Monday, March 10, 2014

Look at me, I'm on the big screen!

I admit I am not a huge basketball fan but tonight I went to a Celtics game with my family and we had a wonderful time.  Sure, the Celtics don't have many wins this season; however we were happy to see a victory tonight.  It was the first time my sons, ages 14 and 10, attended an NBA game and for the most part they enjoyed the action and overall experience.   What struck me most interesting about the game was what happened every time play was interrupted by a time out, a foul, or the end of a quarter.  The camera scanned the crowd looking for fans to show on the big screen.  I am not sure who were funnier, the ones doing everything they could to get on, or the unsuspecting ones whose reactions played out for thousands to see in real time. Some danced and others looked away.  Most acted a little crazy (even me!) and some just smiled and waved.  It got me thinking about what happens when we put the spotlight on our students and their learning? How might they react?

How might students react when given the spotlight?What happens in your classroom and what it looked like on the big screen

Smile appreciatively 
(Shy wave)

Beg for the attention
(Hey cameraman, over here!)

Genuine surprise 
(Eyes popped open and hand over mouth)

Won’t even realize they are in the spotlight
(Just continuing to eat their nachos)

Bring out the best
(This young kid put on a dancing clinic, he was amazing!)

Bring out the worst
(Some big guy started to take off his shirt)

Become extremely uncomfortable
(Turning away and trying to get off the screen)

Get tired of being in the spotlight
(A nun was shown repeatedly, by about the fifth time during Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer, she just shooed the camera away)

Give the attention to someone else
(The two handed point to the person sitting right next to them)

Do whatever it takes to get even more attention
(These people just got louder and their actions more exaggerated)

No comments: