CRUSH SCHOOL

5644 1st Avenue South Minneapolis, MN, 55419

I blog on Brain-Based Learning, Metacognition, EdTech, and Social-Emotional Learning. I am the author of the Crush School Series of Books, which help students understand how their brains process information and learn. I also wrote The Power of Three: How to Simplify Your Life to Amplify Your Personal and Professional Success, but be warned that it's meant for adults who want to thrive and are comfortable with four letter words.

Filtering by Category: Teaching

Design Thinking The Student Learning Experience

September 01, 2017  /  Oskar Cymerman

Tuesday the 4th is GO time for me. New room. New kids. New school year.

I'm psyched, excited, hopeful, and a little scared. The fear is completely illogical, but that's me and I learned to embrace it.

Workshop/Get Ready week done. I had the physical space ready to go Tuesday. Furniture placed. Tech working(ish). Caffeine plentiful.

But wait... How the hell do I do this teaching thing again? I mean, I haven't done it for 3 months. The mental muscle has atrophied. I spent the week being busy, but mostly avoiding planning for the thing I am tasked with doing. Teaching, or maybe helping my students learn, or maybe both are important when it says Teacher next to your name.

No wonder you're anxious! my logical part says, but year after year my brain just keeps saying it's too much fun to give up working the eleventh-hour shift. It's because a breakthrough always seems to happen at the last possible moment.

Not to say I did not have a few light bulbs come on throughout the week because I did. They were good ideas, but there were what ifs and how am I's involved. Then, unexpectedly, a fuse was lit by Kristy Kruse Louden's blog Design Thinking as a Back to School Activity last night. I read Kristy's post, looked at the slideshow, told her I'm adapting (read: stealing) it for my classes, but I was too tired to process and figure out how. I slept.

And now the bomb went off and I know. This is the one for the ages. Or, at least until next year, we'll see. But I feel like I'm really onto something. so here it is.

Design thinking the student learning experience

DAY 1

First, let's get the student minds going with something real...

Design Thinking Learning - The problem

Second, let's pose a question...  

Design Thinking Learning - challenge

Third, let's introduce Design Thinking. No long descriptions, just explain it's a cycle/web, not a sequence, as you jump between steps.

Design Thinking Learning Cycle

Now, let's go to town! Ask students to walk around and interview/be interviewed by 5 people to get 5 answers to the 2 questions below.

Design Thinking Learning WEEK 1 (4).png

Finally, have students gather in their groups and combine their research (empathy work) into key ideas/takeaways.

Design Thinking Learning - definition

DAYS 2 & 3

Remind students of what the problem is.

Design Thinking Learning - Ideal day

Ask students to first individually review their previous work/notes and spend 5 minutes coming up with ideas for solutions. Then, they brainstorm in groups.

Design Thinking Learning - Ideation

With the Empathy, Definition, and Ideation work well on its way, it is now time to create.

Design Thinking Learning - prototyping

Each team should work on the prototype (presentation/poster/video etc.). The first 10 minutes on Day 3 can be used to show a 10-minute Shart Tank clip, so students see a good product pitch and can practice theirs.

DAY 4

Can they sell their ideas to an audience of peers? The prototypes are ready and it's GO time!

Design Thinking Learning - testing

Here's the link to the 14-slide show to go with the project.

This activity can be used anytime, not just beginning of the year and it can be applied to any problem in any class. And, it's a gift that keeps on giving. 

Students get the voice/choice personalization combo. Check.

Students create their own learning. Check.

You learn how they like to learn. Check.

They learn how Design Thinking works. Check.

They practice/hone Future Ready skills. Check.

They strain their brain and learn a lot. Check.

It's relaxed, engaging, and meaningful. Check.

The only help I plan to give is on explaining the Design Thinking Process and providing materials. Otherwise, the world is my student's oyster. Actually, it's an ocean of possibilities. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I hope you're the same.

You have the power to change lives. Use it often.

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Hi! I'm Oskar.          

I teach, write, speak, rant to make the world better.

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categories / Engineering, Teaching
tags / focus, deep work, productivity, teaching teens, parenting teens

Powerful And Easy Way To Teach Kids (and Adults) To Focus [FREE Infographic]

August 24, 2017  /  Oskar Cymerman

Yo!

I think I'll just start each post that includes a free Infographic Poster this way from now on.

Yo!

I am excited to have created a new resource we all can use to help kids focus. And let's be real. Many adults, myself included, lose focus from time to time (that's a vague way of saying often). As we're not robots, we all need a reminder from time to time (same as above :).

Working with teens for 180 days each year for the last 14, I noticed that many flat out don't know how to focus, need help with focus, or simply lack focus. The reasons why kids might have a hard time focusing are many; lack of sleep, lack of movement, a surge of emotions, mental health etc. They are all valid.

The infographic below is about achieving deep work and insane productivity in the moment. It is to be used during those home or classroom moments when your kids have a hard time getting going on a task or project. It is a system anyone can use to achieve laser focus and to get things done. And, I plan on putting it up and using it often with my high school students this year.

Check it out.

focus to achieve insane productivity and deep work infographic

The beautiful part about the 3 step focus strategy above is that it can be adopted for children of all ages and walks of life. If 25 minutes is too long, adjust the pomodoro to 10, 15, or 20 minute chunks. You might also have to model how to be specific or how to make an effective plan. Too many steps overwhelm. Keep it simple.

And, don't forget to use it yourself when you just can't seem to stop procrastinating.

Nah. Adults never do that!

You have the power to change the world. Use it often.

PS. These are the sorts of strategies I talk about in my Crush School Book Series. I just added 5 bundles (that's all I have on hand) of Crush School 1 and 2 in Paperback to my store for $20, which is 25% off the Amazon price. For the price of 2 burritos and a pop at Chipotle, you can grab them HERE, and if you do I will sign them for you as well. And don't forget to grab the Focus Infographic PDF HERE, so you can print and hang it up.

Hi!

I'm Oskar. I teach, write, speak, and rant to make the world better.

BOOKS & TOOLS

CONTACT ME

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categories / Teaching
tags / focus, deep work, productivity, teaching teens, parenting teens

Back To School: How To Overcome Anxiety And Make Week 1 Memorable

August 09, 2017  /  Oskar Cymerman

Back to school: overcoming teacher first day anxiety and jitters

I don't know about you, but I always experience anxiety right before and on the first day back to school. This is year 15 for me and I have to be honest: I always powered through and was back the next day. But what if there's a better way?

I recently listened to Angela Watson's Truth For Teachers Podcast Episode 100 on Overcoming the First Day Teacher Jitters and was gifted a new perspective; a new way of looking at the first day of school.

Screen Shot 2017-08-09 at 10.43.16 AM.png

This post is about my takeaways.

Overcoming Anxiety and Making Week 1 Memorable

First, embrace the what ifs and know that most of us have first day jitters. Then, act on those fears:

  1. Re-frame: Angela recommends to turn all the anxiety provoking what ifs into action steps. Instead of thinking: What if they don't like me?, ask yourself: How can I make week 1 memorable? Put your ideas down on paper.

  2. Visualize: Think through how your day would go if you were the best teacher ever; a beast at teaching not just the subject, but more importantly students. This is not grandiose; it's a way to connect with that hidden part of you that can and will crush day 1 of school this year.

  3. Make It About Them: We all know it's never about us. It's always about serving our students. Think about what the needs of your students. Consider ways you can positively impact their lives on day 1. Make a list of things you can use when the time comes.

  4. Believe: Believe in your students and their ability and desire to be their best selves. Expect it, rather than fearing what ifs. Believe in yourself as their guide. You're their teacher for a reason.

I loved how Angela normalized the the first day jitters and compared the anxiety to what many other professionals, such as speakers, experience before and when they have to present to a room full of adults. Turns out, teachers can use the same strategies to deal with anxiety in their classroom. I highly recommend listening to the entire episode here.

Re-frame and crush the first day of school. Do it in your head first. Then, kill it in the classroom.

This will be your best year ever. Believe it. See it. Make it happen.

You have the power to change lives. Use it often.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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