#sschat Reflection: Teaching What Matters Most

Last night I was so proud to call myself a social studies teacher!  The #sschat last night focused on how to cover real-time historical events in your classroom.  It made me miss teaching.  There is a special heartbeat about being in a school that is hard to replicate in higher education.  What last night’s chat made me miss most of all was teaching “Curran” events in my middle school classroom.

For the most part, I remained somewhat quiet during the #sschat since I’m not currently teaching middle school social studies.  I wish I had shared one of my all-time favorite books, Dateline Troy by Paul Fleischman.  I used this book with my middle schoolers to demonstrate the power of using “Curran” events.  The book chronicles the Trojan War and suggests that we are still fighting that very same war today, “Though their tale comes from the distant Bronze Age, it’s as current as this morning’s headlines.  The Trojan War is still being fought.  Simply open a newspaper.”

I loved using the newspaper as part of my curriculum.  I used to drive to Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts to pick up newspapers from different parts of the country and the world for my students to read, compare and examine.  As the chat progressed, I was struck by how much and how fast the world has changed since I first started teaching in 1993.  I wouldn’t have to drive to Harvard Square to pick up my newspapers anymore.

Social media has changed the landscape.  If I were in the classroom now, I’d want to use Newspaper Front Pages: Death of Osama bin Laden to examine headlines from different newspapers and we’d create classroom news articles using Scoop.it. I would use The Choices Program: History and Current Issues for the Class on a daily basis.  We’d use Twitter to evaluate perspective, as well as primary and secondary sources just like Ron Peck suggested last night during the #sschat:

We would also examine how quickly social media can alter history by retweeting a powerful, but totally inaccurate quote.  I’m guilty of retweeting this quote too!

 Out of Osama’s Death, a Fake Quotation is Born

I’d collaborate with my other #sschat teachers that I’ve met on Twitter, so our classrooms could learn from each other and model what it means to be a community of global learners.  Look at the thoughtful comments made by @virtual_teach third graders, Is it okay to celebrate Osama bin Laden’s death?  I would have loved to collaborate with her classroom and students yesterday.  For now, I’ll have to wait until the Fall semester when I teach a graduate methods social studies course.

I’ll end with this last thought, what social studies teachers do everyday is magic.  It is the most important work to be done in a classroom.  We model what it means to treat others, how to live in a community (our own and the world at large), we face issues of intolerance, teach empathy through the use of perspective and we foster curiosity.  I’m so proud to be part of the #sschat – it gives me such hope for the future of education!

P.S. Here’s the start of some resources I found on Twitter and #sschat: 6 Q’s About the News, Teaching Ideas: the Death of Osama bid Laden, The Post-bin Laden World,  Twitter First With bin Laden News, How to Discuss bin Laden’s Death with Children, 9/11 Osama bin Laden Links by @ShawnMcCusker, Bin Laden Resources by @gregkulowiec and the #sschat archive from last night. Please add any other resources that you have found valuable.

 

What Took Me So Long?

In response to @Nunavut_Teacher’s recent post, Why won’t you tweet? All I have to say in response is, “What took me so long?”

Four weeks ago, I thought I was on the cutting edge.  I was all about Web 2.0 applications and how to integrate them into PK-12 curriculum. Teachers that I met with had never heard of some of the applications, so it confirmed that I was actually ahead of the 21st century curve.  I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Four weeks ago, I didn’t know the lingo of Twitter.  Props to @virtual_teach for showing me the ropes!  I started by read posts and thoroughly enjoyed the resources provided, but said very little.  I branched out and started posting RTs.  Actually, I think I RT too much, but I’m still in my honeymoon phase and actually find what I RT to be absolutely incredible.

Four weeks ago (to the day), I launched The Dyslexic Professor and I sit here now in complete and utter amazement.  First, I had never used WordPress and found myself scrambling to figure it out.  Nervously, I sent a DM to @ktenkely and @francesblo to ask how do you get the word out about a new blog?  How do you get readers?  They both responded and shared some advice.  In four weeks, people across the United States, Canada, Australia, India, Egypt, United Kingdom, Korea, France, Argentina and Israel have visited this site.  I’ve met some fabulous virtual colleagues who took the time to read and respond to The Dyslexic Professor.  I’m so happy to know and learn with @analieses, @tomaltepeter and @yourkidsteacher!

Four weeks ago, I had no clue what a #FF was when I first received one and had to ask @virtual_teach if this was a good thing or not.  In four weeks, I’ve participated in #edchat, #sschat and #elmechat.  I’m giddy with anticipation for the #midleved chat this Friday!

In four weeks, I’ve transformed and realized I’ll never be on the cutting edge, but I’m willing, ready and able to have my learning curve stuck in the curve position because I love to learn!  So, back to the question that @Nunavut_Teacher asked, “Why won’t you tweet?”