Lately, the subject of identity has been a recurring theme wherever I go. It was prevalent in both spoken and unspoken ways at the International Conference of the Learning Sciences, ICLS, last week in Chicago. It saturated the atmosphere of the YOUmedia center of the Chicago Public Library and it's all over the work of Sam Richards and Laurie Mulvey, two dynamic people who I'm fortunate enough to work with during their faculty fellowship this summer.
For Sam and Laurie their work is all about fostering conversations, uncomfortable conversations. Laurie beautifully described what they do when she said they look to foster these "moments of grace" where through dialogue individuals come to realize something about themselves by talking to another who, on the surface seems to be their complete opposite. For instance, in their project on race, the Race Relations Project, where they bring together individuals from different cultural and ancestral groups to...talk. To each other. An Arab and a Jew? Let's bring them together. A white boy from the country and an urban black kid? Let's sit them down with each other.
The point being that through the process of talking they get to know each other. This leads to something even more uncomfortable, they get to know themselves. By seeing the other they discover something about themselves and, hopefully, their sense of who they are is fundamentally changed.
The really interesting thing is that the kids seem to love this. Their sociology class on race is always overbooked. They frequently end up with students from the class working on the project long after the class is over. Why? Why would these kids voluntarily put themselves in the very socially awkward position we're conditioned to avoid? I think it's because at the base of it all, learning is really the process of self discovery.
The same was true at the better presentations I attended at ICLS. Whether the subject matter was gaming, science, math, English, or the arts the common denominator was they all were about enabling the students to try on different identities to see how they felt. Some of the more poignant quotes were, "I wanted them to think like a scientist," or "think like someone who knows they can solve a problem, or, "act like someone who knows they are creative." What was striking to me was that, in each situation, the act of thinking of oneself in that way was the precursor to learning. In other words, you were a scientist from the first day of class. The teacher told you so. Again and again. It wasn't the grade at the end that determined your fate. It was the fact that you were there participating.
The act of participation is the heart of what the YOUmedia center is all about. Their stated goal is to create an atmosphere where kids feel comfortable trying on new persona's. To see themselves beyond consumers to creators. While their focus is on the creative arts the life lessons are universal. It takes a lot of courage for a high school kid to stand in the middle of a room and perform a free-style rap.
Thinking about it, the best teachers I ever had impacted me at this level. The subject matter was different, and certainly the methods were not the same but, what all the experiences had in common was their ability to have me challenge myself. To question who I am and why I am this way. Maybe that's what it's all about.
I'll leave you with a couple of links JoVie, from the YOUmedia center, shared with me. Each beautiful in their own right showcasing kids at different stages of their evolving identity.
Ankare "I Believe"
Miss Chevious EmCee
For Sam and Laurie their work is all about fostering conversations, uncomfortable conversations. Laurie beautifully described what they do when she said they look to foster these "moments of grace" where through dialogue individuals come to realize something about themselves by talking to another who, on the surface seems to be their complete opposite. For instance, in their project on race, the Race Relations Project, where they bring together individuals from different cultural and ancestral groups to...talk. To each other. An Arab and a Jew? Let's bring them together. A white boy from the country and an urban black kid? Let's sit them down with each other.
The point being that through the process of talking they get to know each other. This leads to something even more uncomfortable, they get to know themselves. By seeing the other they discover something about themselves and, hopefully, their sense of who they are is fundamentally changed.
The really interesting thing is that the kids seem to love this. Their sociology class on race is always overbooked. They frequently end up with students from the class working on the project long after the class is over. Why? Why would these kids voluntarily put themselves in the very socially awkward position we're conditioned to avoid? I think it's because at the base of it all, learning is really the process of self discovery.
The same was true at the better presentations I attended at ICLS. Whether the subject matter was gaming, science, math, English, or the arts the common denominator was they all were about enabling the students to try on different identities to see how they felt. Some of the more poignant quotes were, "I wanted them to think like a scientist," or "think like someone who knows they can solve a problem, or, "act like someone who knows they are creative." What was striking to me was that, in each situation, the act of thinking of oneself in that way was the precursor to learning. In other words, you were a scientist from the first day of class. The teacher told you so. Again and again. It wasn't the grade at the end that determined your fate. It was the fact that you were there participating.
The act of participation is the heart of what the YOUmedia center is all about. Their stated goal is to create an atmosphere where kids feel comfortable trying on new persona's. To see themselves beyond consumers to creators. While their focus is on the creative arts the life lessons are universal. It takes a lot of courage for a high school kid to stand in the middle of a room and perform a free-style rap.
Thinking about it, the best teachers I ever had impacted me at this level. The subject matter was different, and certainly the methods were not the same but, what all the experiences had in common was their ability to have me challenge myself. To question who I am and why I am this way. Maybe that's what it's all about.
I'll leave you with a couple of links JoVie, from the YOUmedia center, shared with me. Each beautiful in their own right showcasing kids at different stages of their evolving identity.
Ankare "I Believe"
Miss Chevious EmCee
Very cool post. As I approach the magical age of fifty (50!) I am thinking more and more about the "who am I question" and how does the answer shape everything about me. More importantly, I'm asking myself about those parts of me that I cannot see because they are so intimately linked to my identity. It's like being white in a white majority world and never reflecting on what THAT means.
As to my own growth and unfolding, I'm starting to wonder whether I have much of any agency over anything that I do-think-feel. Of course, in the end it doesn't matter because my only goal in life ought to be to JUST LIVE AND BE in whatever reality I find myself.