The New York Times is introducing a new website designed for teenagers to air, share, and pair their literary works.  Figment.com will allow teens to write all forms of literary composition.  They will be able to read each other's work and partner up to create new works with peers they have never met.  Publishers will be able to use this site to gauge teen interests and talent for future writers.  

The underlying hope is that teens will use this new, modern forum to practice, hone, and improve their writing skills.  I think it is also an attempt to bring literature into the technology based world in which teenagers live.  Just because texting, emailing, and blogging are the latest rage, doesn't mean that well-written, well-thought out compositions need be lost on this generation.

I think the concept behind this new website is great: encourage teens to be writers, readers, and contributors in a teen-like way.  Hopefully the trend will catch on, not be abused, and give kids a forum for their craft.  English teachers can see the possibilities for incorporating the concept into their classes just as publishers can see the benefit to their industry.  It looks like a win/win situation.

Television screens everywhere have been tuned in to the rescue efforts in Chile.  People have been mesmerized by the individuals who have lived for 60 days underground, not knowing whether they would ever see the light of day.  It's not often that Chile makes the headlines but these circumstances are rare and extreme.  As the miners emerged, you could almost hear the heartbeat of that nation.  Thudding with hope and fear, expectation and excitement; the heart of the nation was beating solely for these men and their families.

Tragedy does that for a community or a nation.  Just like on September 11, Americans across the country and folks around the world held hands and held their breath.  In those moments the unity and fraternity that exists deep within is exposed and strengthened.  By why are those moments so fleeting?  In the weeks to come, the Chilean miners will return to "normal" life and the country will no longer be held together by this event. 

Business will go back to being about the bottom line, not the people.  Politics will go back to being about the power, not the people.  Religion will go back to being about the ritual, not the people.  And what will we have learned?  Unfortunately, not much.  Chances are if we learned our lesson, that life is about the people in it not the things or the programs, events, or opinions, then these difficult circumstances wouldn't be so amazing and awe-inspiring.  They would instead reflect our daily lives of caring about each other.

Life is like...no, not a box of chocolates, more like a stroll through a secondary school campus where you never know what lesson is being taught in the next room.  Our work lives present myriad opportunities to learn new skills and advance on the career ladder.  But home life can be filled with just as many opportunities to learn invaluable skills.  It's all about the perspective.  Are you looking to learn as you go? Or, do you limit your learning to scheduled, designated times?

My husband and I had the opportunity to learn about some home maintenance issues today.  He approached it as an opportunity to learn how to do something he didn't already know how to do.  I was more reluctant to join the learning process since it involved the septic system, backhoes, and things I won't describe here.  It struck me, however, that learning as you go is what builds character, wisdom, and teachable opportunities. 

What can I learn from this situation that will__________________? (Fill in the blank with, but not limited to, the following: assist with my career, help me be more prepared for the future, help me be better equipped to help someone else, increase my knowledge base in an important field, be good for telling stories or cracking jokes down the road.)  This kind of attitude will help you, not only to learn as you go, but to enjoy the process knowing that it serves a purpose.

As a teacher I enjoyed sharing my knowledge and experiences with my students.  I looked for that sudden spark of interest or quizzical expression that indicated they wanted more and I was happy to oblige.  It is exciting to teach when your students are excited to learn.  But what about when the teacher becomes the student again?  This is where I struggle.  Certainly, I am willing to admit that life is full of lessons that I learn from daily but the structured classroom scene is another matter altogether. 

A good student is attentive, engaged, and active.  So, I set out to be that student.  In fact, I really enjoy learning about the material at hand but at some point my attention wanes, my mind wanders, and my participation ceases.  In retrospect, I think the root of the problem is frustration.  While I hope to gain new information out of the class, I feel unsettled by the teacher's presentation.  When I venture a question, logical and pertaining to the material, the teacher is unable to answer sufficiently.  At this point, my attention to their message is diverted.  My mind is not willing to move forward without an explanation.

As I get further bogged down with the unanswered the questions begin to multiply, as if, by finding one weakness in the teacher's lesson negates their authoratative knowledge on the remaining material.  Unfortunately, my facial expressions and distinct change in behavior are indicators to the rest of the class and the instructor that I am no longer engaged, interested, or even in the same room.  Mentally, I am miles and miles away.  Being the student again is tougher than I thought but I imagine it is a lot harder to be my teacher!

Growing up, my brother was, like most older brothers, mean.  He used to tease me unceasingly and use every opportunity to embarass me.  Normally, I gave him what he deserved for his cruelty.  However, I remember several ocassions when his rude comments would cause me to lose my breath.  He would tell me how dumb I was and point out how smart he was, "just like mom and dad" he'd say and then the kicker, he would tell me that I was adopted.  I know that most younger siblings have heard this claim more than once but rarely do they stop to consider the possibilty.  For me, though, it made perfect sense that I was adopted.  In the most general sense, I was different from the rest of my family but when it came to specific traits that I assumed must be genetic, I was pitifully lacking.  The reading gene was one that did not appear in my life until my early twenties, while my parents and brother have been avid readers since they were old enough to hold a book. 

As a kid, reading was never enjoyable for me.  Much like many children today, I suspect.  Kids are given lists and lists of books to read and series that they ought to have already read, combined with the dry textbook writing that they must read.  Even with the enticement of reading clubs that reward you with free pizza and other junk, reading can be a chore for kids.  My own son, who is 6 and learning to read, shows interest only in certain books and only at certain times. 

An article in the New York Times reports on the value of summer reading for children.  While I agree in theory, I would hate to be that child who is forced to read when they absolutely abhor it.  In my own case, I avoided reading at all possible costs because I remembered vividly how torturous it was as a child.  Thankfully, now I am over it.  I love to read, however, I rarely get the opportunity to.  I encourage my children to read and will read to them whenever asked, but I'm not forcing anything.  I think they will discover the joy on their own time.   

Have you ever marveled at the sheer number of possible career paths available to today's students?  There are so many options out there that students can't possibly know about them all well enough to make informed decisions about their futures.  How is a child from a small farming town supposed to gain experience, interest, and understanding in the field of structural engineering?  As the Washington Post reports, the opportunity may come in the form of summer enrichment or intership programs offered through the collaborative efforts of public high schools and local colleges and universities. 

Sure, some students have not only the access but also the know-how to follow up on possible career choices for themselves, but there are so many career opportunities that are just not presented into the scope that many students don't find their fit until later in their college careers.  Other careers require experience and time served in different fields before their are even accessible.  But without the knowledge of their existence student's won't even know which direction to pursue.

I am a big fan of the summer enrichment opportunities that allow kids to explore a variety of different academic interests in a non-threatening, non-GPA-affecting manner.  Kids are given the chance to experiment with different career options before making a long-term, expensive committment.  Local business and corporations would be wise to consider developing programs that allow students the opportunity to glimpse the a "day in the life" of whatever their company specializes in.  It's a win/win for the company because it build community relations and potentially assists in recruiting future employees that are well-suited for the job.  

An article in the New York Times describes a situation in Belgium that is interesting and unusual.  Reportedly, Belgium's goverment is essentially non-existant right now because of tensions between the French-speaking and Flemish-speaking citizens.  The nation is at a stand-still because ridiculous laws and historical precedents are creating a difficult, if not impossible, atmosphere for success. 

The majority of the issues center around language and culture that makes each group distinctive.  One would think that Europeans, of all people, would be excited and engaging to those who come from different backgrounds.  The European community as a whole makes up a very small geographical area, however, the diversity of cultures, languages, and ethnicities makes it a veritable melting pot.  It's hard to imagine a country in the midst of this diversity soup that isn't striving to preserve their unique flavor as countrymen but is instead trying to divide and blame.

What does this have to do with learning and training?  At first glance, maybe not much.  As you begin to examine the situation more closely you see that folks are holding on tight, too tightly, to what's happened in the past.  This is preventing any growth or development, both parties are suffering.  Learning can be like that.  We can learn one way and work really hard at doing it well.  Years later a new, better way is developed but we are so tightly wound around the old way that we can't give it up.  Our work and our way begin to suffer.  Change is difficult to accept, but like the Belgians, if we want to succeed and experience harmony, we will have to compromise on some things.     

I'm a procrastinator by nature.  I put things off until the last minute and usually complete the activity with a brief twinge of regret, knowing that if I had started sooner the finished product would have been better.  It's a terrible affliction, procrastinitis.  As an educator, it used to drive me crazy to observe students who were developing the same symptons; always finding something more exciting to do first, working on only the parts that appeal the most, and delaying the start with any possible excuse.  Although I tend to think that I mastered the art of "pulling it off at the last minute", I am sure others would disagree, just as I would disagree with my students who thought that their effort was sufficient. 

As a training executive or learning coordinator, one must encourage their students to learn on a daily basis.  New classes and seminars are exciting and can build momentum but the most valuable learning takes place on the day-to-day level.    Hype and enthusiasm over a new class can be great for building up attendance numbers but if you want to build effectiveness and application, then learning needs to be a progressive, building, daily experience.  Chief Learning Officer agrees that learning is day-to-day.  Click here to read more. 

Folks who waited to attend college will tell you that it is more difficult to go back later.  The kids cramming in the hallway just before their Algerbra exam will tell you that they wished they had studied the night before.  Dissertation authors will tell you that it's not something that can be done overnight.  In other words, don't put learning off.  Start today...and keep going tomorrow.

Teaching is thought of as a realitively safe profession.  However, an article in the New York Times reminds us that for some, curiosity and the desire to know more and share that knowledge, education is dangerous.  Reportedly, a French teacher was arrested over a year ago in Iran after taking some pictures of a political demonstration.  While this case represents the extreme, curiosity is often coupled with danger, or at the very least trouble.  But isn't curiosity at the very foundation of education?  If we lack the desire to know more it is essentially a lack of curiosity.  Curiosity encourages us to seek out the unknown and observe the, as yet, unexperienced.  As the French teacher found out, curiosity is not always viewed as an admirable character trait.  While her pictures were simply taken out of a desire to observe and understand another culture, they were viewed as a threat.  I believe that her need to snap those shots is part of what fuels her as an educator. 

An article in the New York Times highlights the increasing pressure being put on young children.  The article refers to the fierce competition that exists in NYC for children to participate in certain Gifted and Talented school programs.  There were statistics and percentages quoted but my mind focused in on the tidbit that mentioned the great lengths to which parents are willing to go.  For example, some parents hire tutors for their pre-schoolers to prepare them for this testing or screening process.  Others purchase curriculum to aid them in preparation.  And still others send their precious four-year olds off to a preschool that spends a significant amount of time preparing the students for this test.  I am tempted to report these parents for child abuse.  Since when are the words gifted and prepared synonomous?  It seems to me that those students who come from a wealthy background have a much greater chance of being accepted because their financial status affords them the opportunity to pay for whatever it will take to get them in.  I must have misunderstood what it means to be gifted or talented in a particular area. And don't you feel sorry for these kids whose childhood is robbed from them in the name of education?  I don't think it was ever meant to be this way.