Declaration of Innovative Arts
I input the prompt – “Rewrite the declaration of independence but it is for a class called ‘innovative arts’ where students are breaking from the lack of autonomy and creativity in the traditional school system” and here was the response:
When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for students to dissolve the rigid educational systems which have constrained their autonomy and creativity, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s Creator entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to such separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all students are endowed with certain unalienable rights, that among these are the pursuit of autonomy, creativity, and happiness. That to secure these rights, educational systems are instituted among students, deriving their just powers from the consent of the students.
That whenever any form of educational system becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the students to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new educational systems, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their autonomy, creativity, and happiness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that educational systems long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that students are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such educational systems, and to provide new guards for their future security.
Such has been the patient sufferance of these students; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former educational systems. The history of traditional schooling is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over the minds of students. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.
We, the students of Innovative Arts, declare that our previous educational systems have failed to foster our autonomy, creativity, and happiness. They have stifled our potential by placing rigid constraints on our ability to explore and innovate. They have limited our individuality by prioritizing conformity over self-expression. They have forced us to adhere to narrow definitions of success and intelligence, {NEWORK ERROR}
It was just getting good! This took forever to generate, so the error was not a surprise. I don’t agree with the sentence on consent of the students, that would take a rewrite. If I try this again, I will specify that this is from a teachers perspective and not the students… but looking at it from this lens has me thinking.
I asked for the last 3 paragraphs with the same prompt – the difference I noticed right away is bolded.
When, in the course of artistic events, it becomes necessary for students to dissolve the rigid structures and constraints that have impeded their creative progress, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of art entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of their peers requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to this innovation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all students are endowed with certain unalienable rights, that among these are autonomy, creativity, and the pursuit of meaningful expression. That to secure these rights, schools are instituted among students, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of schooling becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the students to alter or abolish it, and to institute new forms of learning, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their artistic development and happiness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that schools long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly, all experience has shown that students are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such constraints, and to provide new guards for their artistic future.
It occurs to me that AI used in this way is a great brainstorming tool. The output word choices, the connections and implications are all different rabbit holes I could dive down. The framing of the issues or the translation of the ideas are so very rich with potential avenues of thought.
This post started as out as a whim but it is kind of blowing my mind!
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And now for something completely different
Being committed to writing a blog every single day is probably counterproductive in some ways. I’m usually tired, it can disrupt a nighttime routine, and it isn’t 2008 anymore … no one reads blogs. It feels like a fool’s errand sometimes.
On the other hand…
I have had some success in developing a new thought in the process of writing a post. A new idea is hard to quantify. How much time is it worth? Without my many attempts at writing thoughts out… and getting new thoughts in the process, where would I be?
It seems like a waste. But it’s just a part of my process, it is how I process.
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Routines like Railroads
I made a tool that will help on the first day of class – it uses the analogy of a train on a railroad track to signify how our class needs to run. If the track is broken and the train gets off track, it is slow going. On the other hand, if we take the time and make a great track, then we can go farther, faster, and do much cooler things. Here is a picture of the two extremes.
Oops, the ‘restarting as needed’ corner is still broken on the right! I used a figjam to make this and can toggle each track between broken and fixed with just a keystroke. It’ll be way better than the paper one I made 6 months ago!
Now to plan the perfect way to introduce each of these sections.
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The Creator Mindset Spectrum
The apathy that we see in students has many causes. I am able to experience part of the problem first hand every August. On
inservice days we have to sit for hours and play the role of students. Those days leave me tired, sore, and uninspired. That is what most days look like for our students and it is no wonder that they aren’t enthusiastic about school.In my classroom I have posted the creator spectrum below. Kids can recognize instantly that most of of each school day is spent on the left side. Getting from the left to right side takes deliberate steps and preparation. It takes determined practice and preparation to step from the left to the center and reflection and desire to move to the right side of the spectrum. Kids cannot be a passive part of this process. They want to get to the right. The most determined kids will get there no matter what. Most others will need our help to set them up for success.
Teacher In Charge
This category is the default mode of most teachers, myself as a science teacher included. It is a necessary evil in our world of standardized tests, siloed subjects, and subjective grades. Teachers have had their hands tied by being told what to teach and when kids should fit the same mold. The only way a class can work is for the teacher to be in charge. Grades become the motivation. The long term development of a student’s interests or abilities is ignored for a bottom-line letter grade.
Teacher-in-charge was born with school itself. There wasn’t any other option but to obey the teacher and learn what they knew. When school was a new idea, this was a great way to get people the basic skills we all agree we need. That was long before the internet and smartphones. There is still a role in the teacher-in-charge part of school. It’s overuse, however, is making our students bored, apathetic, and uninterested in learning. That is just the way it is now.
Every student that I have met says the want to move to the right from the ‘Teacher in Charge’ category. Their reasons for saying this are not all the same, however. My first year of explaining this spectrum to students was telling. Most 5th and 6th grade students wanted freedom to learn how to use the machines and make some cool stuff. They were eager to break out of the ‘Teacher in Charge’ category so they could do the interesting things they saw the other kids doing in past classes. 7th and 8th grade had a different attitude though. More of them saw the potential freedom to break out of their seats and be with their friends and socialize. The behaviours are developmentally appropriate but as a whole they were less ambitious and excited to do something new or different. Years of living in ‘Teacher in Charge’ school mode them less willing or able to strike out on their own. The attitude of a lot of the older students made it clear that they would only do the bare minimum without exception.
Shared Responsibility
At my best in middle school science I was able to share responsibility for learning with students. I would give them topics and resources and they would use them to learn and show their learning in a unique way. In Innovative Arts, the ‘Shared Responsibility’ start in 6th grade. They are the open ended projects that they choose and customize.
Being creative is sometimes difficult for middle school students. Customizing a skeleton project creatively can be a big shift from what kids are used to. It is a battle between two attitudes. On one side is the reflexive “What do I have to do?” attitude that students develop when they have no control. On the other side is kid who is excited to do something impressive. This side is also scared, especially if they haven’t tried to do something unique in the past.
This is a very important moment!
Does the kid play it safe and complete a project that they know that will be easy? Do they try something new and risk failure or mistakes or having to spend a lot of time? It is time for the kids to start backing up their words with actions. They say they don’t like having teachers always in control so here is their chance. They need to have had practice brainstorming ideas for this point to work. If students are still afraid of mistakes at this point, they will play it safe. Elsewhere in this book explains the brainstorming practice, building creative confidence, and embracing of failures and mistakes that go into this moment.
If the kids decide to play it safe and easy at this point, it is much harder to get them to the creators mindset later on.
Creator in Charge
The goal of the entire class is to get students to this point. They know what they are interested in, what they want to work on, want to improve on, and then go to work more-or-less independently. The ultimate goal is to have kids enter the room and each work on their own projects and skills. Kids want to get to this point. They want to be unique, independent and impressive.
The skills that it takes to get there are tough to train into kids if they are uninterested and unwilling to do the work.
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Upgrading the ‘Shift’ in PSC
We need to shift how we use technology away from a toy into a tool. The entertainment aspect of our devices is getting ridiculously addictive. The ‘tool’ aspect of technology is also getting quite advanced, we just don’t pour hours of our lives into them like we do the toys.
It occurs to me that Puzzle Shift Create can help develop the language and resources that will be needed to affect this shift. in fact, I already have a part of this on the site. Below is the list from the ‘Shift’ resources page. Most of these are not yet formalized but underdevelopment.
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‘Shift’ Topics that I need to formalize from class: (captured March 19th, 2023)
- How to be a digital Leader
- Using tech to make our brains BETTER
- Advanced making with technology
- Brainstorming in the internet age
- Technology-augmented Creativity
- Shifting Tech from a toy into a tool
- Using premade-tech-toy-kits as creative confidence builders
- Technology for young engineers
- Technology for young designers
- Technology for young entrepreneurs
- Technology for young digital creators
- Technology for young Coders
On this site, I am hoping to blow the door open on how technology can impact our students. My goal for this site is to create a better vision for education. Technology will play a big role in that.
Obviously, it will take time to get all of this created. As a solo act, I’m juggling a lot of things at once. The creator resources (below) are the most developed. I’m busy actively developing the ‘mindset’ topics (the ‘Puzzle’). These will be developed last.
I am creating this site to advance student creativity and help students to take ownership of their learning. The resources on this site are intentionally open-ended and a part of my Innovative Arts curriculum.
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What I want to add are the following topics:
Raising self-awareness about digital habits
Using digital wellbeing apps to discourage overuse
Using technology to bring out the best in all of us
Parent resources for setting tech guidelines in each household
YouTube as a powerful learning resource
How to use social media to make yourself better
The hope is to give people the resources they need to help their kids navigate the crazy digital world that they are growing up within.
Puzzle is how our mindsets, attitudes, expectations, and mental tools can come together like a puzzle.
Shift is all about shifting technology from a toy into a tool. Easier said than done.
Create is bringing the creative process (with all the potential of curiousity and creativity) into our schools.
What do you think? The skeleton for something pretty cool is here. It’s time to start putting meat on these bones.
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…invented a better wheel
Yesterday I wrote about reinventing the wheel. I hope I’ve invented an even better wheel in the case of feedback for projects. The image below is going to be the guide (with the addition of some hand-written number ques to make it easier to follow). Students will need to go through this process with another student (or me) before they do every check-in.
It’ll be great!
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All posts and other helpful links.
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If you read this far, thank you. I’d honestly love to hear your thoughts – directly or through social media.
Have a great day!
~Peter, Innovative Arts teacher & Puzzle Shift Create creator
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