I have an activity/idea that I often like to implement that I think helps to cultivate the respectful and ethical minds, and through things I have recently discovered in this class as well as others in this program I think I have ways that I can make it even more collaborative.
The activity that I like to do is have a discussion with my eighth graders about philosophy. Because the Greeks and Romans are responsible for so many important and sometimes controversial philosophical topics, I like to see what teenagers think about philosophy. I first have the students write down their ideas about basic philosophical questions: What does it mean to be happy? Why are we here? What makes a person or idea good? As class, I'll have the students share with each other what they think. This can be tricky because eighth graders know, not think, that their ideas are right, so I have to establish that the class is a safe space for sharing ideas: you may not agree with everything, but you listen respectfully and can ask respectful questions. Depending on the group I might give some examples to help guide their discussion. Then, I have the kids get together into small groups and write up their "philosophy" onto a sheet of chart paper. Once they are all up, we have a discussion about what we see is similar, and what is different. Finally I have the students discuss how we can take these ideas and implement them into our daily life, relating it to the old Symposia of ancient Greece where men got together and discussed their ideas in a safe and often joyful environment. This activity be done multiple times every year, with different questions and ideas depending on what is being taught. I like to do the philosophy activity first because it does a good job of setting up the right environment for discussion.
What I love about this activity (and other similar discussions my classes have about these subjects) is that they right to the heart of the ethical mind. By discussing and thinking out their ideas, they truly think about what it is to be a good person in not just the classroom, but the world. I sometimes will even bring in schools of classical philosophy such as Stoicism and let the students decide what they like about it and what they might change. These are ideas they can bring with them into the world as both a student and a global citizen.
Doing this also sets up a classroom where students can cultivate their respectful minds. Of course, not every discussion is perfect, with eighth graders comes comments such as "that's stupid" or "why would anyone think that?" I can take those opportunities however, to be a role model in practicing what I preach, being an example of someone who expects a respectful environment and leads by example.
On the collaboration side, like the interview mentioned it is often tough to collaborate with the classroom down the hall, especially in my situation where different grade level teachers teach at different times than the "specials" teachers like myself. One way that I could see technology helping to flatten the walls of the classroom is through sites and apps like google drive and videoconferencing. I could actually work with my high school Latin colleagues and makes this a yearly thing, have a "Symposium of Latin students" with the different grade levels making their own philosophies. I could then save student's ideas from year to year and show them how they've grown and changed each year they do it. Something that I could never dream of doing a few years ago now is quite possible thanks to tools like Skype and google drive. While working with this technology will have its obstacles and issues, I love the idea that I could make a great impact in student's minds through discussion and collaboration.
Reference
Julie Lindsay & Vicki Davis on "Flattening Classrooms" (2014,
January 16). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVZuwIhjQvA
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