I've had another great day in Napa. Dinner last night at the Culinary Institute was an adventure. Tonight, we ate at a wonderful Italian restaurant called Don Giovani's. I've already made the decision that tomorrow night, I'm going to opt for "normal" food. I can't take this anymore... even though I've enjoyed every bite.
We spent the day today processing what we learned yesterday from Dr. Gentile. We used the 1-3-6 strategy which you may know, and then engaged in a gallery walk. This is truly one of the most effective and powerful strategies I know for synthesizing- and cementing- large amounts of information. Last night I felt somewhat overwhelmed by the massive amount of content that Dr. Gentile had covered. Tonight, I feel like I have a very good grasp on it. It's amazing how an appropriately selected brain-compatible instructional strategy can turn a "bunch 'o facts" into conceptual understanding! (Remind me to talk to you in February about this strategy.)
We spent the day today processing what we learned yesterday from Dr. Gentile. We used the 1-3-6 strategy which you may know, and then engaged in a gallery walk. This is truly one of the most effective and powerful strategies I know for synthesizing- and cementing- large amounts of information. Last night I felt somewhat overwhelmed by the massive amount of content that Dr. Gentile had covered. Tonight, I feel like I have a very good grasp on it. It's amazing how an appropriately selected brain-compatible instructional strategy can turn a "bunch 'o facts" into conceptual understanding! (Remind me to talk to you in February about this strategy.)
I shared yesterday that Dr. Gentile's message was that violent video-gaming and repeated exposure to violence in the media DOES negatively affect the brain. He stopped short of saying that these things CAUSE kids/ people to commit acts of violence, but what he has found (overwhelmingly- in study after study) is that exposure to violence in the media definitely increases aggression, and in combination with other risk factors, and in the absence of protective factors- DOES influence violent behavior. So interesting- and so scary!
A couple more key learnings from yesterday and today- regarding the effect of the media and violent video games on the brain:
Dr. Gentile: "We are probably never going to decrease the SUPPLY side of harmful content in the media. What we CAN do is work to decrease the DEMAND side." (and he gave us some great ideas for doing just that.)
"The real problem isn't the violence that is rampant in the media; it is the various forms of aggression, which is a broader problem. Violence is a small subset of aggression. The real problem is that our culture has evolved into a "culture of disrespect", and violence is the ultimate form of disrespect."
Tomorrow, we'll hear from Dr. Gary Small, author and researcher specializing in the effects of technology on the brain. The kids in schools today are literally "wired" differently than those of us who were not born into a world full of technology. Should be good! More later! I do love this stuff!
Amazing information. I would love to send this to a couple of my 1st grade parents.
ReplyDeleteI am interested to hear about what you learn from Dr. Gary Small about technology and the effects of it on the brain. When I was little, I experienced almost no technology in school, and now in my first grade class, we have it all day long in one way or the other!
ReplyDeleteI was interested about what you learned from Dr. Gentile. As a mother and educator I worry about violent video games and violence in the media. I wonder do I limit it all together? Is this even realistic? Won't they get it at their friend's houses anyway...ugh! It was interesting when stated that the supply will always be there; I have to learn how to limit the demand at home and educate about it in the classroom. My students/kids lack the common courtesies I was brought up with. This worries me.
ReplyDeleteThis is truly a concern for me as well, as an educator and as a mother. I have 2 sons and most of the video games they play are sports related.However I know that at times they are playing some that are more violent than I would like.
DeleteVideo game violence and violence in media are very concerning. I'm interested in learning more about what strategies we can use to help students learn respect for self, others and our environment. Children learn so much in their first years of life. If young children are exposed to this type of media, what they are learning?
DeleteI'm not familiar with the 1-3-6 strategy. Can you explain it briefly at our next class? I completely agree that kids' brains are wired differently now than they were when we were children. I was talking to a coworker last week who wanted to know why we had to do all this new stuff and why we couldn't go back to the way things used to be. I reminded her that the kids are different than they used to be and that technology and other new things aren't going anywhere. It's time for us to adapt or get out essentially. You can't expect kids to learn and behave the same way kids did 20 years ago just because you want them to. I have a student this year who is mystifying me. It seems as if connections in his brain aren't wired right. I would love to get some input on him sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in learning what both Dr. Small and Dr. Gentile had to say. It's true our kids are different today, but they still require the basics. I find the challenge is not in so much adapting and including technology. My personal challenge is how to teach respect, compassion and environmental awareness while teaching about tools that so easily lend themselves to an impersonal lifestyle. Any help or insights I can glean from my colleagues are always appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI am at home again and wished I was in Napa. Another cancellation. Two in one week. Will be excited to hear about your learning. Excited for February.
ReplyDeleteFor years they've been telling us kids' brains are wired different these days. But, like many others, mine is still wired the same way it was before all the "technology" came into play and I have a hard time jumping in with both feet. Even though I know I shouldn't, I still tend to teach things "the old way" because of my brain being "wired" that way. I try to remember kids have different needs nowadays, but easier said than done sometimes. I, like Jenni, find it hard also to instill the respect and compassion in students, maybe, as you were learning, because of the ever-increasing violent society we're becoming. I'm very excited to hear about some of the strategies you learned about to help approach this and the vast amount of information you came home with. See you in a few weeks :)
ReplyDelete"a culture of disrespect" a powerful statement about the use of technology, especially in a video happy society. Sadly, I have seen some of this disrespect. A learned behavior from technology?
DeleteKnowing that I needed to introduce and teach technology safety to my second graders, I've begun surfing for resources. The majority were programed towards 5th grade and up. Many of the sites stated they were intended for younger people, but I was uncomfortable with many of them. It goes back to the children's brains being ready for challenging and somewhat frightening information. Knowing that children under nine or ten are unable to differentiate reality from fantasy causes me to shy away from most sites. It will be good to be back with my colleagues and learn from them.
ReplyDeleteIt is really scary to think about all that our children are exposed to. The idea that video games negatively affects the children's brains is not surprising, but it makes me wonder how do we change the way that it affects our children. How do we get society to see the way that it affects our children?
ReplyDeleteMy opinion on the whole violent video games or violence in the media is that these violent mediums don't cause people to act violent but it does cause desensitization in youth. Students grow up with so much violence, drugs, alcohol and sexual innuendoes that they see and know what they are doing is wrong but it doesn't feel as wrong to them as it does to older generations; so they tend to just shrug it off. Oh another school shooting, that's sad; oh another celeb going into rehab, no big deal; another college kid dies from alcohol poisoning, happens all the time.
ReplyDeleteOnce again it is just my opinion but I am noticing it more and more the more I teach. On the bright side there are still many students that "have a heart" and are great role models, the problem is they lose the lime light when compared to violence and destruction.
Chris M.