Folks, let’s face it. Our classrooms are going to look a little different this year. AI, specifically ChatGPT, is going to change the way we design learning experiences and assess student mastery. I’ll be honest, when I first explored the ChatGPT platform I was terrified. As I have dug deeper into the technology and its capabilities, I realized that while it does pose significant challenges — it also presents us with some pretty amazing opportunities. In this series, we will explore what AI is capable of, its implications in the classroom, and how it can benefit both teachers and students. Let’s start by examining where we have been, where we are currently, and looking forward to where we are going. Whether this is a trip you wanted to go on or not, the AI train has left the station and it is time for all of us to jump on board. From Card Catalogs to Artificial Intelligence I belong to the micro-generation called Xennial. Xennials are considered to be a “bridge” between Generation X a...
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#61: Connections Count: How Social Connections Protect Us
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The holiday season is upon us! For many of us, the holiday season is a time of joy and celebration. For others of us, the holidays might be a little more bittersweet. Our joy might be brighter, but our losses are also more poignant.
This past week I suffered the loss of a longtime friend. The sense of grief accompanying this loss is tremendous and, at times, paralyzing. As I sifted through old photos looking for images to share with this family, I was gifted with a sense of peace and thanksgiving for the friendships that I have been blessed with throughout all of these years. For that, I am grateful. This post is meant to be one of encouragement for those of you who might be struggling or know someone who is. It is about the power of social connections and relationships during times of challenge.
Our relationships and social connections can provide us with a physiological and psychological buffer against stress. In the TED talk, How to Make Stress Your Friend, Kelly McGonigal shares what she learned about how stress can cause us to seek out supportive relationships and how that, in turn, protects us from the damaging effects of stress. I highly suggest that you take a few minutes to learn more about her work by watching her TED talk.
Stress affects the body through the release of neurohormones like epinephrine. Epinephrine (adrenaline) helps your body respond to perceived dangers. It increases your heart rate, blood pressure, and even alters how your body metabolizes sugar. For me, stress is felt in the pounding of my heart, the constriction of my throat, and the lead ball sitting in my stomach. I've always been afraid of embracing stress in my life. The research is clear on the negative effects of chronic stress and cardiovascular health. However, this research doesn't tell the whole story...
What I didn't know is that stress actually triggers the release of another neurohormone, oxytocin. This begs the question, why would the brain release the so-called "cuddle hormone" during times in which we feel threatened? It turns out that in these situations oxytocin prods us to seek out social support and connections during times of stress. It not only makes us more likely to seek out help, it also leads us to help others in need. In addition, oxytocin protects the cardiovascular system from the negative effects of stress. It is a natural anti-inflammatory that can actually help the heart heal from stress-induced damage. Our body has a built-in mechanism designed to help support us in our times of greatest need.
Social connections sustain us in good times and bad. A sense of belonging is a core psychological need. According to Maslow, the importance of feeling loved and a sense of belonging is key to our self-actualization. Psychology offers insights into how we can foster a sense of belonging in our own lives.
“Resonant relationships are like emotional vitamins, sustaining us through tough times and nourishing us daily,”
Daniel Goleman in Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships.
The Greater Good Science Center offers some excellent resources about ways to cultivate social connections. Here are some specific, science-based activities for cultivating connection that you can use individually or maybe even with your students.
Social connections are one piece of the well-being puzzle. Cultivating gratitude, empathy, altruism, compassion, and forgiveness will enhance your well-being across all the different areas of your life. These interventions are not a panacea. They will not make the hurt and pain go away but they will sustain us and help us move forward. I am wishing you all peace, comfort, and joy throughout the upcoming holiday season.
A few years ago I made a small change that has radically altered the direction of my life. I decided to start saying "YES" to opportunities at work that, quite frankly, terrified me. I piloted a class, started a blog, submitted proposals to and presented at national conferences, and even appeared on a podcast. As a closet introvert with imposter syndrome, the idea of sharing my ideas, activities and passions with the whole world required a whole new level of vulnerability on my part. It was hard, stressful, and very scary but it led to one the most energizing, purposeful, and meaningful periods of my professional life. In this post, I would like to share with you something that I am really proud of - which is a result of me taking a chance and saying "YES." TOPPS The Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPPS) is a division of the American Psychological Association (APA). It's mission is to"promote excellence in the teaching of psychological scienc...
Are you looking for another blended learning strategy to try that provides your students with choice and a voice? Consider designing a playlist for your students. A playlist is an interactive digital assignment that provides students with a roadmap for how to achieve their learning goals. I am really excited about incorporating playlists because it allows for a more personalized and differentiated learning experience for my students. They also require the students to assume ownership of their own learning because they choose which direction they take on their learning path. When I begin the process of designing a learning playlist, I focus on the following questions: Learning Outcomes:What do my students need to know at the end of this lesson? Assessment: How will I know if my students know what they need to know? Choice: What choices can I give my students in regards to the time, place or modality of learning that they can engage in? Teacher: How can I best support my students duri...
If you have been following my blog you already know that I am a HUGE fan of the station-rotation model. The essence of the station rotation is that students rotate between carefully curated online and offline learning stations. This can occur both within and outside of the classroom walls so this model lends itself well to the remote and hybrid learning environment. In this post, I will share how I transformed my existing lesson plans on the theories of emotion into a station rotation that can be used both in-person and online. The key to a successful station rotation is balance . One of the most helpful resources that I have found in my blended learning journey is a book and blog by Catlin Tucker. According to Tucker, a strong lesson balances teacher-led stations with online and offline stations. You might already have ideas of what types of online and offline activities you could build into your station rotation. If not, consider checking out this document she created th...
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