Preview of #CAEDCHAT discussion on The suck - also known as Parkinson's Law.

1. The Suck
Defeating Parkinson’s Law
in the Modern classroom
#caedchat 5/18/2014

2. As we move from:
!
Worksheets
Lecture
Direct instruction
(that dominates an
entire class period)
We need:
!
Better skills for
managing projects
!
More tools to measure
mastery as class
time becomes more
fuzzy and self directed

3. The old flow was linear….
The new flow is more complex….

4. Example:
The Science Fair

5. Comedian Brian Reagan:!
!
“This is me on Monday morning:
Oh no, no! I had nine months to do
my Science project and I have nothing.”
!
Why is this such a cliché?!
!

7. !
!
The amount of time which one has to perform a task is the
amount of time it will take to complete the task.

9. If you wait until the last minute, it only takes a minute to do.
Corollary to Parkinson’s Law

10. Effects
in Grading

11. Only allow projects to be done early for extra credit.
!
Make them respect the regular assignments -
and, when they finish early, they can reflect.
Don’t allow EXTRA CREDIT Assignments
Make them do quality work all quarter long -
take away end of the quarter buffer!!

12. Do quick assignments
Make kids finish in class
Parkinson’ Law states:
Taking it home to finish is not
a good plan

13. Suck free assignment- clear and open ended.

14. Origins of “The suck”
But when did military types start talking about
embracing the suck? Capt. Benjamin Tupper, who
contibuted to Slate's military blog The Sandbox,
remembers first hearing "embrace the suck" in 2001,
soon after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan. "The spirits
of the American infantrymen were undeterred,"
Tupper wrote in his book Greetings from Afghanistan.
"Their Zen-like approach was to 'embrace the
suck,' a strategy of treating the hardships as
friends, not enemies, and driving on."
http://www.slate.com/blogs/lexicon_valley/2013/12/13/embrace_the_suck_nancy_pelosi_used_a_slang_military_phrase_when_urging_house.html

15. Origins of “The suck”
Also noted in the
book Black Hawk Down
Since I LOVE history,
I chose this term.

16. Don’t change deadlines
When kids know the deadline can change…..
Max points of 70% for late work
How can they fix the grade?
Do the rest of the major assignments EARLY!

17. Require things to be done in class
Done or ZERO
No make up
How can they fix the grade?
Do the rest of the major assignments EARLY!

18. Teach kids about The Suck
Give them a name for the process
Allow them to articulate the struggle
They will respond positively

19. The Suck
Defeating Parkinson’s Law
in the Modern classroom
#caedchat 5/18/2014