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#DigitalConscience

4/30/2017

My mum and I make a good team. We present at conferences on lots of things, but recently we have started presenting about the idea of REAL and FAKE on social media. I know there are lots and lots of ideas about real and fake out there right now – many “famous” social media people are making Padlet after Padlet with resources for teachers.

But, we’ve been thinking about it in a different way.

Real and fake to us is about how people behave on social media (see my previous blog posts: #HeartFamily; #DubLit17; and #BlockandBloom). I’ve noticed there are more and more kids like me on social media, and especially on Twitter. The rule for Twitter is that you have to be 13 years old in order to have an account. Since I am not anywhere near 13 years old, my mom monitors my account. MONITOR is the key word.

My account is MY thinking, messages, and hopes for the world. I do my own tweets and hashtags. I make my own LivBits, and I decide when I am going to share them. If I want to use a swagged up picture, I make it. If I see something inspiring, I retweet it. If I have someone come after me and call me a “squeaky little <<BLEEP>>> n-word,” I know I can block and report them. Still, I am so grateful when I call on my #digitaltribe to help me, and they respond quickly with support.

That was the deal from the beginning for me to be on Twitter. I BEGGED my mom to let me have an account last July after people at the #ISTE conference in Denver, CO where I presented, kept asking for my handle. I knew that if I was on Twitter, I could share my message with an even bigger audience. I also knew I had to learn how to navigate such a “grown up” space.

What I’ve learned is many grown ups haven’t figured out much about their own digital identity, sometimes even if they present at conferences on it. I can tell by how they behave. I’ve also noticed that lots of the kids on Twitter are REALLY grown ups USING their kid’s account to get attention for themselves or a big idea they have.

I don’t necessarily think this is a bad idea IF people know that it is really a grown up doing the work. But, I am totally confused when other adults share the kid’s work AS IF it is REALLY a kid. This is where I wonder why more people aren’t thinking about REAL and FAKE in this way.

My mom explains it with the research. She says that most people on social media don't care because the research says we react to how something makes us FEEL rather than if it is TRUE. So, if a cute kid account is promoting something, then people are more likely to retweet it, and promote it, EVEN if it is NOT really a kid saying the message.

See why it’s confusing to a kid who is trying to REALLY figure things out on social media? If it’s not a REALLY A KID SAYING IT, you should make that clear.
People don’t because it CHANGES the message. People would rather believe that a REAL kid is saying it; otherwise, you’d have to admit that it’s more FAKE than TRUE.

How can you tell when it's a grown up and not really a kid? Lots of ways, but here are a few: when the words don't match how the kid speaks in real life or on videos; when posts pop up throughout the day and the kid goes to school; when the kid uses words but doesn't know what they mean; when retweets never show different "sides" of the kid. Those are just a few things, but the bottom line is that your posts define who you are, and most kids define themselves in loads of ways.

Lots of grown ups complain about how our President uses the words REAL and FAKE all the time. But, sometimes those are some of the same grown ups I see who are sharing FAKE kids on social media.

A few months ago, one of my followers called me her “digital conscience.” At first, I was unsure what that meant. Then, I began thinking about it more deeply and talking to her about it. I shared with her about my confusion around adults using fake kids in their work. She didn’t have any answers for me, but encouraged me to keep sharing my message because I am REAL.

So, consider this blog post a bit of your DIGITAL CONSCIENCE. If you share FAKE things, it makes you fake too. You can say that the message is powerful, but you should ALSO say it’s from a grown up USING a kid to promote it. If you don’t, you are part of the problem, not the solution.

Fake in our world is promoted by a lack of understanding, awareness and responsibility. I am realizing that ALL of these things take time, and most people don’t want to take the time to consider if a message is REALLY from a kid. I think this comes across as grown up code for “I don’t really care about the truth.”

Sometimes, I understand my digital identity more deeply than some adults do.

Thank you to #mypeople who always encourage me, take time to read my work, answer my millions of questions, and just believe in being REAL models of digital citizenship. I’m lucky you understand real and help me add to my understanding, too.

Keep reading, keep thinking, and, thank you for following LivBits.

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#ExceedingExpectations

4/10/2017

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Have you ever wondered how you really know your students are learning? I am sure most teachers wouldn’t say from a standardized test.

In the next few weeks, like LOTS of other kids in the United States, I will be spending LOTS of time taking standardized tests. In NH, I get to take an “extra” science test along with the Smarter Balanced tests. If you also count the assessments we take at the end of the year in 4th grade, there isn’t a lot of time left for just learning about things we love or ending our year with lots of joy.

Last week I made a LivBit that was a review of the messages I’ve shared in my videos over the last year. It was special because I got to look back at almost 80 LivBits and decide what I wanted to include AND what I thought my audience might want to hear again. I considered the Bits that got the most comments or re-tweets, along with the ones that made my own #heartbeep. It was a ton of work, but it didn’t really feel like work at all. The project showed me how much I’ve grown as a learner and thinker, and inspired me to keep reading and thinking!

I know there isn’t a way to grade the kind of work I did in that project, but if there was, I think I would be #ExceedingExpectations. It’s sort of sad to think that instead of doing projects that have MEANING to me, I’m stuck doing tests that define me by a number.

Want to know me better as a learner? Talk to me; watch one or two of my LivBits; read my blog; watch me create a world in MineCraft; give me some paper and watch the comics I like to draw; ask me about how I challenge myself in math; start a conversation with me about sharks (I dare you); listen to my endless questions about life (OK, maybe you don’t want to do that). You get the idea.

Learning isn’t measured in a test; it’s measured in a life. You have to spend time getting to know kids in order to know how to really teach them. The best kinds of learners are the kind who dream BIG and share their thinking with the world. The best kind of teachers are the ones who stand back, watch, cheer, and make that kind of learning happen for ALL kids.

Thank you to all the teachers I've had who get me, support me, and encourage me. I am so lucky I have teachers all over the world. My biggest wish is that ALL kids could have that too!

Keep reading, keep thinking, and, thank you for following LivBits.

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#IWantToBeYOU

4/2/2017

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I have a super strength and it’s the power of words. They are my gift to the world. I created LivBits to share my story, and I hope that every Bit means something to someone. I know that sounds like a super BIG idea, but it’s true, I hope my words matter.

In the last few weeks, I’ve had lots of experiences where words have made my #heartbeep. One of the most powerful experiences was my visit to Conway Elementary School in Conway, NH. I got to talk to ALL the students about the power of sharing your story with the world. It was an incredible day, but some of the words the kids shared with me were so thoughtful and special, they are now part of MY story.

My talk was a part of their Cougar Pride Family time. Every single student has someone on staff leading their family and kids are in multi-age groups to bond and work together. This year, they have special shirts that say: “Ask me about my super strengths!” It was so amazing to look out at the audience and see the staff and students in a sea of maroon colored shirts sharing this message.

I am not going to lie, I ALWAYS get a little nervous when I am speaking to older kids, and especially middle schoolers. It’s mostly because I wonder if they will take me seriously. I'm not that cool and I talk A LOT. I know that can annoy people. Still, I like to think my energy is contagious and when kids are around me, they know I am FOR them!

Actually, I often have so much energy in my body; I sometimes do front walkovers to get it out! Since there wasn’t enough space in one of the 6th grade rooms for me to do a walkover, I might have dropped down into a split because of my nervous excitement! Even I still can’t believe I did that! Hehehehe!

As I was visiting the 6th grade, one of the girls turned to her teacher and said, “Liv’s smile is bigger than my future.” At first, I thought maybe I misheard her. When I left the room, I asked my mum if those were her words. We talked about how kids teaching kids can really inspire, and how just a simple smile can change a person’s day. But, deeper than that, my mum explained how when someone says something like that, they admire you in a super special way.

Then, I got several notes from 3rd graders. One said: “The world is a better place and my hero is Liv...all I have to say is be an inspiration like Liv and keep reading books that you really love!” Another said, “You are really good at teaching kids and inspiring us!” Someone else said, “I want to be you!”

What an incredible gift these kids gave me in Conway! I was supposed to be there giving to them, but really they gave so much to me. The words they used to describe, compliment, and connect with me are so powerful for my heart. They make me believe even more deeply that #kidsCANteachus.

So, I challenge teachers, schools, authors, and parents: how have you created opportunities for kids to teach one another? Are the opportunities real and meaningful? Lots of times, schools think that when kids have time to talk or work in small groups, that’s enough. But, I am talking about deeper ways to be connected and using social media platforms to share with kids all over the world! The support you can get from people in the digital world can help you feel more confident in your everyday world.

I know kids can #ChangetheWorld when they are given the chance. But, first, they should know they can change each other; just like the kids in Conway changed me. They taught me that my work matters; people are listening; and, people are learning from me, too. Their encouragement helped grow my confidence.

Conway Elementary School have lots of super strengths: the power of a community that encourages and believes in one another; the power of kids who know how to see the good in others; and the power an entire staff believing in kid voice.

Thank you Conway Elementary School for being such a beautiful part of my LivBit story and for sharing your super strengths with me! Truth is, I want to be YOU!

Keep reading, keep thinking, and, thank you for following LivBits.

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