Seize the Moment- A lesson about Bullying and Digital Footprint

Yesterday my morning routine took an unexpected detour. A discussion on the radio about a video capturing the bullying of a bus monitor caught my attention. I immediately grabbed my iPad and found the video in question. This now infamous video was shocking, disturbing and heartbreaking. To watch those Grade 7 boys harass, belittle and inflict such hatred on another human being was more than I could witness silently. The related videos were just as hard to watch. National television interviews with the victim, police statements, a school district response, and an apology from one of the boys’ fathers.

As a mother and a teacher my immediate reaction was to think about how this horrible incident could be used to educate my children. This very public event provides an opportunity to discuss two important lessons. The first lesson is about bullying. The video allows us to look into a bullying event and talk about the actions of the victim, the bullies and the bystanders. It is a very real look into something that is not often captured on tape.

I called my 11 and 8 year old to the kitchen table for a family meeting where I showed them clips from of all of the videos. The sat there in silence and horror. Then came their questions and a great conversation. We talked about bullying. We talked about the power of the internet to amplify bullying. We talked about the consequences of this bullying with included the police involvement, the harassment and threats that the boys are now receiving and how the actions of the bullies has brought shame to not only themselves but their families.

The second lesson that emerges from this event is digital footprint. The bullying was filmed, posted, reposted and has gone viral. Is is being watched by people around the world. It is the topic of conversations on the radio, on the television and now in my home. The boy who created this video no longer “owns” it, nor can he control what was being said about him and his friends. They are being called monsters, vile, evil and stupid among other very nasty things. They can not make this go away and in many ways are now the victims of bullying by media. These boys have created a digital footprint for themselves that is quite simply horrible and something that will be connected to them forever.

We talked about all of this at the breakfast table on a Friday morning. Was this my original plan for the morning? No. Was it an important discussion to have with my children? Yes. Teaching about bullying has always been part of the “job” of being a parent but teaching about digital footprint has not. Now it is a MUST. Our children live in a digital world that they navigate easily but without a full understanding of it’s power. Like all children they need parental guidance and support as they learn. Parenting in a digital world is not always easy or something we, as adults, fully understand but it is so important. For me this teaching lives in the conversations I have with my children when I stop to seize the moment.

Purposeful Practice

I have been trying to consolidate my beliefs and understandings about practice the last few weeks.  As the mother of a hockey player and two dancers I am all too familiar with the idea of practice in sport.  In their activities my children have the opportunity to work on isolated skills repeatedly until they become fluid, efficient and second nature.  Their coaches are constantly giving them feedback, modelling and helping them get the “feel” for their sport.  These practiced skills are constantly being put into use…be it a game or a dance.  It is in those game situations where I really see my kids light up.  They love to play, perform and just plain have FUN!!  In those moments all of the practice becomes worth it and it is in those moments they become reenergize for and reinvested in further practice.

 

It is with this notion of practice in my head that I began to explore what practice is in education.  How it is like practice in sport?  I do believe that practice is important in both sport and students learning, but I also believe that not all practice is created equal.  Some practice can support learning, consolidate understanding and build confidence for students while other practice can frustrate, confuse and create a barrier for learning.   Practice can make “perfect” or at least better but it can also make permanent…and if the practice isn’t effective we run the risk of making permanent misconceptions.

 

But what is “perfect” practice?  Can “perfect” practice really exist?  I do not think that “perfect” is an attainable goal but I do think that purposeful is.  Purposeful practice implies that teachers and coaches have an aim…intent…goal…target for the practice they want students to engage in.  They identify a student/player need, envision what success would look like and with those things in mind create a plan to support the learning with practice.  Purposeful practice takes  careful thinking into the what, how and why of  the practice with the goal of furthering individual students’ learning in ways that are the most meaningful.  It is more than just practice for practice sake, more than a stack of worksheets for all students to complete…it is practice with purpose, practice that is deliberate, powerful and focused.  The thing that I think we as teachers need to remember and that coaches do so well, is to put the practice into the game.  After all it is in the game where the FUN is.

 

As I continue to think about Purposeful Practice I am consolidating my beliefs into what it truly is in education.  These beliefs are far from set in stone but are hopefully the start of a discussion.

 

My Purposeful Practice Beliefs:

• Students should practice what they understand.  Practice without understanding can change the goal of the practice from fluidity of skills to simply getting to the end of the page to make the teacher happy.
  

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• Practice should focused on supporting individual student learning challenges and enhancing strengths.
• Practice should be focused on progress and monitored constantly.  If a student is not progressing then the practice needs to change.
• Practice can be and should be messy…we need to see where errors are occurring so that we can help.
• When students make mistakes (and they will)  teachers need to be there to help them by offering support, feedback and additional instruction.  We should use practice to inform instruction.
• Practice should be sustained over time.  It is not a one time thing.  In order for practice to become permanent students will need to move the learning into their  long-term memory
• Students should be given opportunities to put their practice into authentic “game like” situation as often as possible.  It is through the game that students can discover the purpose for the skills, transfer them to new situations and make connections.
• Practice can be cooperative and noisy.  Students can learn from each other.
• Others???