my PhD, I also have to reflect a bit on the "deep" reading of the question: "Why am I here?"  I believe I am a teacher because I simply have the genes.  Where they came from, I do not a clue. But I do recall helping my neighbor with US history--the neighbor was in high school and I was in junior high.  I was able to guide his thinking way back in the mid-1960s and I vividly recall his mother commenting on how I was going to be a teacher.

I believe I am at a community college because of my passion for teaching, my commitment to students, and my general optimism about the future. Our young people are our future. And I compelled to have a hand in that future thru guiding students today.

I need to take a break now and get back to the wiki--but this piece is my first run at the question: "Why am I here."

Welcome to "The Near Term"!

I want to welcome everyone to my new blog, "The Near Term."

First, let me explain the title of my blog: I have retired after 31 years of working with the state of North Carolina and its community college system. I started in 1983 (just months before my oldest daughter, Tessa, was born). Now that I have time, I wanted to do more consulting work, which I'd been doing off and on for many, many years. The title of this blog is the same as I am using for my consulting business. So welcome to both my blog and consulting!

That's my first point: my second point in this blog to explore more fully what it is I have done and wish to do in the future in terms of my consulting. I used the name, "Near Term," for many reasons and I want to share some of them now.

"The Near Term" suggests the immediacy of what I see as the "new normal" today and the timeliness with which I will respond to any one's needs. Time is moving forward at a breakneck speed and if we do not stay on top of time and changes it constantly throws at us, we will simply slip further and further behind.

Also, "The Near Term" suggests my focus on education and where it is, where is seems to be going, and--if possible--to adjust for the "brave new world" of the 21st century. Note that I added "if possible" above.  Though I am convinced we must change and I am willing to facilitate change, I am--at times--pessimistic about the willingness of our organizations to affect change in a meaningful manner (I will talk more about this point in another blog).

So welcome to my new blog and I hope you visit "The Near Term" often!