@KarenGrossEdu In the aftermath of the Kavanaugh Confirmation hearings, it is highly probably that many (if not most) young people have heard conversations about or have listened to television programs concerning sexual assault, partying to excess, lying and truth-telling as well as witness and victim memory (or lack thereof). And, children have heard and seen the anger in the voices and photographs of our elected officials and the nominee to, and now member of, the Supreme Court. Perhaps they have seen people treated with a lack of civility as well.
The critical question for me is how we can help children process all that they have seen and heard, much of which is highly charged and deeply sensitive. And, for the record, these issues are not disappearing although there is a temptation to just hope it all “goes away.”
There are reports of teachers working effectively with their students on the meaning of the concept of “consent” through thoughtful engagement. Articles have been crafted that proffer suggestions for how parents can talk to their children about sexual assault and body privacy. Indeed, much of what has been written focuses on sexual assault and the associated issues in schools post-Kavanaugh.
I’d like to suggest that there are many other lessons to be garnered from the Kavanaugh “spectacle,” many of which are neither political nor directed at sexual misconduct. And, given the omnipresence of post-Kavanaugh conversations and media coverage and sentiments close to the surface, we have an opportunity for teachable moments in our schools. And, we should use those moments – thoughtfully and carefully – to help all our students process the issues that they are hearing about, talking about among themselves and perhaps with families, and thinking about and feeling in the privacy of their own minds and hearts.
I recently suggested that colleges and universities ponder the use of “pop-up” courses, newly created opportunities for students to engage with faculty on issues of the moment – thinking through issues, discussing topics with civility and pondering how to deal with the complexities of what the Kavanaugh hearings raise.
I see no reason why we can’t take the notion of “pop-ups” and apply them to and implement them in K –12 education. Yes, they are a tad unusual but they offer amazing opportunities for focused learning on a current event or the themes raised by such an event. We cannot be so wed to required texts and tests that we do not have time for material that is right there on the surface, bubbling over even, to help our students gain understanding, improved decision-making and pathways for conversing about difficult topics with civility.
Of course, the materials given, the readings assigned and the nature of the engagement changes depending on the age group participating in a pop-up and make no mistake about this: they require thoughtful planning by teachers. They need to be age appropriate, culturally in tune with the school offering them and well-designed. Intensives are not easy walks on a beach!
Consider a pop-up on memory. Imagine students testing their own memories; teachers can show a painting and remove it or show a short film and then ask students to write down what they saw with explicit prompts. Then they could be shown the painting or film again and consider why they missed certain items. Imagine young people learning about how memory works within our brains and how we selectively remember facts and information, people, actions and feelings.
Even youngsters can ponder how well they remember things from when they were 1 or 2 or 3 years old. Think about photographs children may have of their very early years and whether they can remember things from that time period.
Consider a pop-up on investigations – how and who ferrets out truth in our judicial system. Children generally are taken by criminal investigations; just look at the success of a television program like CSI. Young students can learn about strategies for investigation – from interviews to physical evidence. Imagine students interviewing a mock victim of a stolen purse or car. A teacher could be the victim, answering the questions (based on a script). Students could evaluate whether they have enough information to determine “who did it.”
Consider a pop-up on true and fake news. Find examples of fake news and ask students how to “decode” the story. Consider the myriad of ways to distinguish truth from fiction, lies from accurate statements. Many children can and do tell fibs or exaggerate; a course could distinguish among these and notions of intentionality and dramatization. An excellent source of materials is available from the Newseum, which has lesson plans with key questions --- with lesson plans suitable for all age groups from K-12 and beyond.
Here’s the overall point: we cannot let the Kavanaugh hearings pass without trying to help students understand the many issues raised, of which sexual assault is but one. Time for pop-up courses to pop up in our K-12 schools. And, imagine the student excitement of having the tools to think about complex issues now and into the future.
The critical question for me is how we can help children process all that they have seen and heard, much of which is highly charged and deeply sensitive. And, for the record, these issues are not disappearing although there is a temptation to just hope it all “goes away.”
There are reports of teachers working effectively with their students on the meaning of the concept of “consent” through thoughtful engagement. Articles have been crafted that proffer suggestions for how parents can talk to their children about sexual assault and body privacy. Indeed, much of what has been written focuses on sexual assault and the associated issues in schools post-Kavanaugh.
I’d like to suggest that there are many other lessons to be garnered from the Kavanaugh “spectacle,” many of which are neither political nor directed at sexual misconduct. And, given the omnipresence of post-Kavanaugh conversations and media coverage and sentiments close to the surface, we have an opportunity for teachable moments in our schools. And, we should use those moments – thoughtfully and carefully – to help all our students process the issues that they are hearing about, talking about among themselves and perhaps with families, and thinking about and feeling in the privacy of their own minds and hearts.
I recently suggested that colleges and universities ponder the use of “pop-up” courses, newly created opportunities for students to engage with faculty on issues of the moment – thinking through issues, discussing topics with civility and pondering how to deal with the complexities of what the Kavanaugh hearings raise.
I see no reason why we can’t take the notion of “pop-ups” and apply them to and implement them in K –12 education. Yes, they are a tad unusual but they offer amazing opportunities for focused learning on a current event or the themes raised by such an event. We cannot be so wed to required texts and tests that we do not have time for material that is right there on the surface, bubbling over even, to help our students gain understanding, improved decision-making and pathways for conversing about difficult topics with civility.
Of course, the materials given, the readings assigned and the nature of the engagement changes depending on the age group participating in a pop-up and make no mistake about this: they require thoughtful planning by teachers. They need to be age appropriate, culturally in tune with the school offering them and well-designed. Intensives are not easy walks on a beach!
Consider a pop-up on memory. Imagine students testing their own memories; teachers can show a painting and remove it or show a short film and then ask students to write down what they saw with explicit prompts. Then they could be shown the painting or film again and consider why they missed certain items. Imagine young people learning about how memory works within our brains and how we selectively remember facts and information, people, actions and feelings.
Even youngsters can ponder how well they remember things from when they were 1 or 2 or 3 years old. Think about photographs children may have of their very early years and whether they can remember things from that time period.
Consider a pop-up on investigations – how and who ferrets out truth in our judicial system. Children generally are taken by criminal investigations; just look at the success of a television program like CSI. Young students can learn about strategies for investigation – from interviews to physical evidence. Imagine students interviewing a mock victim of a stolen purse or car. A teacher could be the victim, answering the questions (based on a script). Students could evaluate whether they have enough information to determine “who did it.”
Consider a pop-up on true and fake news. Find examples of fake news and ask students how to “decode” the story. Consider the myriad of ways to distinguish truth from fiction, lies from accurate statements. Many children can and do tell fibs or exaggerate; a course could distinguish among these and notions of intentionality and dramatization. An excellent source of materials is available from the Newseum, which has lesson plans with key questions --- with lesson plans suitable for all age groups from K-12 and beyond.
Here’s the overall point: we cannot let the Kavanaugh hearings pass without trying to help students understand the many issues raised, of which sexual assault is but one. Time for pop-up courses to pop up in our K-12 schools. And, imagine the student excitement of having the tools to think about complex issues now and into the future.