Code Names

Late one evening I came across a short video posted by George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) sharing a little about the code names given to Presidents and their families. According to the video, the names must be easy to pronounce and embody the character of the individual. Code names also extend to immediate family members and are alliterative.

While I was watching this video I thought it might make for a wonderful community building experience for classrooms. Many of our learners are not connected in traditional ways due to emergency lockdowns and they do not have the opportunity for the impromptu conversations that once allowed them to share with peers. In past years, students would informally share anecdotes about themselves while engaged in collaborative projects, eating snacks together, or playing at recess. Those moments are not readily available nowadays and educators must create these opportunities for students.

What would your code name be? Why?

I think these questions would challenge students in healthy ways to reflect on themselves, their hopes, and their dreams. I would ask students to share their thinking through writing, oral presentation, or symbolism. I would extend the activity by placing the code names on a bulletin board and Kahoot, encouraging student to think about their peers and try to match the code names with their classmates.

If I were to be given a code name to be used by the Secret Service it would be Campfire. I enjoy being outdoors and look forward to camping. Campfires bring comfort, encourage storytelling, and go hand in hand with s’mores. I would draw a campfire scene and the caption underneath would include my thinking. I shared this idea with my children and challenged them to come up with a word and since they are family they were constrained by alliteration. My 12 year old daughter chose Courage and my 10 year old son selected Kite.

Not only would this allow students to think about their character and what word could capture it but it would also springboard into conversation connected to the upcoming inauguration. The past year has been a roller coaster and students are struggling to make sense of what they have seen and heard. The inauguration is the start of something new and open discussion into how our government works and the values we hold as a country will be well received.

If you choose to explore this idea let me know how it goes.

Here are some Inauguration Day Resources: https://www.discoveryeducation.com/learn/inauguration/

Choices

The credit card bill arrived in the mail yesterday. Even though we budget for holiday gifts that first bill is still a shock.

Reviewing the charges reminded me of all the purchases I had made and the excitement of finding just the right gift. Once I finally landed on an idea for someone it was time to go out and find it. At times, getting the gift was easy. What I wanted was right where it needed to be. At other times it was a challenge because I was overwhelmed by choice. Did I really need to look through an entire wall of cooking oils? I was amazed and appreciative by the selection but the number of possibilities kept me from making a confident decision.

One of the aspects of my teaching that I value is providing opportunities for students to choose their own adventure. The learners in my room have choice. However, giving students choice does not mean opening the floodgates to everything under the sun. First, students need to practice making good choices with their work. Collaborative brainstorms help us highlight the possibilities. We then model and hold individual conversations to help students consider their intentions. We also provide time for students to set reasonable goals and reflect on their choices so they can see how their decisions impacted their work. Once students have had plenty of practice more choices can be given but it still should be limited. Overwhelming students with too many options may become a deterrent and increase anxiety.