This document summarizes a webinar about using simple rules to foster change in classrooms. The webinar focuses on a project where an English teacher used circuits and electricity to teach The Great Gatsby in a nontraditional way. Students created circuit artwork to illuminate themes and truths from the novel. The teacher found that this remix approach helped students make real connections between literature and their own lives while learning about circuits in a meaningful way. The webinar advocates for applying simple rules like "focus on the true and useful" to spark creativity, motivation, and adaptive learning.

1. WELCOME!
WEBINAR SERIES:
SIMPLE RULES FOR CHANGE MAKERS
Focus on the True & Useful: Gatsby & Electrical Circuits in English Class
Molly Adams
A. MaceoSmith New Tech High School in Dallas, TX
A New Tech Network School

2. CHANGE MAKERS!
WE ARE EXPLORING A SHORT SET OF SIMPLE RULES TO SET CONDITIONS FOR GENERATIVE CHANGES IN CLASSROOMS, CAMPUSES, AND DISTRICTS.
AGENDA:
7:00 Welcome/Leslie
Power of Simple Rules in a
Complex System
Focusing on the True and Useful
7:10ishWhat? / Molly
The project, the work
7:35ishSo What? / Questions
Molly’s Reflections and Q&A
Responses to Questions
7:45ishNow What? / Questions
Molly’s Next Steps and Q&A
7:55ishClosure/Aha’s

3. © 2014. HUMAN SYSTEMS DYNAMICS INSTITUTE. USE WITH PERMISSION.
In HSDwe try to encourage “generative learning.” “Generative learning” is the capacity to adapt appropriately to changing realities. We try to see, understand, and influence patterns of generative learning in schools and beyond.

4. ADAPTIVE ACTION
So What?
Now What?
What?

5. WHY WE NEED SIMPLE RULES IN COMPLEX SYSTEMS
Dysfunctional Patterns
•Fragmentation
•Confusion
•Isolation
•Conflict
Simple Rules
•Shared agreements about how we work together.
Generative Patterns
•Coherence
•Collaboration
•Adaptive Capacity

6. SIMPLE (YET RADICAL) RULES
•SEARCH FOR THE TRUE AND THE USEFUL.
•TEACH AND LEARN IN EVERY INTERACTION.
•ATTEND TO THE WHOLE, PART, AND GREATER WHOLE.
•SEE, UNDERSTAND, AND INFLUENCE PATTERNS.
•RECOGNIZE AND BUILD ON ASSETS.
•ENGAGE IN JOYFUL PRACTICE.
•ACT WITH COURAGE.

8. SIMPLE RULE: FOCUSING ON THE TRUE AND USEFUL
What?
So what?
Now what?

9. CONNECTED EDUCATORS
•We are connected educators!
•#CE14
•Online, social media, blogging, PLC/Ns!
•We are also Educator Innovators!
•#connectedlearning, #clmooc
•Maker Movement
•@writingproject
•NWP: connecting academics to interests, learners to mentors/peers, educational goals to higher order thinking skills and real-world ideas/ work
Photo taken from ConnectedEducators.org

10. IT STARTED WITH A PD SESSION AT NCTE & NWP ANNUAL MEETING, NOVEMBER 2013….
1.Concept of remix
2.“Hacking the Notebook”
3.Using paper/flat circuits to “highlight” ideas

11. 21STCENTURY NOTEBOOKINGCOMMUNITY
•JieQi, MIT Media Lab
•LED Circuit Stickers
•Chibitronics: http://chibitronics.com/
•Her work: https://www.youtube.com/user/qijies
•http://simonetti.media.mit.edu/~jieqi/
•Paul Oh, NWP Senior Program Assoc.
•His work: http://dcomposing.com/, http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/nwp_au/1102
•“Make. Write. Remix. Share.” –Edutopia
•David Cole, CV2 Founder, Pearson Foundation Consultant
•http://www.cv2.co/about/
•Jen Dick, formerly of Nexmap, now at National Academy Foundation
•http://www.jennifer-dick.com/

12. REMIXING A PROJECT… AND A NOVEL
•The Great Gatsby
•Light symbolism
•Dark conflict/ characters
•Usual methods of teaching
•Yes, an analysis
•Making it PBL
•Let there be… light?
•Let’s illuminate what we think is important
•Mentor texts changed: Tesla/Edison, direct/alternating current, types of illumination
•Reasons we illuminate anything

13. HOW TO “ILLUMINATE” GATSBY?
What thinking or skill do I want to “illuminate” with
the circuitry activities and work?

14. ILLUMINATING OUR THINKING
•Remix materials
•Remix workshops
•Remix prior knowledge acquisition
•Goal: to learn about electricity in a nontraditional way, so we can use circuitry in a nontraditional way, so we can learn about the power of literature and writing… in a nontraditional way
REMIX: making new meaning out of existing learning; not about curriculum; about experience

15. THE REMIX APPROACH
MATERIALS
WORKSHOPS
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

16. THE REMIX APPROACH
PRODUCTS
COLLABORATIVE WORK
ACTUAL TASKS

17. OUR WORK

18. MIXING WITH THE TRUE AND USEFUL? TESLA AND EDISON.

19. THE PROJECT: ILLUMINATE A TRUTH OR CONFLICT FROM GATSBYUSING ACTUAL LIGHT.

20. THE PROJECT: ILLUMINATE A TRUTH OR CONFLICT FROM GATSBYUSING ACTUAL LIGHT.

21. THE PROJECT: ILLUMINATE A TRUTH OR CONFLICT FROM GATSBYUSING ACTUAL LIGHT.

22. CRITICAL THINKING. LITERARY ELEMENTS. AUTHOR’S TECHNIQUES. LIFE TRUTHS. REAL, AUTHENTIC LEARNING. AND MAKING.

23. SIR KEN ROBINSON, ON CREATIVITY
“AND THE THIRD PART OF THIS IS THATWE'VE ALL AGREED, NONETHELESS, ON THEREALLY EXTRAORDINARY CAPACITIES THAT CHILDREN HAVE --THEIR CAPACITIES FOR INNOVATION…. WHAT YOU HAVE THERE IS A PERSON OF EXTRAORDINARY DEDICATIONWHO FOUND A TALENT. AND MY CONTENTION IS,ALL KIDS HAVE TREMENDOUS TALENTS.AND WE SQUANDER THEM, PRETTY RUTHLESSLY.SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT EDUCATION ANDI WANT TO TALK ABOUT CREATIVITY. MY CONTENTION IS THATCREATIVITY NOW IS AS IMPORTANT IN EDUCATION AS LITERACY,AND WE SHOULD TREAT IT WITH THE SAME STATUS.”

24. “
”
WE ARE CONNECTING THEORY TO PRACTICE IN AN AUTHENTIC, CREATIVE WAY.

26. THEIR INNOVATION SURPASSED MY IMAGINATION. THE LEARNING WAS MEANINGFUL, LASTING, AND COMPLEX.
“A truth about life I would illuminate would be the fact that trust is fragile and loyalty is a blessing.”
“Wealth blocks Gatsby’s view of his true emotions, tricking him into thinking he’s happy.”
“It’s not that bad things happen to good people…it’s that bad things happen in general. Lives begin and suddenly end. What we want to do with our lives, our plans, mean nothing to other people as we continue to try to reach a higher level of success.”

27. THEIR WORDS.
“I learned through this project that I knew more about circuits than I thought. I was able to reteach the subject of circuits to a whole table group. I was proud of myself.”
“I learned more about currents/electricity in this class than in any science class. I think it was the different approach.”
“A lot of us had the same theme but expressed it in such different ways.”
“I liked that it really made me think bigger than the classroom and that what I learned is A) cool and B) actually applicable. I feel like we get too wrapped up in one subject at school and don’t take time to integrate others, so this was a nice change.”
“I learned how to make a simple circuit. I learned craft vocabulary like ‘apoxy.’ I learned time management, the importance of planning ahead, and following through with those plans. I also learned the importance of understanding metaphors, similes, and symbolism because it can make a difference in the ‘truth’ you see.”

30. “
”
BODIES BEGIN MOVING IN UNISON WHEN WE START FOLLOWING SIMPLE RULES
DR. LESLIE PATTERSON AND HSD
WHY CAN’T THIS APPLY TO CREATIVITY, MOTIVATION, THE LEARNING OR WRITING PROCESS, AND STUDENT CHOICES?

31. RESOURCES
•SIMPLE RULES IN COMPLEX SYSTEMS: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=25BYDK70-VG
•HTTP://WWW.HSDINSTITUTE.ORG
•HTTP://WWW.ADAPTIVEACTION.ORG
•HTTP://WWW.HSDINEDUCATION.WORDPRESS.COM
•HTTP://WIKI.HSDINSTITUTE.ORG/
•EOYANG, G. & HOLLADAY, R. (2013). ADAPTIVE ACTION: LEVERAGING UNCERTAINTY IN YOUR ORGANIZATION. CALIFORNIA. STANFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS.
•PATTERSON, L., HOLLADAY, R., AND EOYANG, G. (2013). RADICAL RULES FOR SCHOOLS: ADAPTIVE ACTION FOR COMPLEX CHANGE. CIRCLE PINES, MN: HUMAN SYSTEMS DYNAMICS INSTITUTE.
•PAUL OH’S“MAKE. WRITE. REMIX. SHARE.”BLOG ON EDUTOPIA
•TCTELAWINTER 2013 NEWSLETTER, TEXAS VOICES, P. 19 –“WHAT THE HECK IS A HACKJAM?”
•JIEQI’S SITES: HTTP://SIMONETTI.MEDIA.MIT.EDU/~JIEQI/AND HTTP://TECHNOLOJIE.COM/
•PHOTOS EITHER COURTESY OF MOLLY ADAMSOR FOTER.COM/PUBLIC DOMAIN.
•HTTP://EDUCATORINNOVATOR.ORG/AND HTTP://CONNECTEDEDUCATORS.ORG/
•CIRCUITRY HELP? CHECK OUT THESE BOOKS! GETTING STARTED IN ELECTRONICSAND MAKE: ELECTRONICS
•MENTAL FLOSS ARTICLE ABOUT TESLA AND EDISON
•21STCENTURY NOTEBOOKING: NEXMAPRESOURCES, GOOGLE+ COMMUNITY, CHAD SANSING’SHACK YOUR NOTEBOOK KIT, JIEQI’S PROTOTYPE AND INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS

32. THANKS!
Mary Nations, Webinar Producer
Royce Holladay, Human Systems Dynamics Institute
rhalladay@hsdinstitute.org
@rjholladay
Leslie Patterson, Human Systems Dynamics Institute
Site Director for NWP’s North Star of Texas Writing Project
Leslie.Patterson@unt.edu
@lesliepatterson
Molly Adams, A. MaceoSmith New Tech High School
Dallas ISD
North Star of Texas Writing Project Teacher Consultant
fridayswithfrogs@gmail.com
@finchgirl10
Don’t forget to tweet about our session!
#CE14
@writingproject
Join us for upcoming HSD webinars! http://hsdineducation.wordpress.com/webinar-series/