chaos, an unsettled situation. Evolution of a homeroom class.

[Connie Weber]

This last week was long. In the "Evolution of A Homeroom Class" series (brought to you from desperation--help!), I'm checking in with a report of this week's events.

The transformation, the Shift to techno-teacher with ning network and all else that implies (which is much) just about came to a crashing nose-dive from the force of chaos itself.

Too much, too fast--but it wasn't my fault, honest! Can I help it that my class discovered Leopard (the new Mac operating system) AND Alice in the same week?
Suddenly we were into Leopard and Alice, on top of having our own new class network with forums, profiles, and blogs. That's a sure recipe for chaos. Creative, productive chaos. But chaos, nevertheless.

The last two days I played the role of "t-rex" (as the students fondly call me sometimes), monitoring "settledness." This was in response to several students saying to me that every which way they turned there was something else really exciting to do and that they couldn't get anything "done"... The last two days I've been acting as Noise Sensor complete with a joking but halfway serious issuing of "tickets" as penalties for "disruption" which evolved into a "tax" I ended up charging for having to provide this service (again, jokingly--but taxes pay police, right?!) I think my playing this role brought things back into focus, and I think we're momentarily out of extreme chaos. But it'll start again next week in a new way, most likely.

Our ning network is about 3 weeks old now. It isn't the only change that's occurred in the last 9 months of my teaching, but it's the most powerful, sweeping, overview change. Our learning environment is "launched." I am exhausted.

This weekend I'm going to write more about this strange transformation that is completely coloring our class. I've stirred up a tempest. There's a lot to sort out. The most important jobs I'm finding for myself as teacher aren't at all what I expected; I expected to be gentle guide and direction-pointer, calmly encouraging students to reach out more to be active learners. I expected to be still switching subject hats to "writing" and "math" and "science." Turns out those hats aren't anywhere to be found in the wardrobe. If I had a hat to put on, it'd be blown off in the wind. I'm looking for an all--purpose fishing vest and cargo pants to wear, complete with a new application or collection of resources in each pocket. I'm not the gentle guide and direction-pointer I expected to be; I'm holding onto a a pole in a hurricane!

Before I go on, I wanted to ask if others out there remember a point of "transformation" in their classes, a point of departure into a new world that happened rather powerfully all at once? Or maybe it happened by small degrees and at one point you looked back and saw that the old ways were "nevermore" that the only thing to do was to keep going, and instead of having one way to travel in front of you there were suddenly too many to count, and the paths simultaneous moved towards outer and inner space? - -and that there seemed to be difficulties in even communicating what was happening?--

Or maybe you know about this kind of transformation because you study history, evolution, neurology, biology, or technology?

What are the best recipes for getting through chaos happily? Is it a matter of settling into it or fending it off? Optimistically (naively, foolishly, but earnestly) I'm going to keep moving forward. This weekend I'll try to do an assessment of the week's assignments, where I went wrong and what I may have done right. Meanwhile, people on our networks who have perspective on chaos, help! I'm especially interested in the affective component of the change. How do you promote happy, healthy, involved, and deep learning in an environment that's wildly opened up?

[Carolynn Bruton]

Hi Connie
You dont give us your Ning address - also what ages are your homeroom class and do they have the free run of using the computers all the time for everything? I'm confused about what part of the lesson you regard as chaos. Is it because it's close to term end and a lot is happening or is it because they have a new computer environment/ structure to deal with?

What was the assignment that you now need to assess yourself on?

You write very well - love your comments, feel for your exhaustion!
Carolynn

[Connie Weber]

Hi Carolyn,

The network I'm using for class is a closed network. This allows kids to share personal information with classmates. (I'm thinking of starting a sister network of the class and people we invite, and if I do, I'll have to guide the kids through various safety lessons regarding consideration of audience.) Right now, can't share the address, sorry!

Yes, these fourth and fifth graders have free run of using computers pretty much all the time. School and home.

I've posted the assignment list in photographs on my profile page. Before I began what I'm calling the Shift or the Switchover, I've had 25 years of experience in running a program called "Week's Work" in which the students get all their assignments on Monday that are due on Friday. During the week and for homework, students simply go about the projects and exercises in whatever order they wish. This style of teaching was a good starting platform.

The assignment that I have to assess myself on: "Get the kids launched into an interwoven face-to-face and technological network that's positive, uplifting, and naturally motivating. Create a highly-charged learning atmosphere. Completely integrate technology into the classroom." (As you can see, boiling things down to exact assessment will pose challenges!)

Out of exhaustion, yesterday I was remembering the chaos of the transition, and my having to step up 100-fold simultaneously in three modes: individualized-attention mode, small-group dynamics mode, and class management mode ("settledness sensor").

I'm thinking and hoping that things are all just fine. I'll pay 25 cents for every reassurance I can get from educators that when kids are happily learning, things are sometimes very noisy and jumpy! (Eternal optimism and extreme naivete run my engine.) I'm also needing reassurance that a feeling of chaos is part of important transitions.

Thanks so much for your comments and questions!

[Carolynn Bruton]

Hi Connie
Thank you for your response to my rather naive questions! I have to assume that you are doing some kind of personal course to feel so motivated despite the chaos. You mention an assignment that you have to assess yourself on.....?
I'd love to know more about what you call the three modes and wondered whether you can assess these modes. Do the kids know when they are in them? Do you?

Can you run a Ning from education.ning.com/ in a closed network (intranet presumably?) - or is it that you have kept it password protected but online? Do you plan to post results eventually for us to see? I have created some preliminary work on a wordpress blog here - note the slideshow. I would love your comments and suggestions on where to go with this blog. They were working on simple machines:
http://carbru.wordpress.com/2007/10/21/teaching-simple-machines-to-...
These girls are also Grade 4's and I'm sure they'd love to work with your class at some stage if you are interested. However we close for holidays in S Africa until mid-Jan and they write exams next week and then leave in early December for their 6 week summer break.
Regards,
Carolynn B
PS you are welcome to "add me as a friend" in NING!!

[Connie Weber]

Hi Carolynn,

No, I'm not doing a course, I'm doing a Grand Experiment. It's revitalizing, and it's what I think I should do, given the opportunities that are available. I planned to make this year very experimental and different after attending Project Zero at Harvard last summer. Since then, I've been reading and researching like mad, and just recently felt ready to take on the challenge.

I don't think your questions are naive at all--I think they're great! The three modes: 1) individualized attention: That's the mode for me to find matches between kids and the content they're exploring, to watch over individual happiness and progress; 2) small group dynamics mode: That's the mode for watching over the flux and flow of groups that seem to establish themselves by some sort of chemistry. For instance, last week first there was an individual on Alice (a programming site), then two kids, then five. I think my job is watch that only "positive vibes" radiate out from these groups. What I'm looking for is inclusion, no arrogance about learning, frequent invitations to others, and willingness to share all skills. 3) class management mode or Settledness Sensor: well, this is the only one I want to decrease substantially. From my recent reading I've gained some hope that the group (and its constituents) will become self-policing. I know the willingness is there--on the part of the whole class--but the awareness hasn't yet kicked in. Kids still call across the classroom for classmates to come see something. Some kids wander, flitting like butterflies from one interesting thing to the next. So, noise and motion are distracting and need reduction. I'm hoping that as in other class-context-changes the kids just needed me to be the "t-rex" for a few days and then will monitor themselves.

The question you asked that gets me thinking the most; one I'm deeply grateful for: "Do the kids know when they are in them? Do you?" That brings up the crucial necessity of discussion of the "meta-learning" in the situation. I'll talk with the students directly about ideal learning conditions. We'll list them, and talk about the investment each individual and small group has to make, as well as the group as a whole. THANK YOU!

I've kept my ning password-protected and online. I plan to share with others as much as I can (so I can get HELP! like you've provided here, by being a reflective colleague). I love that I have a colleague in South Africa!

Your wordpress blog is delightful and deep. Please keep everyone posted on things you do.
My kids would love to work with your class on some project--we could experiment with nings, wikis, Google-docs for instance. (Content: reflections on poetry? a book? the local environment in iMovie-type postings?)

Again, thanks for reading, and thanks for sharing.
Connie

[Sharon Betts]

Hey Connie,
I have found some of the best learning was in the midst of chaos. I would love to have more details on the chaos - sounds like you are off to a good start.

[Connie Weber]

Yes, I agree about the noise and chaos that's often part of the best learning. As long as I look around and see happy engagement, I'm pretty much ok with it all. The post I put here needs to be updated now; I hope to get to it this weekend. The chaos factor has decreased substantially; things are really cookin'. I appreciate your comment. Sometimes we just need reassurance... It's so great to have a bunch of "reflective practitioners" to share with!