I’ve really enjoyed the #eduphotoaday and #mathphotoaday
challenges happening in May and June this year. More importantly, my kids are
enjoying it! Besides the academic focus that these photo challenges bring such
as looking around their world to make real-life connections with mathematics
and the natural environment, I believe it’s teaching my kids something else
that they haven’t figured out.
Not to take the infamous #selfie.
In today’s Insta-World, the concept of “selfie” has emerged
as the trending hashtag and posts on many social media sites. The actual
definition of selfie, was officially added to the Oxford Dictionary back in
August 2013.
When the ipads first arrived in my classroom, we talked a lot about asking permission when
taking someone elses’ photo, keeping a person’s privacy and respecting the
privacy of yourself and others. Of course, all kids like taking photos and
having photos taken of themselves. After a few weeks, I went to go and wipe out
some of the photo storage on the ipads and it seems that during choice time
that week, my kids decided to take some selfies. As I scrolled through about 3 or 4 photos of
these 2 girls, it was evidently clear that they knew what they were doing. I,
of course, let it go and didn’t bring it up to the girls. Why? Because the best
was yet to come… a teachable moment!
Over the next few weeks, talks of Justin Bieber’s legal
troubles emerged, Miley Cyrus was “making her statements” or whatever you call
what she was doing with her tongue and those 6 foot bears on stage. As these
celebrities’’ “life and times” were showing up on the news, through social
media sites and among other adults’ conversations, the (quiet) conversations
started to happen in my class. We had talks about what they thought of these
celebrities and so-called, once upon a time role models. It was interesting. We
then got on the topic of “selfies” and the selfie song that often plays on the
radio.
It was very interesting to listen to some of the kids’
perspectives. Some of them would joke and laugh during recess and say “let me
take a selfie.” Then – Ellen happened! Her epic group selfie came out. This was
the perfect time to talk about what’s important – yourself – or being with a
group of people and making a memory. We began talking about the shift from
SELFie to commYOUnity. Students began
shifting the way they saw themselves and the world around them and who they
wanted to be in that world.
After some time, the #mathphotoaday and #eduphotoadaymay
challenges came out on Instagram and Twitter. These two challenges encouraged
my kids to continue on that path of shifting away from the SELFie, and move
towards the world around them. They began to work together as a group, find the
beauty in the world around them and stop looking directly into the camera and
be tempted to take that photo and put it out there.
Of course, this is not to say that kids are not going to
fool around on photo booth and photo apps to take pictures of themselves and
play around with them. They’re kids and they need to have fun and explore. I am pretty impressed that there’s no more
selfies showing up on my class ipads though! J
More importantly, what I hope these challenges have taught my students is that
it’s not all about THEM. I hope that they don’t get consumed by the “selfie
phenomenon” and get caught up with all the social emotional disasters attached
to this new “trend.” There are so many
hidden dangers with selfies down the road that I don’t think these kids realize
yet. The number of “likes” and “comments” that can be attached to a selfie can
lead to some pretty scary things down the road.
So here is where I say thank you to :
@erinbrie , @bluebomber6 and
@ZBettess
#mathphotoaday and #eduphotoaday events have helped my kids
make (and keep) that shift happening. These challenges have taught them :
-
To be thoughtful an concious as to what they
will put out into the world
-
Help shift from the SELFie to the
commYOUnity. Be part of something
bigger!
-
Learn It’s not all about ME.. It’s about the
world around me (and my connection to it)
-
Connect with other classrooms and schools
-
Some fun photography skills!
