Three Weeks to Go

One (online) class session and one more paper to go.

It's almost done.

This year has been a blast! I also feel like, for the most part, it hasn't gone by too quickly; the pacing has been just right.  The last few weeks however have flown by faster than the speed of light!  I'd say these last few weeks have been a blur. 

So soon I'll no longer be the part-time student/full-time employee hybrid I've been for the past 3 years.  While that is a bit of loss identity-wise, it is a cause for much joy as I move on to the next chapter of life.  What will it bring?  I know that I want to continue learning, that's for sure.  I want to continue writing and reading, and thinking about how we can best use technology for learning in and out of the classroom.  Can all of this be done outside of grad school?  I think so!  Only one way to find out, huh?

Three weeks until the big day.

Course Work Example; Digital Literacies Class

Here's an example of some of the cool work we're doing in our Digital Literacies course.  We had to create a map that told a story.  Maps can be used as a platform for storytelling (for a cool example, check out this blog).  Of course I never thought of maps in this way before, but it's totally true!  So I decided to draw a map of my office in the Sociology department where I work, and plot what I think is usually communicated based on where a visitor in my office stands:

As you can see in the key below the map, where a person locates him or herself is normally tied into the urgency and length of the issue at hand.  Also, the radius-like thing I draw on each circle represents the person's range of vision (meaning that I, in a chair that rolls, adjust where I'm located to align with that range). This is not anything that's planned, it's just a pattern I've noticed over the course of the past year I've been in my office.  

If someone ends up in Position 4, I know that whatever matter at hand is probably something that needs to be handled as quickly as possible.  But if someone only comes to Position X, they may just want to say hi or ask a quick question.  They also may feel like they don't want to "intrude" into the office (although I don't feel like anyone's intruding; so come on in!).  

Position 1 may be a little more complex than a quick hi or quick question. What's said in Position 2 may not be more complex than Position 1, but may be longer (someone saying hi and then maybe asking a bit more about how things are going, or someone needing clarification on a couple of issues).  

Position 3, which is a seat on a plush chair in my office, means we may get engaged in a bit of conversation.  

Finally, visiting speakers are usually the only ones that go to Position Y as they give me their belongings to hold on to while they go through their day (I usually put the belongings where the clothes stand is).

I used Classroom Architect to help make the map and then wrote the positions and the key.  I think it's interesting we looked into this as part of our Digital Literacies class, as it really breaks down - once again - that the concept of literacy can and should be applied across so many mediums and platforms.  It's not just about books, that's for sure!

Interview with Nikki Adeli, High School Junior from Science Leadership Academy

The 2014 TEDx Philadelphia conference was a sight to behold.  A diverse array of speakers enlightened the sold-out crowd of 1000+ at the Temple Performing Arts Center.  But there was one speaker - the youngest one in TEDx Philadelphia history - who electrified like none other.

Nikki Adeli, a high school junior at Philadelphia's Science Leadership Academy, captivated the audience as she called for the adults of today to believe in her generation.  As Youth Commissioner to Mayor Michael Nutter, and Vice President of the School District of Philadelphia Student Government (among other leadership roles), Nikki serves as a shining example of what the teenagers of today have to offer.

I was able to catch up with Nikki to ask her about her TEDxPhilly talk, and her views on education from the perspective of a teenage student (for all you future educators out there). 

MTW: Your TEDxPhilly talk drew a standing ovation from the audience.  How did the experience feel?

NA: Haha, I wish actually got to see it! I was so worried to get off stage on time for the next speaker to present that I didn't even see the standing ovation! However, after my mom told me it happened, I was delighted!

MTW: Did you feel any pressure being the youngest person to ever speak at at a TEDxPhilly conference?  

NA: Not really. In all honesty, I don't remember being nervous before or during the talk. I think it's due to the fact that I truly believe in the concepts I spoke about in my talk that it all came naturally; as if I was having a conversation with someone, over lunch, about education.

MTW: You said at the end of your talk, “Invest in teens and the future will take care of itself.”  What steps can educational institutions take to invest in teens?  

NA: In my opinion, every single teenager has the ability to become a leader in his or her community. We all already have a fire of interest within us, something we are passionate about. However, that fire of interest needs to be ignited by a match. The match is the teacher. The match is the principal. The match could be any adult in that school. However, to be the match, there not only needs to be an investment of funding and resources - which a multitude of institutions lack - but also time and belief. Time that isn't just given during a class instruction, but also outside of the classroom, after school, and on the weekend. When time is set aside to get to know what a student is passionate about, the investment of belief follows immediately like a chain reaction.

In addition, there needs to be a change in school climate to a climate that fosters student voice.

MTW: How can we empower teens to, as you mention in your talk, be the leaders of today (and not just the leaders of tomorrow)?

NA: I cannot urge enough how important student voice is. I feel as though there is a silent epidemic of voiceless students. There is a lack of student voice in so many classrooms and districts that it forbids students from becoming engaged in their own learning and education. Therefore, the way to empower students is by incorporating us into the conversations that relate to our education. Whether it’s about funding or reforming how we learn in the classroom, we are the ones going to school 180 days of the year; our opinions and experiences are the most important on the decision. If students were told in their teenage years that their voice mattered, that would empower us to speak up not only in school but in our own communities to create positive change.

MTW: For those who are pursuing a career in education, what do you think they should keep in mind regarding the students they will eventually teach?

NA: Two things:

1. The student sitting in front of you and the student next to him and the student sitting behind her, are all extraordinary in their own special ways. Each one of their unique characteristics will be essential to bettering society. One of the privileges you will have as a teacher is to help them discover that uniqueness and guide them in the right direction so that they can blossom one day into who they are truly meant to be: themselves. Not what other people tell them to be based on THEIR definition of what success is, or from set standards that a person of higher rank told you they are to meet to be successful. A successful student is one who knows what type of positive impact they want to make as themselves.
2. Growing up, I’ve had numerous teachers, when I asked them a question, “answer” the question by saying “Were you not listening? I’m not going to repeat myself” or “Just read the handout and you’ll understand.” Never question a student for a question they have asked AND don’t let their peers question them either. Asking questions are a sign of curiosity. Don’t shut down the curiosity! 

MTW: What’s next for you? I think I saw a tweet from someone saying you should run for mayor...

NA: That was one of my favorite tweets that I got that day. As flattering as that is, for now I'm going to continue my efforts, as a Philadelphia Youth Commissioner, to create a resolution that allows for students during their school week to intern and/or volunteer somewhere in the city that they are interested in. Places like hospitals, law firms, elementary schools, or even a cupcake shop. This will not only help students become leaders in their own community, but it will also help students apply what they are learning in school to the real world.

***

While Nikki has not yet determined her career path, she is really interested in medicine and international relations and hopes to find common ground between them.  And it's not all work for Nikki; she loves to play ultimate frisbee!

You can follow Nikki Adeli on Twitter: @nikkiadeli