Regarding Blockbuster: How many times do we hear teachers complain about “today’s” students? We can’t sit and (falsely) remember what students were like 20, 30, 40 years ago and begrudge the students in our classes. Just because it USED to be done that way mean it’s any good.

When I read that BB had the chance to buy Netflix, I’m glad they didn’t. BB didn’t have the vision. If BB had bought Netflix, it would not have been as effective or instrumental in changing the entertainment industry. If you give a reluctant teacher technology, it’s going to get used appropriately (or to its full extent).

I like analogies, but I’m deeply disturbed at the corporate comparisons. BB? Starbucks? Schools *aren’t* business and I bristle at the attempt to brand us as such.

Official school leaders and unofficial school leaders. I think the unofficial ones are just as significant as the recognized ones. Who do you go to when you need a question answered? A paraprofessional. Do we have any paras in this book study? I don’t think we do. Why not? Aren’t they leaders who can change the culture in campus? They may not have the same job/role that I do, but that just means they have a different lens.

Innovation: new and better. Is “better” not innovative? Like Klein Education Foundation grants, it has to be innovative, but once it’s been done, it’s not considered innovative to replicate, right? Why?

Again, another CEO reference. I get that we can learn from the business model, but isn’t that how we got into this mess in the first place? Assembly lines? Profit? A part of me cringes each time I see for-profit corporations here, especially when the author seems so anti-test culture. I find it a little puzzling, even hypocritical.

I understand that we are all defining our terms, but how do we support this? I know what I WANT to do, but I physically can’t. I had every intention of gamifying my classroom again this year with quests, adventures, boss battles and game resets. I have the knowledge, the experience, and the passion, but I don’t have the time. So how can I make it happen?

Uh… but a blog post IS an essay. So that question is rather silly, don’t you think?

I like those questions, but people don’t like teachers who ask questions. Troublemakers.

What innovation isn’t: different for the sake of being different. But the example given is missing a lot of other factors: choice, stakeholder buy-in, finances, and laws. I watched Super Size Me and still remember the amazing school lunches one school promoted. The cost of the food was still the same, but I’m sure the cost for human resources would be astronomical. You’d need people to prepare and cook and clean. We may know what is best for kids, but until we put our money where our mouth is, they seem to be empty promises to our students.

Cuurently, I’m struggling with Schoology. I had hoped to only use Schoology as my grade book this year, but I’m learning quirks about the program. What frustrates me is that those who take risks make more work for themselves, while those who play it safe avoid extra stress. While I think it’s worth it in the long run, right now, it’s frustrating.

Discussion Questions

1. I am *really* liking the ability for my students to “buy back” late points. I think eventually I want to move it to a blog, but for right now, I’m trying to get them to focus on the skill. Before, students who turned in late assignments would have their grade penalized, sometimes so heavily that they’d still fail. When a previous school had a no zero policy, students would turn in careless work just to say that they didn’t have a zero. I’d rather have thoughtful and well-done work. Is the assignment a 50 because it didn’t meet the objective or is a 50 because it was turned in late. So if I have a student who is failing and won’t be able to graduate because they have turned in every assignment late, I have a few choices: 1. Fail them even they they may have mastered the material 2. Pass them without regard to their behavior and essential giving them a curve, which is unfair to the students who used their time wisely. 3. Take control.

Gamification gave me an idea. They can redo assignments up to full credit, so I wanted to make a distinction between grades and behavior. So far, it seems to be working.

2. In order to create opportunities, I think modeling is a good way to encourage innovative. When people see  success, they will jump on board. If not innovate themselves, but at least to mimic the activity.

Sometimes my most innovative students are the ones who seem to struggle with completion. Perhaps group work by pairing them up with people who have a different set of strengths? I struggle with this. I truly think innovation is a higher order thinking skill, and you generally need to scaffold to get there. I have a few ideas that would be easily supported in a gamified classroom, but I dint have the time right now to see them to fruition. It’s sad.

3. I think now more than ever, you have to be able to communicate and work with others. Work is made for extroverts, and I think that’s a downfall. But that’s off topic.

Technology has made collaboration and sharing ideas easier than ever. My fear is that it has had a detrimental effect on initiative.