My Summer "Vacation"

Each summer I teach at least one graduate course, but this summer I added a completely new experience to my teaching repertoire. I worked for Landmark College’s High School Summer Program that was based at SOU. I was hired to teach a college writing course to high school students who learn differently; I was also an academic tutor and I taught a creativity class.

Briefly, the goals of the program are to help the students understand their learning needs, to learn effective writing strategies, to develop improved daily habits, and to learn general study and organizations skills and strategies within content courses including history, psychology, America sign language, theater, etc. We had approximately 40 students from all over the US living in the dorms for three weeks and experiencing a rendition of college life. Students attended workshops on applying for college, how to complete a successful interview, and health and wellness.

The students attended two classes in the morning, ate lunch in the dining hall, attended a third class in the afternoon and then went to a special activity until dinner. In the evenings, they attended a two hour study session with academic tutors and had the option to do fun activities with the residence assistants until lights out.

Now that you have a framework for what a typical day looked like for me and the students, I’d like to share a few of the lessons I took away from the experience.

Boy, I learned plenty. First of all, I learned to never work a schedule that starts at 9:00am and ends at 9:30pm. It was hardly a summer vacation, but I know the professional development that came from this experience was worth it. Not to mention that I have a bunch of new high school buddies who keep in touch with me via email.

While facilitating the creativity class, I sadly discovered that my students weren’t willing to take risks with their creativity. Many assumed that they weren’t creative. Others would start a project and quickly quit because it wasn’t good enough. I heard the students make harsh, judgmental comments about their creative endeavors. The vast majority seemed to have lost their ability to just play with materials to see what might happen- to just enjoy a couple of hours messing around with art supplies. They were product oriented instead of process oriented. I can’t help but deduce that this may be product of taking music, theater and art out of the schools. And I can’t possibly imagine where they may have learned that the product is more important than the process. Yes, I’m being facetious. 

But there were glimmers of hope. One student wrote really funny poetry. Another student turned her poetry into a podcast. There were short stories written, music created, pictures drawn, and we started to make a music video that would have gotten a zillion hits on YouTube if they would have finished it.

Another thing I learned is that most kids are completely undisciplined with technology. Asking them to turn off their phones and laptops makes them cringe in pain, as if they are being asked to chop off a leg. I didn’t allow them to use phones in class unless they used the calendar or other apps to organize their homework assignments. I made them bring their laptops everyday which was a very interesting, and often annoying experience. 

 

We’re in a writing class, so I figured we didn’t need to be archaic and use pencils and paper. These students struggle with spelling, getting their ideas on paper, organization, sentence structure- the works. So why make them write and rewrite continuously on paper? Well, I discovered that putting a laptop computer with Internet access in front of them adds a whole new list of struggles to the writing process.

The students were sloppy Internet searchers. They didn’t know how to successfully use a search engine. Then, when they were browsing a website, they got easily distracted. They started clicking all over the place and completely lost track of their original intent. They listen to music and get absorbed in the beat instead of their work. They’re chatting, checking email, viewing 15 different websites, playing computer games and supposedly writing their college application essay ALL AT THE SAME TIME. Yea right.

There was a time when multitasking was considered an honorable act. But now I’m reading more and more criticism about it and I can see why. These students hide under the guise of being multi-taskers, when in reality they’re just undisciplined. Plain and simple.

Now don’t get me wrong, by the end of the three weeks these students had written very powerful essays of which they should be extremely proud. Students wrote about life changing experiences like feeding the homeless in inner cities, working with indigenous people in South America, rising above the temptation of joining a New York City gang, straddling major cultural differences that come with being biracial, building homes on Native American reservations, and yes, even the ups and downs of joining the Glee Club. They poured their heart onto digital paper, shared their work with peers, and reworked their paper several time sitting side by side with me.

The most rewarding part of teaching the writing class was hearing the students’ stories. I applaud their willingness to open their hearts, their courage to give voice to their most profound experiences, and their perseverance while struggling through the writing process.

I’m tickled that some of my students are keeping in touch with me. I’d love to know what they decide to do after graduation. I wonder if they’ll use the application essay they wrote in my class when applying to universities and colleges. I hope they continue to stretch their thinking and enrich their hearts by keeping up with service projects. I wish that they’ll use technology at a helpful tool instead of a hindrance. And I pray they’ll realize that all beings have creative potential that must be honored.

I’m signing off with a big, warm hug to my high school students. I’ll never forget you.