I asked Grade 9 today to respond to a series of thought-provoking questions. I did this as I believe that students really do not know how to think. I have no interest in teaching my students what to think, but they do need to know how to think, and as it’s a skill just like any other, it needs practise. The students (and adults?) tend to react to a question rather than think about it and I’m trying to get them out of that habit.  A quick glance at their responses tells me that one or two are still reacting and not putting enough thought in, but hopefully with further practise they will see what I’m trying to get at.

Once they’ve responded, somewhat briefly, to the 18 questions, they are to develop one response into a 300 word blog post that demonstrates their ability to think deeply about something, as well as write reflectively and personally.

I developed this from something I found on the web http://sobadsogood.com/2012/10/04/18-thought-provoking-questions-to-ask-yourself/

In the spirit of not asking them to do anything I don’t do myself, I decided to undertake the same task. And, of course, it’s not easy. You try it! Do it for yourself before reading on …

1.     What would you do differently, if you knew nobody would judge you?

Hmm. I feel I’m being judged right now in how I respond to these questions. I would like to think that I don’t do anything in a certain way merely because I feel I’ll be judged, but in reality I’m sure that’s not the case. If I wasn’t being judged, I would probably eat and drink a lot more, getting really, really fact, and spend hours playing Candy Crush and other silly games. I suspect that I would be exceptionally lazy because I do feel we are judged on how much we do, even more so that on how successful we are at doing it. So what would I do differently? I’d do nothing.

2.    If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend?

Oh, that person would be my friend forever, because I’m actually quite nice to myself!

 3.   How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?

I would think that my body and my brain would be different ages. My body feels old but my brain feels young. I always remember my father getting cross at the fact that his body let him down. But I don’t have a teenage brain (perish the thought). Perhaps a late 20s-early 30s brain. Knowing enough but still learning. And knowing enough to know that I don’t know enough.

 4.   If you had the opportunity to get a message across to a large group of people, what would your message be?

Don’t sweat the small stuff: keep your eye on the big picture. Keep asking yourself “Does it matter? Does it really matter?”

Be nice to people and animals. And smile. Dance a lot. Sing loudly.

5.    Is it possible to lie without saying a word?

*Shakes head* 😉

6.    If not now, then when?

Ah, the age old problem for a procrastinator such as myself. Probably never. Or until I can’t put it off any longer. (And, no, I haven’t started the Chinese lessons yet.)

7.    Are you holding onto something that you need to let go of?

Yes.

8.    Have you done anything lately worth remembering?

I would like to think that every day I help my students learn something worth remembering, but I think I may be kidding myself. They are teenagers, after all! And I’m not that good.

I just had a wonderful holiday, driving along the Pacific Coast Highway in California. That was a trip full of memorable moments experiencing amazing things both natural and man-made such as the hundreds of elephant seals we saw on one of their two beach landings, and the bridge at the Hoover Dam.

9.    Would you break the law to save a loved one?

Yes, but it would depend what law, and whether I’m saving their ass or saving their life.

10.   When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards and just do what you know is right?

As I’ve got older, I calculate risk a lot more – but that’s more risk of physical harm than anything else. I’m not a person who is motivated by fear of risk or desire for reward, particularly when it comes to doing what’s right. It begs the question, when does impulsive become dangerous?

11.   Who do you love? And what are you doing about it?

I love my husband and the word ‘love’ is an active verb, as well as a statement of fact.

I love my family and friends and I don’t do enough about that. I also promise to be more in contact but that rather falls on the “procrastination” pile.

12.  Do you ask enough questions? Or do you settle for what you know?

I ask a lot of questions, don’t I?

13.  When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

Well, I say quite a lot, so probably. And see “procrastination”.

14.  When was the last time you tried something new?

Yesterday. I tried to teach my husband cross stitch, which was particularly fun as I only just started cross stitching myself. I have also recently started using the concept of a ‘Passion Project’ in my classes.

 15.  Which activities make you lose track of time?

Whatever I’m doing at that moment, particularly if it’s interesting.

Any new project, whether craft, such as knitting or cross stitch, or something new I’m trying to create or work out on the computer. Plus silly games like Candy Crush, of course. I used to spend a ridiculous number of hours playing CityVille. I have avoided the Sims for these reasons. I really wouldn’t get anything done. I remember the first time I discovered Minesweeper, many years ago. I sat up until 3 a.m.

It used to be reading, and it’s quite sad that that’s no longer the case.

 16.  If you could do it all over again, would you change anything?

Of course.

17.  What is the difference between living and existing?

Experiences.

18.  If you had to teach something, what would you teach?

Ha Ha. I do have to teach something … officially it’s “English Language Arts”. I interpret that broadly, so I try to teach the context of language in all its forms. Today, for example, Grade 8 have been putting up a display of a selection of plays by Shakespeare which they have researched and summarised alongside some examples of how these plays have been transformed. Who knew there was a film called Gnomeo & Juliet? They seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time cutting out the letters for the title. Grade 9 did this exercise, although not in quite such detail. And Grade 11 was grappling with Seamus Heaney’s collection of poems Death of a Naturalist and also putting together a visual display. So a fair amount of literature at the moment.

This week will also see readings and viewings of Romeo and Juliet and Merchant of Venice, kids doing Minecraft, blogging, researching, presenting their passion project proposal, and putting together a media campaign.