Gotta be cool!
MGMT– Kids
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Remember snap bracelets? Or Beanie Babies? Or Pogs??? The aforementioned pieces of tack bring back memories of junior high school, when it was so incredibly important to express one’s individuality by doing whatever everyone else was doing.
Nowadays, the content of fads has most certainly changed, although the underlying motives (and the likely response) have not.
Just a few years ago, my students were into purchasing plastic bags of Kool-Aid powder, and sucking it through one bit-off corner. After a few months of this, our administration banned the bags. Today, I’ve noticed an incredible proliferation of colored, beaded bracelets worn by an increasing number of kids.
Yes, there are certainly urban legends out there regarding the potential subtext of this fashion statement, yet it seems like another desperate attempt to “be cool” and to “fit in”. Simply banning these attempts to be cool, be it snap bracelets (in my day), or colored beaded bracelets today, is not going to eliminate this desire amongst kids. Rather, it should be our mission to make education and learning “cool”! Case in point. Two years ago I taught a Pre-Algebra class with two of the brightest kids I’ve ever had. Perhaps surprisingly, these two boys were also two of the “coolest” kids in the grade level, and were trend-setters when it came to clothing styles, methods of speech, skateboarding, etc… They also excelled in math, and because being around them was “cool” the classmates in that particular class experienced a desire to likewise excel at mathematics! Up until this day, that period from 2 years ago has remained my top-performing math class ever. Not because of my amazing teaching, but because of the social influence that was made on students when the “cool kids” were also the smart kids.
Recently Wired! Magazine picked up on this, and posited an article which suggests that this is really the key to education reform. Interesting idea. Myself, I just finished reading “The Tipping Point”, which explores social epidemics (and how they spread). This brilliant work suggests that the spread of a social trend (be it bracelets, or the idea that “algebra is awesome!”) is largely dependent upon the individuals that make up the social community in which the idea is spread, as well as the particular roles of certain key individuals. In the education context, it seems that none of these roles would be filled by teachers, but rather by influential students. So then, as educators, we need to be on the forefront in providing leadership opportunities for these key students who will set the pace and the direction of the school. Our job is to identify, train, and inspire them, and they’ll do the rest.
Themocracy
banning the beads??
Even without creating formal leadership opportunities, having it be cool to smart is exactly why my junior high and high school were so successful. I wouldn’t say my teachers were particularly amazing, but we all worked very hard because it was cool to be in the “smart” group. clearly peer pressure rules…
My bracelet would say “3.14159265…”
how about bracelets that say “4 Point O”? maybe not attainable for everyone but surely something to strive for!
yes, “cool to be smart”! would be a great social influence. yes, big rewards for kids who show positive leadership