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Here are some interesting articles we received and discovered this past week…

ENJOY!

 

Student-Run Genius Bar: The Facilitator’s Guide

Quote from Article:

I am the facilitator of the Burlington High School Help Desk in Massachusetts, one of the country’s first student-run “genius bars” modeled after Apple’s Genius Bar. Today our student tech team is held up as an example that many other schools throughout the nation emulate. But launching it didn’t come without challenges, and sustaining its success for both students and staff requires continued attention and adjustments as the technology needs of our school community change over time.

As the faculty facilitator of the BHS Help Desk, I have learned firsthand how to launch and help students run their own genius bar in ways that inspire them to own their learning while gaining invaluable real-world skills. Facilitators of a school’s student tech team are responsible for developing curriculum, establishing learning outcomes and designing assessments. They must also identify and recruit students and promote their team’s services to all school stakeholders. It’s a challenge, but the rewards are well worth it.

In addition to the ISTE Guide,here is quote from The Tech Edvocate: How To Create a Student-Run “Genius Bar”

“If your school is in the process of creating a student-run “Genius Bar,” you’re in luck. This is one of the best ways to involve students in learning about how to use, diagnose, and repair common types of technology. Genius Bars like these allow students to interact with peers and faculty, allowing them to increase their learning while obtaining valuable real-world skills.”

District Deeds Synopsis:

A fascinating article about an innovative way to blend learning with technology through a ‘hands on” experience at individual school sites…or maybe in clusters!

Not sure if the current San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) instructional leadership has the operational capacity to actually roll out a “Genius Bar” initiative…or even if Supt. Marten and senior leadership have the minimal “genius” to recognize the potential value of “Genius Bars” to school sites.

Given the dearth of SDUSD IT Support we recently reported, maybe an enlightened SDUSD principal will actually take this idea and run with it…we can only hope!

7 Ways to Inspire Divergent Thinking in the Classroom

Quote from Article:

In the past, students could depend on a simple formula. Do well in school, get the right degree from a university, and climb a corporate ladder. That was the formula that worked well for my dad when he was younger. But the ladder is gone and in its place is a maze. Our students will walk into a tumultuous global economy. Automation and artificial intelligence will continue to replace analytical jobs. All of those things will make it harder to climb a ladder. Our students will need to think like entrepreneurs. They will need to be creative thinkers and innovators.

In the future, students will need to be nimble. They will need to know how to experiment, iterate, and pivot. This is where divergent thinking becomes so critical. Divergent thinking is what allows students to make connections between seemingly random ideas. In the process, they find innovative solutions by looking at things from different angles, often finding inspiration from surprising contexts. Here, students learn how to “hack” items by using them in unexpected ways. They figure out how to mash-up two seemingly unrelated ideas.

District Deeds Synopsis:

We love this idea!!!  What a great way to both educate and engage students in a way that will teach them how to me successful in the real world.

We especially liked #5 – “Celebrate creative risk taking” and #6, “Chase your curiosity”.  The article also includes short videos and interesting graphics showing examples if the concepts.

Well worth reading!

 

REPORT: How Life Outside of a School Affects Student Performance in School

Quote from Article:

In recent years, policymakers have paid increasing attention to the many ways in which factors beyond school influence a child’s educational outcomes. Indeed, recent research finds that the “poverty” achievement gap – that is, the difference in academic achievement between poor and non-poor children – has grown faster than the racial achievement gap.[1] But there is less widespread recognition of the severe traumas that children can face, including homelessness, domestic violence, parental drug abuse, neglect and physical or sexual abuse.

Such trauma is consistently linked to a broad variety of negative life circumstances including poverty, juvenile delinquency, adult crime, low academic achievement, substance abuse, mental disorders and poor health.[2][3][4] The consequences of early childhood trauma have serious implications for not only the victims, but also families, schools and communities.

Here is the report: How Life Outside of a School Affects Student Performance in School

District Deeds Synopsis:

Another great Brookings report.  We recognized many of the conditions in Michigan described by the authors in San Diego Unified classrooms

We hope our readers review the report and try to help students in their schools that fit the profiles described in the study.

Now for our Quote of the Week:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.  – Maya Angelou

Have a great week!!!

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