Thing 4: Blogging Begins with Reading

I have been an avid blog reader for years. I enjoy the platform that blogs provide to reach a global audience with regard to a variety of topics. No topic is too trivial for a post. There is something about a blog that is almost mesmerizing. For instance, I will spend large quantities of time reading details about a friend's baby, learning about local deals or perusing recipes. A blog can take a "normal" person and allow them to share their message with unknown multitudes.

In looking through the blog titles and descriptions listed, I was quickly drawn to Kris Bradburn's "How to Prevent Another Leonardo da Vinci". Here the author lists a series of traits common to genius that are being stifled in schools today. This thesis resonated with me because I can see this with my own middle school English students. I have observed students struggle when asked to create a fictional account based on a non-fiction article. Creativity is not something that is being cultivated and praised in our classrooms. Some of the points that stood out the most to me were that curricula do not allow for student creativity (curiosita). The teacher, who receives direction from the curriculum, gives students knowledge. There is little exploration or trial and error. In addition, students are motivated to find a singular correct answer (sfumato). Much of our assessment is multiple choice. Students are living in a world of one correct or one best answer. Wrong answers are penalized and the idea of testing out possibilities is discouraged. Again, this mindset is far off-based when viewed against the backdrop of our technological society.