Question Everything

Part 2: The Most Important AI for Education

? Hello, Purposeful Educators! ?

Welcome to the second edition of the six-part series, “Question Everything” Inspired by Neil Postman’s book, “The End of Education,” each edition of this series explores one of the five narratives Postman proposes to redefine the purpose and value of our education system. Together we will explore how these narratives can help us develop a fresh perspective on more meaningful and relevant education in today’s world.

Spaceship Earth

Fallen Angel

The American Experiment

The Law of Diversity

Word Weavers/The World Makers

Embracing the Seven Truths of Classroom Success

In reflecting on my own teaching philosophy, I have identified seven truths of classroom success that have consistently guided my practice:

Students work best when they aren’t being evaluated.

Teachers teach best to small groups.

Students learn best in small groups.

Students learn best when they are engaged.

Engagement increases with ownership.

Every student is doing the best they can right now.

Every student can do better with time and support.

These principles have guided my curriculum planning and in this discussion, we will examine their relationship with Postman’s narratives. I will share practical examples using the CARE framework: providing students with Choices, fostering Authentic connections, applying learning to the Real world, and Empowering students to showcase their learning.

Throughout the series, we will prioritize the most important #AIinEducation—Authentic Interest.

Spaceship Earth

Neil Postman's "Spaceship Earth" narrative presents the Earth as a single, interconnected entity, emphasizing that all its inhabitants share the responsibility for maintaining its health and sustainability. This viewpoint encourages students to adopt a global perspective and recognize the consequences of their actions on both the environment and society.

However, there are times when fostering global awareness and environmental stewardship may prove challenging. Even the most dedicated educators can find certain objectives overwhelming, turning them into unnecessary sources of stress. For this reason, I propose a more adaptable narrative: "We are all in this together."

This phrase fosters a sense of community and collective responsibility while empowering educators to define what "this" is.

We Are All in "This" Together

Postman’s “Spaceship Earth” narrative connects to student authentic learning by emphasizing our shared responsibility and interconnectedness. As educators, our “this” can be different for everyone—it may be the content we teach, the classroom environment, the school, the local community, or it might be the global community. Building meaningful change starts with small, intentional steps. No matter what "this" is for you there is a way to build a sense of belonging and shared purpose. Here are some suggestions for fostering authentic interest in your classroom:

Build Ownership by Exploring Larger Issues:

• Help Students Find their Authentic Interest: Dedicate one day a week to exploring global or community issues relevant to students. This could involve investigating the UN SDGs, news articles, or guest speakers.
• Warm-Up Activities: Start class with a warm-up question related to current events or societal challenges, encouraging students to think about how the day's lesson connects to broader issues.

Integrating Authentic Interest into Assessments:

• Journal Entries: Encourage students to write journal entries about their authentic interests. For example, ask them how knowledge from the current lesson or unit can help them address their interests.
• AI-Assisted Questions: Use AI tools to generate questions tailored to each student's authentic interests. Incorporate some of these questions into formative and summative assessments to make evaluations more relevant and engaging.

Encouraging Inquiry and Reflection:

• Personalized Warm-Ups: Ask individual students what questions they hope to answer about their authentic interests today.
• Group Discussions: In group activities, prompt students to consider how their authentic interests relate to the topic at hand. Questions like "What can we learn today that relates to our interests?" can spark meaningful discussions.

Empowerment Through Sharing:

• Peer Reviews: Implement peer review sessions where students provide feedback on each other's work related to their authentic interests.
• Publishing Platforms: Encourage students to share their learning through blogs, school news articles, or social media. This not only empowers them but also inspires others and fosters intrinsic motivation.

No Stakes Opportunities to Collaborate

• Focus groups or interest groups: Set aside a few minutes per cycle to build a community around a common interest.

By incorporating these strategies, we can help students see the relevance of their education and motivate them to engage deeply with the material. Authentic interest should be at the heart of our teaching practices, ensuring that learning is meaningful and impactful for every student.

If not now, when? If not you, who?

This is an excellent time to start crafting your instructional routine for the upcoming school year. By integrating one or more of these strategies, you can proactively prepare for especially difficult days. In my experience as a teacher, days with disrupted schedules can be particularly challenging, as students often become dysregulated and instructional time is reduced. Here are several suggestions to help ease the stress and create opportunities for community building.

Scheduled early release days - Social media/blogging day

Early release days can trigger a variety of emotions for students which may lead to unwanted behaviors and high absenteeism. Add predictability by making each scheduled early release day a social media day. This may contribute to a more grounded feeling and will not add extra work for students who are absent.

Emergency preparedness days - Journalling

Fire drills and other emergency preparedness trainings can be unsettling for many students. Journalling is a great way to encourage introspective thinking; this will help students switch their focus to their authentic interests and may lead to a calmer atmosphere.

Try these planning templates for more ideas.

Awesome Weekly Planner

Awesome Daily Planner

?? Looking Ahead

This week, I am headed to LA for their Day of AI Conference!

It was just announced that I will be presenting 2 sessions at the Connecticut Science Teachers Association Annual Conference on October 19!

Triangulating Success: A Three-Pronged Approach to Formative Assessment

The Role of Phenomena in Cultivating Equitable Science Classrooms

Stay tuned for more information.

?? Back to School Special

I am offering two of my online courses free until the end of September!

You can now enroll in

Introduction to Phenomena-Driven Instruction Self-Directed Course

Increase Student Engagement, Decrease Teacher Workload Self-Directed Course

Upon completion, you will receive a certificate for professional learning hours that you can submit to administrators.

Instructor-supported courses will resume in September. Dates will be posted mid-August.

?? Off The Shelf

This week, we've started investigating Neil Postman's "The End of Education." This seminal work challenges the conventional purposes of our education system and proposes five alternative narratives that can reshape our approach to learning. Postman argues that these new narratives can provide a more meaningful and transformative educational experience. As we explore these narratives in our series, this book will serve as a foundational text, guiding our reflections and discussions.

If you are interested in my 7 truths and the CARE framework you can read more about them in my book, "Be Awesome on Purpose."

?? Closing Thoughts

As we wrap up this edition, let's reflect on the importance of questioning in driving change. Asking the right questions can uncover hidden truths and push us towards meaningful reform. As we delve into this series, let’s commit to rethinking our approaches and embracing the courage to transform education. What questions will you ask to drive change in your classroom?

Until next week, keep fostering curiosity, embracing possibilities, and making every interaction count.

??????? Bonnie