ONE
Clapper, you know what would have been so much better…If we could have designed our deliverables first.

The door to backwards project planning opens!

TWO: A detailed shopping list of parts

THREE: Student organized laptop cart

If only we could keep it like this…

Much of my time is taken up with playing with language with teenagers. When is it okay to use a particular word? Are there words you can never use? How do we talk to each other in respectful ways?

There’s formal language that’s necessary in many situations. Yet there’s also the joy of a well-running shop or kitchen or newspaper where the language is undoubtedly and some would say necessarily salty but never disrespectful.

I tried this game yesterday based on something a friend used to say to me. I called it “that’s the third dumbest conversation I’ve heard today.” Our inimitable board chair describes the origins of much of our work as “that’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard…let’s do it.”

Here’s how it ran: a student would pitch their current project idea. Two students would explain why that was the dumbest idea they’d ever heard. Then three students had to defend the original idea from the criticisms.

I have done this more formally and if I taught like a champion I’d probably have a version trademarked with attached worksheets. But the rough language helped develop the projects. It also gave students a chance to be teenagers, to be less formal, while still moving the work along. It offered us a chance to laugh together without laughing at each other. And it provided another way for kids to improve their pitch skills.

For example, the first iteration led to the following criticisms:
*that’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard: you need to be in college or have particular skills to do that.
*that’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard because you’re too young to do that.
*that’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard because that’s not a real world project.

(All critiques that any inventor or writer or creative human has faced at one point or another)

Started today asking students to write down one way they know when they are focused. Then we wrote down 2-3 things that disrupt our focus.

Processed briefly, then turned to this article.

We then talked through the ideas that emerged from the conversation. Several quotes that got traction:

* monotasking is “something that needs to be practiced.”

* “Almost any experience is improved by paying full attention to it,” Ms. McGonigal said. “Attention is one way your brain decides, ‘Is this interesting? Is this worthwhile? Is this fun?’ ”

* Monotasking can also be as simple as having a conversation. “Practice how you listen to people,” Ms. McGonigal said. “Put down anything that’s in your hands and turn all of your attentional channels to the person who is talking. You should be looking at them, listening to them, and your body should be turned to them. If you want to see a benefit from monotasking, if you want to have any kind of social rapport or influence on someone, that’s the place to start. That’s where you’ll see the biggest payoff.”

I know the kids have spent time thinking about time management. My primary thing is making sure that they’ve begun to consider how they’re using their time and where the breakdowns are occurring. Sometimes people say they don’t have any work to do when they do. Broken record: sometimes people grossly underestimate how much time things will take.

And while all human beings waste time, are they aware of when and how they are wasting time?

First step: Collect all the things that people say about time
Time is money.
It’s about damn time.
The clock is ticking.
Was that really worth you time?
You can do better next time?
I think you should ____ with your time.
Put time aside to do your work.
Once upon a time.
Time waits for no one.
The end of time is near.
You’re wasting my time and energy.
It’s time to fight.
I don’t got time for you.
Time’s up.
Ain’t nobody got time for that.
If you continue to waste time, you won’t get anything done (ascribed to me but I don’t think I say this)
You either waste time or make it?
Be hear on-time.
If you don’t have time for yourself, don’t make if for anyone else undeserving.
To be on-time is to be late.
Time flies.
I lost track of time.
It’s crunch time.
You grow over time.
Work on time management.
When I was a kid,
Timing is everything.
Time is of the essence.
You can’t run from the past.
The clock is ticking.
You think that time revolves around you. –Grandma
Eastern Standard Time.
Time is against you.
Time is an illusion.
Why you always wait for the last minute?
You just starting that? You gonna get it finished?
Time is the only thing you can’t change.

Best thing: “These projects are easy with unlimited time.” –VG