What a great point! I remember reading a quote once that said something like "Maybe the key to curing cancer is in this child, if only someone would teach them to read." I love the fact that the door opening for a tech-savvy parent who takes to the tech brought home from a family program. This could change whole communities! Oh the power of seeds...

I really like this quote! Tapping into student interests is valuable in making learning rich. I would like to see more of this in the STEM courses, not just HUM courses and the arts. LM

I personally identify with this. For example, last year I had a Science 8 class for which I rarely had access to technology. It happened to be a block where other senior classes would mass book the laptops and ipads, so I got used to not consider how I would even attempt to try to incorporate the tech.

Hackers celebrated? Slackers and deviants? This all sounds terrible to me! This data shows the racial undercurrents of the professionals. I don't relate to these exact things but I'm sure we have our own systemic racial undercurrents here. Can anyone point an example out so that I can make a personal connection? LM

This is a new acronym for me as well. Googling it, I find it means "Massive Open Online Course."

I must admit to never considering this before. It has caused me to pause and reflect on the privilege I live and teach in, as well as being raised in. Wow. LM

This is a new acronym for me. Does anyone have experience with this? Maybe is it American?

I like this visual !(https://edublog.soundtrap.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Screen-Shot-2017-11-07-at-11.24.48-AM-529x380.png))

It brings to mind the compentency levels: not meeting, minimally meeting, meeting, exceeding.

I appreciate Reich (2019) saying that most teachers do not get to the point of redefinition, and thta "when teachers get access to new technologies, they typically use them to extend existing practices." This is especially true when put in the context of my "STEM and Student-Centered Practices" post on Moodle. LM

What does this mean? Most tech at the high school level will be web-based, so there is ALWAYS the potential to be distracted by the availability of online platforms. Our admin was talking about the article about Ontario government looking to ban cell phones next school year. We discussed the life skill of learning how to have constant access to tech but use it responsibly is more competency-building than outright banning.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ontario-to-announce-cellphone-ban-in-classrooms-starting-next-school/

We are at the point at my school that when the internet goes down, we are all at a loss of what to do! Thus, I feel that we, as a society, are getting to the point where these questions do not need to be asked anymore. Tech seems to now be synonymous with education because it is so ubiquitous. Add to that the modernized curriculum is student-oriented based on inquiry, tech is basically an extension of what one does If one's pedagogy is to engage, enhance, and extend, then it will happen in spite of tech. LM

Sorry, but I chuckled at this line, because how can we possibly have standards for future technology skills? We may well be in driverless cars sooner than we think. I agree that having standards for skills needed now is imperative, yet as soon as they are determined, they may be out of date by the time they are agreed upon and published. Just my two cents on this! LM

I do not think there are enough advocates to inform students, parents, and educators the long-term effects of GAD. The anxiety behaviours work for the student at the time (i.e. overly studious, perfectionist, etc.) because they get good grades and they might get attention for that. But, personally speaking, the effects that hit in the forties after living a lifetime of this takes its toll. I love that we are learning about advocating for students struggling from anxiety instead of poo-pooing it for so long. LM

"control and escape" It wasn't until my mid-thirties before I found a strategy to mitigate the need to control and escape. I realized I could honestly say, "When I will return to my home later and [insert anxiety-inducing scenario] will be over." Before this strategy, the anxiety was crippling. However, giving myself perspective that there was life AFTER the situation was empowering. LM

I think this is an important point. As someone who struggles with GAD, there is a sense that we need to rid ourselves (or even scold ourselves!) out of anxiety episodes, that elimination of the anxiety is the desired emotional destination. However, naming it for what it is gives a sense of control back, and knowing that strategies can be used can reduce the paralyzing fear thereby slowing the cycle. Even for me, it is empowering to see these things in written form, validating my experience. Thank you for directing us to this site, Adrienne! LM

Interesting to note the parent perception of cognitive issues versus the student perception of social issues. If a parent is seeing marks/grades go down or incomplete assignments on reporting, then this might be perceived as an inability to do the work. I read this as the parent looking at the symptom of the anxiety, and the student reporting on the root. LM

I find it striking how this corresponds to several core competencies of the modernized curriculum. With the emphasis on working within groups, team dynamics, inquiry-led learning, are we putting students with anxieties at a disadvantage? Or perhaps we need to rethink our scaffolding for teaching students how to work in groups so those who are anxious are able to develop their competencies to a proficient stage? LM