On Writing: Recapturing the Tone and Energy of an Older Piece

Posted on July 11, 2012 by chrisryanwrites

“Writers write.”

“Writers should write every day.”

“When you finish one project, start another.”

These are pearls of wisdom writers hear or read all the time. And, such as they are, they make sense. But what does a writer do when life gets in the way? What happens when a piece gets interrupted, for example, while the writer is launching some other project? This slams a writer into a problem area: losing the thread or feel or energy of a piece. Common wisdom suggests it is difficult for a writer to recapture that story’s energy once s/he moves away from it, especially if the first draft is not complete.

I offer a suggestion to help writers reunite with their story.

When I finished the final rewrites of my debut novel, City of Woe, I begged my wife to do one more reread to catch any lingering problems. While the goddess of my life was doing that, I kept writing by starting a new, very different project, a YA novel, Perfect. I had a detailed outline (I believe in outlines as a writer’s safety net), and launched into the first draft, immersing myself in the significantly different tone of the work and the voices of the two main characters. Eighty-eight pages in, things were cooking, I was making steady progress, all was good in my little writing world.

Then City of Woe was ready for launch, and, as a novice independent publisher, most of my time was taken with the process of production, the steep learning curve, and correcting my many mistakes (all of which will be the subject of future bogs). The brakes were thrown on Perfect and progress ground to a wrenching halt. This is a major no-no, according to the Writing Powers That Be; we must complete a first draft, we must write, write until a work is completed, never get out of that moving vehicle of a project, never wander away from our friends (the story and characters) while in the haunted house, or psycho killer-infested woods, etc.

I agree with all of the above, and caution that finishing a first draft is key to living in a perfect world. But life isn’t perfect. Sometimes, quit happens.

When I finally got back to Perfect, months had passed, and I found myself outside the tone and feel of the book, looking in. The old warnings about lost energy and difficulty rediscovering tone loomed. Would I be able to pick up the thread, the feel, the energy of the piece and continue?

Here’s how I approached the problem: I resolved not to write, not to do very much at all. I was just there for a visit, just going to stop by and see how everybody’s doing. And I did. I sat at my desk, opened to page one, and began to read. That’s all. I just read, not writing at all. And i read Out Loud. This helped me focus on reading, let me hear the tone of the piece, allowed me to listen to the voice of the characters. How couldIi write when I was doing all that?

It didn’t last.

The needs of the narrative (a rephrase here, an added description there) insinuated themselves by page three, and by four pages in, I was completely into the story again, locked in with the narrative voice, and moving forward.

I was back inside the project.

Trust yourself, your writing, and your characters, and you will recapture your project’s energy.

Now, get to work.

Christopher Ryan is author of City of Woe, available on Kindle and Nook, and in print. For more info, click here.

 

 

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How Much Sleep is Bad Parenting?

Posted on July 10, 2012 by chrisryanwrites

Somehow, I’m in a band. Haven’t played bass in over 20 years, but here it is. All originals. Amusing lyrics. Loose rock’n’roll, though that term sounds so dated. And yesterday we recorded seven songs in two hours, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. We recorded fast, loose, and fun. We came back to my place to burn copies and listen to the play back; rock stars indulging in depraved combo drinks of lemonade iced teas.

And our playback woke up one of my sons. At 1:45 p.m. That’s right, 1:45 in the afternoon, and this guy was still sleeping. The “rock stars for the day” found it hilarious that this 16-year-old out rock starred us from the get go. He had slept through a good chunk of the day, enough of it for a collection of adults ranging in age from 27 to 50 to record seven songs for dubious posterity, and arguably would have kept sleeping if it hadn’t been for us blasting our three chord party favors. The band were thoroughly amused at my son’s expense.

And amidst the band teasing my son’s lifestyle, I found myself wrestling with whether I had failed as a father. My mother had been one of those parents who believed it a mortal sin to sleep past 9 a.m. My wife’s parents believed the same, like most of that generation. We both rebelled against that, not wanting to be “those parents” … But 1:45? Really? Have we let it go too far?

We decided to let the kids sleep until they woke up years ago, but is it possible to abuse that privilege? Seeing my son mocked by momentary rock stars drove home the point that sometimes too much is just too damn much.

Doctors and scientists say teens need more sleep. Okay, great. But when the teen isn’t even trying to sleep until 1 a.m. or later, is that really getting more sleep? And yes, the X-Box generation hangs out together via headphones and virtual video game rooms, but what is happening in those rooms at 1 a.m. that is so vital to positive personal growth? Does staying up that late really provide such vital street cred? And what does it say about a teen’s self-perception if that is how he defines himself?

An argument can be made that parents should be helping to build each of their children into solid citizens. I do not believe in the 9 a.m. wake ups and bed making and hospital corners required by my parents, but neither do I support a decadent lifestyle. My sons are good people; they don’t drink, don’t smoke or do drugs, they help around the house when coerced, and are generally respectful individuals. They are solid citizens. So when do these vampire hours become an issue?

To his credit, my son read the situation and reacted, asking my wife to make sure he doesn’t sleep that late any more. Whether or not he should be relying on Mom for this as he enters senior year of high school is another issue, but for now, I’ll take any step in the right direction as progress. His progress.

But how about mine as a parent?

Christopher Ryan is author of City of Woe, available on Kindle and Nook, and in print. For more info, click here.

 

 

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NY Times film critics vs. the super-heroes!

Posted on July 3, 2012 by chrisryanwrites

New York Times film critics Manohla Dargis and A. O. Scott tag-teamed summer super-hero movies as the lead story in the paper’s July 1st Sunday Arts and Leisure section, ripping into the genre with accusations of corporate manipulation, sexism, and racism that just do not apply, especially in the hands of gifted artists like Joss Whedon, director of Marvel’s The Avengers.

Okay, clearly the film companies want to maximize profit; no news here. But this goal is not the sole domain of super-hero movies, so why the fuss? The critics seem to suggest that Marvel’s The Avengers is suspect because it is so wildly successful and that its success is attributable mainly to an extensive promotion campaign. These critics seems to suggest that the audience for this film lurched into theaters like the walking dead, lobotomized by trailers and ad campaigns, unable to think for themselves. They seem to ignore the possibility that we actually raced to the multiplex because we’ve been aware of these characters for approximately 50 years. Many of us grew up liking these characters, wanting to see them portrayed successfully onscreen. The simple truth is we want to see such films succeed because we love the characters, and each purchased ticket cheers them on.

Why do we love these characters? What is the appeal of  The Avengers? Older fans who read the comics fulfilled lifelong desires to see their favorite comic book characters together onscreen. Younger fans did too, but perhaps as much from cartoons as from comics. And the critics do have a point, these movies are marketed relentlessly, especially by Marvel, which essentially built towards The Avengers with movies featuring the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America. However, we cheered this build, we didn’t succumb to it. We loved the use of Marvel’s old comic marketing trick of teasing the next issue with something in the one we were reading, and we thrilled to their intermingling of characters from one film to the next. One of the great things about reading Marvel comics as a kid was the cross references, the call backs, the “insider” knowledge faithful readers enjoyed from issue to issue. Now Marvel is daring to do that in their films, and audiences love it so much Marvel has us staying through the credits. When was the last movie audiences did that for? We didn’t even do it for The Lord of The Rings. Now audiences wait … and cheer! The teaser at the end of Iron Man II when Thor’s hammer is revealed, received huge applause. The mid-credit reveal at the end of The Avengers  introducing the galactic terrorist Thanos inspired audible gasps, then wild cheers. Why? Not because we have been brainwashed by marketing, but because we know these characters, understand the relevance of the reveals, and want to experience their stories. We are inside the world, invested in the characters, pre-marketed for decades before the first trailer was aired.

The critics also recycle the venerable complaints about sexism and racism, and they seem to miss the mark on both. Suggesting that Scarlet Johanson’s main super-power is her shapely rump, generously displayed in the film, is to miss both the Black Widow’s feminist power and Johanson’s insightful performance. The Black Widow is so beyond feminism in these films she all but makes that point moot. Throughout her appearances, this character trades on sexist cliches to position herself to do her job as one of the world’s most effective espionage weapons. Whether posing as an executive secretary in Iron Man II or as a defenseless victim being interrogated in The Avengers, or as a seductive emissary approaching The Hulk’s alter-ego, or as seemingly falling victim to Loki’s assumed mental superiority in the same movie, she is a chameleon who allows men’s own sexism to lead them into her web. And then the real Widow emerges, capable, powerful, resourceful, confidently turning the tables on each male, owning the moment again and again. That’s pure Joss Whedon, one of our better champions of female empowerment. And let’s discuss her super powers in The Avengers. She and Hawkeye are the only non-enhanced characters, and they stand shoulder to shoulder with the most powerful beings around. Johanson’s performance particularly shows her character’s courage, bravery, and absolute ability to hang with the super-powered beings. Feminist? She’s post-feminist.

As a post-feminist character, Natasha Romanov/the Black Widow is never treated as anything less than a key member of the team. She is shown tiring (along with Captain  America, Iron Man, and even Thor, which puts her in damn impressive company), she is a key grounding element of the film. Each of these moments brings us closer to experiencing the story; they let us in just a little further, especially Cap and Widow. We might not be able to afford Stark’s armor, or be a god, but we want to be pure of heart like Cap, or determined and able like Widow.

Natasha Romanov is also not alone in her capacity to handle a deadly situation in the Marvel universe; it is the extremely capable Pepper Potts who takes command of the chaos during the climax of Iron Man II while the boys blast away like, well, cliche boys. Does she look good doing it? Yes, but that’s not her main role. Also in The Avengers, we see Maria Hill, second in command of the SHIELD helicarrier, as a smart leader and lethal combatant. Does she look good doing these things? Again, yep, but that is never the main focus. All these women leave the damsel in distress image for lesser mortals; they’ve got work to do. Lastly, yes, we do see a few views of shapely feminine butts, but no more that we see beefcake on display. Male bodies ripple throughout the Marvel film universe. I would suggest the critics sit down for a repeat viewing of these films and see how often the men are displayed as sex objects. How about a certain shirtless Asgardian openly discussed in lusty terms by Kat Dennings in Thor? Or Agent Carter copping a feel off the (again) shirtless Steve Rogers, the newly minted Super Soldier, in Captain America, the First Avenger? Viewed in context, Marvel does seem admirably post-feminist.

Finally, a word about racism in the Marvel films. Actually two words, and an initial: Samuel L. Jackson. Throughout the Marvel films, Jackson has portrayed Nick Fury, commander of SHIELD, clearly the most powerful military agency on the planet. On. The. Planet. And Marvel didn’t cast Jackson because the character was African-American. Nick Fury was white in the comics until characters were recast with an eye (pardon the pun) toward attracting Hollywood with the Ultimates line of Marvel comics. And when that recasting was happening, the Marvel elite were looking to align characters with A-list stars who could play them. Jackson fit Fury perfectly, not due to race, or race-based marketing, but because as an actor (not a minority actor, or an African-American actor, an actor) he carried the weight and attitude Nick Fury needed. That is post-racial thinking. Best actor for the role, period. And the argument can’t even be made that he is limited to a reduced role; Fury is one of the elements that links the films together. He’s omnipresent, a force of immense resources, insight, knowledge, and understanding. He is the ultimate player here, and is not saddled with an apologist white hat. Quite the contrary, Nick Fury is one of the most morally complex characters in the Marvel universe, and Marvel asked Jackson to perform that complicated role because his abilities as an actor gave them the best chance to present Nick Fury in all his complex glory. That is beautifully post-racial.

Sadly, it seems the critics brought their own agendas and pre-existing prejudices to the discussion. They are better than this, and hopefully will be able to rise above their self-imposed limitations regarding this genre of films in the future. The audience has clearly already made up their minds regarding these issues, and certainly seem ready to do it again this week with The Amazing Spider-Man and shortly after with The Dark Knight Rises. Let’s hope the quality continues.

Christopher Ryan is author of City of Woe, available on Kindle and Nook, and in print. For more info, click here.

 

 

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Joe Paterno from a distance

Posted on January 22, 2012 by chrisryanwrites

Joe Paterno died today. The official cause is cancer, but even from the significant distance of someone who never set foot on the Penn State campus, never played college football, high school football, or anything but street ball (pretty badly, too, I have to admit), it seems likely that a broken heart might have been at least a symptom.

And I would have respectfully kept my mouth shut, except a part of the population is cursing the man even in death. Yes, I know about Sandusky, and the victimized children, and my heart goes out to those victims deeply. And it is impossible to separate the heinous crimes from the death of an iconic coach. And those horrors do cast an ominous shadow across Paterno’s career. I understand that and accept it as right and true.

But I heard something else that forces me to withhold judgment, something I believe worth sharing. I hope I am allowed to do so.

Today, one of Paterno’s legions of former players was on WFAN eulogizing the man (I wish I had caught the man’s name, my apologies). He spoke of Paterno remaining at Penn State for 61 years, from the 1950’s, despite many offers. About him staying on that campus, protected in its seclusion. About how even the furniture in his home looked like it came from the 1950’s. And then he discussed a quirk of Paterno’s, reporting a naïveté, an innocence about things outside of football. He said this was something Paterno retained throughout the years, as if he was disconnected to anything besides football.

This is not absurd to believe. As a teacher and former journalist, I’ve observed sports programs and the fanatical focus it breeds. That does not absolve anyone from anything, does not wash away the tears, does not forgive the sins. It merely suggests Joe Paterno may not have been engineering a cover up; he may have been what so many of us are, a limited man distracted by his passions.

I am in no way suggesting anyone should anoint anyone a saint. I am merely saying this interview made me think, and may be worth considering in wake of this man’s death.

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Humbling Humiliation: The Path to Parental Wisdom

Posted on January 22, 2012 by chrisryanwrites

A work friend recently posted a Facebook freak out regarding parenting. She claimed to have no parental instincts, zero parenting skills. Of course, her friends and family swooped in with support, compliments, and encouragement, but very few seemed to address her issue. She was upset because she wasn’t measuring up to whatever concept she had of perfect parenting, seemed humiliated by her performance in real life, and stunned by how much she didn’t know.

To me, that is parenting. The constant reviewing of “am I doing enough” and “will my child be okay” and “why didn’t I know that or notice this, or see this other thing coming” are what I think of as the true signs of a parent.

If we are honest, we have all seen other forms of parenting. The parenting as a resume builder (“I do all this and I am a parent too”). That is ego, not parenting. Or the status symbol parent who has a need for the child to hit growth and development milestones early and often. That’s competition, not parenting. Or dressing the kid up in the latest fashions. That’s Barbie Dolling, not parenting. Or the independent who does the opposite of what his/ her parents did. That’s revenge, not parenting. And all of that is about the adult, not the child.

Parenting to me is shooting straight up in bed at 2 a.m. Sure something is wrong, and sneaking into the child’s room six months or 16 years old, just to be absolutely sure s/he is breathing and everything is all right.

Parenting to me is reviewing the conversation held with your child because of a nagging feeling that you should have said more.

Parenting to me isn’t the cutest outfits, it’s washing the sick off the outfit he was wearing when that hotdog disagreed with him, or rushing home to get the grass stains out of the baseball pants because he’s got another game tomorrow, or sweeping glitter off the dining room floor for a week, or listening to the “logical explanation of why there is suddenly a hole in the wall without screaming, and then countering the kid’s fragile story with an action plan that is firm and fair.

And doing it all over again the next day.

And the next.

Parenting is never knowing what’s coming with the next sunrise, being repeatedly challenged to deal with the difficult, the absurd, the heartbreaking and the hilarious, and always knowing, in your heart of hearts, that you aren’t really prepared for any of it.

So when my friend fretted about parental failure, to me, that was her great victory. Yes, parenting can be glorious and humiliating, exhilarating and exhausting, hopeful and humbling. The secret is noticing. Caring enough to question ourselves is the only true path to parenting wisdom, and the best way for us to grow.

I only know this because I wasn’t a great parent. I was loud and demanding and angry. It took me years of effort and a very strong wife to improve. I still struggle to get better every day. And I am okay with that. What bothers me is the parents who skate along ignoring the work they clearly need to do, and the damage that does to their kids. So when I see my friend voicing what boils down to a desire to be a better parent, I don’t feel the need to swoop in with reassuring words, or pats on the back. What I really want to do is stand, clap, and call out, “Bravo.”

Christopher Ryan is author of City of Woe, available on Kindle and Nook, and in print. For more info, click here.

 

 

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Mayans Didn’t Doom Us

Posted on January 1, 2012 by chrisryanwrites

I was chasing Away the fuzz of last night’s New Year’s Eve revelry with my preferred dose of caffeine this morning while checking Facebook, and I found myself “liking” twenty, then thirty, then forty positive wishes and optimistic musings share to mark the start of 2012.

If we stop to consider for a moment, we are in an amazing time. We nonchalantly carry super computers in our pockets or purses. We routinely share our thoughts instantly across the world via text, and Facebook, and so many other methods. We are truly closer to being One than ever before. That is something.

And yet 2012 is being spun as yet another End Times. What do we see? Doom watches. End of The World T-shirts. Mayan merchandising. Yep, we’re embracing the end, counting away to Armageddon, rolling toward The Rapture.

And we’re looking at it all wrong.

The end of the Mayan calendar should not be seen as a prophecy of extinction. That is not what the Mayans suggested at all. The Mayans said the end of this calendar marked the beginning of the next 394-year “baktun” or cycle, according to numerous scholarly sources. But renewal, rebirth, reawakening apparently doesn’t sell. “The New Beginning is Nigh” doesn’t look as good on a sign, or coffee cup, or T-shirt.

But if we are to give the wondrous civilization of the Mayans any respect, this is what we are actually facing: an opportunity to renew our energies, redirect our lives, go through a rebirth of what we believe and commit to, and a reawakening of how we use our lives to create something beneficial to others.

That is what 2012 should be about; committing to creating rather than destroying, uplifting rather than tearing down, and to seeking the spiritual beauty in our lives rather than sowing doubt and fear.

This is not easy. I know because I am not some blessed monk praying blissfully in some distant temple; I am a deeply flawed guy living right in the middle among everyone else. Every day I strive to improve how I deal with others, and so often I fail. My Bronx sarcasm comes out, my defensiveness, or my Irish stubborn streak argues before I think of a better way of dealing with the situation at hand. None of these parts of my background let me off the hook. It is the job of each of us to turn our shortcomings to benefits, to seek the blessed inside the unbearable. None of us should be expected to change in an instant, but doing one thing a day can yield amazing results over the course of a year. We can make it happen this year.

And, yes, many of us have workloads or responsibilities or challenges that overwhelm us. Climbing a mountain can seem overwhelming too, if it is attempted all at once. But no one climbs a mountain in one rush. We do it one simple move at a time. Every successful person does the same thing. Heart surgeons operate one small move at a time. Super Bowl victors never do it in one play, but by making the most of every play, moving past fumbles, and maximizing every opportunity to move closer to victory. All of us can move forward in the same way.

We should never surrender to being overwhelmed; the book of our lives is written one sentence,
sometimes one word at a time.

My very best wishes to each of you in 2012. Instead of doom, let’s make this year glow with the beauty of our every day lives.

Christopher Ryan is author of City of Woe, available on Kindle and Nook, and in print. For more info, click here.

 

 

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XBox Boyz: Is Virtual Hanging Out Better?

Posted on December 30, 2011 by chrisryanwrites

So it was last Friday night, my wife and I were going to a former student’s grad school graduation party, and our twin boys, 15, were staying home for the night. In my day, this often meant instant party as soon as parents left the block. And that may still happen, but this is also a different generation, living in a completey changed world. Yes, my sons hung out with their friends all night, and they wore the headsets to prove it.

That’s right, my fifteen year olds happily spent the evening in their bedrooms, online, with at least a half-dozen of their friends, ridding the virtual world of Nazi zombies, with an occasional sidetrip to play in the Super Bowl.

“Hanging out” no longer means freezing on a corner, or in front of the Seven-Eleven, or in some hallway, as it did when I was a teenager. My sons were with their friends the whole
evening, but they were safe at home, too. And it has been the weirdest thing for me to get my head around.

Are kids really socializing when they play online, in specialized “rooms” exclusive to just their friends? Is it truly socializing if it is not face-to-face? What is the side effect of killing Nazi zombies for six hours at a clip? Are we raising a generation of tech savvy socialites, or breeding the next Tuscon shooter?

I listen to my guys when they are on XBox Live; they are joking, goofing around, and bickering in turn. It seems no one is taking the zombies or the killing seriously; manuevering and cooperation seem to be bigger issues. Okay, so some of them coordinate better, others like giving orders, and still others like going their own way in their simulated world. Sounds normal to me.

But the hours. Six hours Friday night. Five hours Saturday. Five more Saturday night. Another six on Sunday. Twenty-two hours of killing zombies or playing Madden over two-and-a-half days. And this is a weekly habit. That concerns me on several levels. One, they aren’t getting exercise during all that time. Two, they are cocooned up in their rooms, interacting only virtually. Three, they only meet who they invite in, like a clique. Four, this arrangement prevents them from meeting other people, like, say, girls. Five, Nazi zombies or not, they were killing for most of those 22 hours, while simultaneously laughing with their friends. Desensitization, anyone? Six, what new information are they taking in? Yes, they may be learning to wield their controllers more efficiently, slaying more of the undead, but what are they achieving? What skill mastery are these hours moving them towards? If 10,000 hours is the tipping point to excellence, are we breeding a generation that will only master gaming skills? Are we prepping them for some dead-end computer processing cubicle job, or worse, a short, violent life as a military grunt?

On the other hand, they socialize with plenty of girls in school and on Facebook. One of my sons recently began going out with a real-life girl, and I know it is real because he changed his Facebook status. More significantly, at their age, I would have been freezing on some park bench or in some hallway, illegally drinking beer or Jack Daniels, or both, and trading insults with “friends”.

So is it possible that their social situation, complete with virtual mass murder, is better than mine was at that age, when I drank and dissed friends for almost the same amount of time? Is their virtual hang out healthier than my real, but alcohol and abuse-laced social reality of the past? Are virtual parties, Facebook, AIM, etc. the new norm, to be considered advancement? Am I correctly sensing a danger or am I just clinging to a long dead past? Is it okay that this generation lives through their thumbs?

I look forward to your views.

Christopher Ryan is author of City of Woe, available on Kindle and Nook, and in print. For more info, click here.

 

 

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Kim Kardashian

Posted on December 15, 2011 by chrisryanwrites

What bothers me most about Kim Kardashian and her 72 days of marriage is that she believes she tried. Recently, she and her family were on a Barbara Walters special and it was like she had survived some significant ordeal.

Sorry Kim, you never even got out of the gate.

I just celebrated 25 years of marriage. I believe in commitment. Sure, comedians joke about the trap of marriage, that it is a life sentence, but the committed married folk know the truth; yes, marriage is work but it is worth reward.

Pop culture knuckleheads like the Kardashians should not be allowed to damage to that subtle truth, and the public backlash against her should remind Kim that she is more fad than institution; marriage will outlast her easily.

What lingers for me is Kim thinks she tried so hard. Maybe that suggests she just doesn’t know any better. Maybe the bar has been set so low for her regarding interpersonal relationships that 72 days did seem like a lifetime. But it is not. And those of us who have committed, who have been delighted by long nights of passion and have also worked through arguments and tension and coped with differences, we know what it really takes to grow to be better people together.

That’s where Kim made her mistake. She thought she knew what marriage is, but very publicly demonstrated that she didn’t have a clue. We married folk, those of us who have put in the time to make it work, we know the risks, we know the challenges, we know the difficulties, and we know the rewards. Most of all, we know Kim never got anywhere close to the knowledge we have, the truth we live by every day: marriage is love and lust and tensions and fighting, but not fighting against each other, fighting to forge a greater bond that is bigger than either side alone.

Seeing Kim would slight that effort, sneer at that hard-fought, well-earned bond is insulting. Sure she may have gotten a ratings boost after her “72 dat ordeal” but we married folk know she is misusing the concept of marriage. Like a child’s view of Christmas, she seems to think getting married is all attention and dress up and presents. That is such a dim view. And we can forgive her intellectual limitations on most aspects of her entertaining but ultimately ridiculous life. What we can’t forgive is disrespecting the area of our life that we hold so dear. Those of us who did the work, who grew together through sacrifice and love and communication and respect, who made a real effort to hold onto something sacred in an increasingly silly and diminished culture, we know her efforts at marriage were fake, her understanding of marriage was wrong, and her respect for the best part of our lives was appalling.

And we won’t forget.

Christopher Ryan is author of City of Woe, available on Kindle and Nook, and in print. For more info, click here.

 

 

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#edscape … Missed it!

Posted on October 17, 2011 by chrisryanwrites

So my son’s high school hosted a conference this weekend called edscape, featuring technology and the use of social media in the classroom. And I missed it.

As a high school teacher, I have been trying to update my knowledge of technology, evolve with the times, stay current. And it feels like I am trying to walk through an avalanche. But missing this conference, one held only a few blocks away, was the last straw.

So today I vow to reinvent myself, to become tech savvy in the classroom. I have a Smartboard I use basically as a projector. That must change. I have a LinkedIn account I do not know how to use. That has to change as well. I have a MacPro I am wary of. Not for long. I have an iPad2 purchased to get me more technological in the classroom. So far, I am grading with it….

I need to take more than baby steps. One step forward is that I have a Facebook page my students can “like” for updates and homework reminders. They cannot “friend” me, that way lies madness. They can only “like” the page and receive the updates. Not a bad start (taught to me by a former student turned colleague), but…

The question remains what it has always been; how do the uninitiated get plugged in? I am hoping this blog is one way. Can I blog my way into the modern age? Is blogging passé now? Should I be tweeting or tumbling or whatever?

Here’s my offer; share what you know, or suggest links, etc., and I will turnkey them here. I want to evolve into a cutting edge teacher using social media, and I am will g to share what I learn.

Anyone interested in pointing the way?

Christopher Ryan is author of City of Woe, available on Kindle and Nook, and in print. For more info, click here.

 

 

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No Filter Required: Classroom Tempers in the Digital Age

Posted on January 27, 2011 by chrisryanwrites

A petite student called me an “asshole” in class the other day. Dropped the “F” bomb, invited me to write her up, and stormed out of my class when I informed her that leaving was an option.

This got me thinking about the more extreme reactions I have noticed in classes this year. Granted, most of my kids are the same kind of students teachers see year after year; cooperative, well-behaved, and dutiful. But these days there are a few new twists to those few who do not fit that description.

There is a variation on the withdrawn student these days, one who has withdrawn in a very specific way. A teacher spots this kid easily; his or her head is always looking into his or her lap, where the cell phone is “hidden” so cleverly. Such a student forces a teacher to decide how to handle the situation. Is it worth class time to confront the kid, maybe confiscate, or more correctly, attempt to confiscate the cellphone, if that is school policy? Can a quiet word do the trick, get the student to put it away, or will that just suffice for a moment? Will calling the parent end with satsifaction, or will the class begin to pull away from the “narc” teacher?

Similarly, what do we do with a student who always seems to have technology dangling off him. Earphones hanging out of the hoodie, cell next to a textbook, but not “on” or “not being used.” It is just there “in case of emergency.”

Again, how much class time do we use to battle technology?

More often, students will come in and email their essays to me, sans paragraph indents, and other standardization. Allowable use of technology, or surrender to be resisted?

Of course, the very presence of such powerful technology complicates the vigil against cheating tremendously. What to do, what to do?

How to proceed is a difficult and increasingly necessary question to wrestle with because the overwhelming majority of students have powerful smart phones in their pockets, wielding technology that often leaves classroom tech in the stone age. How does a teacher remain relevant when put at such an odd disadvantage?

And then there is my beloved petite fireball with her foul language and hair trigger temper. Students often do not filter their comments on facebook, tumblr, and so on, why would they feel a need to do so in a class room? And when the class room moves so much slower than the technology in their hands, why should the “host” of that room be given more respect than a fb friend?

The only answer I come up with, the one I rally behind when these situations arise on a daily basis in class, is that I am what all the social networking in existence is not; I am there, standing right in front of them, looking them in the eye, and honestly offering face-to-face rather than facebook-to-facebook communication.

Does it always work? No. Is it worth remianing true to every day? I believe it is, and i would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

So, what do you think?

 

Christopher Ryan is author of City of Woe, available on Kindle and Nook, and in print. For more info, click here.

 

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