Paper Airplanes

I just had the most insightful discussion with my senior English dual-enrollment class.

 This morning for a few seconds, I stepped next door to help another teacher with a projector issue. (I wasn't able to help by the way! I am much better with software than with hardware.) When I returned to my classroom, the door was shut which always makes me suspicious. I have a student in this class who has jumped out from behind the door and scared me no fewer than five times. I looked through the window, and didn't see him hiding, which made me even more suspicious. When I opened the door, my suspicions were confirmed...every student in the room threw a paper airplane at me. I know...we have a strange relationship. They are seniors...senioritis is kicking in and they are reverting to childhood thrills. It is my favorite part of teaching seniors.

 At this point in my story, you are probably wondering why I am sharing this story and why it is relevant for my blog. I am getting there. For about five minutes, they flew their planes and we had a good time. After a few moments, I realized one student in the room was looking at his airplane with a perplexed expression. After questioning and coaxing, I found out his airplane wasn't done because he was trying to watch a YouTube video and he couldn't keep up with the guy on the video. Of course this led to the question, "You don't know how to make a paper airplane?" You guys...I was shocked. And then, even more surprising, the rest of the class admitted that one boy in the room made all theirs for them. Only one kid in my senior English class knew how to make a paper airplane. I literally said, "HOLD UP!" I also announced that as soon as we finish this final paper for your college class, we will be watching YouTube videos and learning how to make a paper airplane. I told them, "Sometime, in what I hope is the very far off future, most of you will be parents. And I feel, one characteristic of a good parent is being able to make a paper airplane for your little boy or girl."

 Here comes the insightful part...these were my student's responses...

 "My child can learn from YouTube if he wants a paper airplane."
"He can use his phone to figure it out."
"He will probably have a phone that will make it for him."

 You guys...we are teaching students who fully expect there to be a phone one day that will make a paper airplane for them. Just one more reminder of the importance of 21st century learning; we really are preparing students to lead a world full of innovations and technologies that haven't even been envisioned yet...but the students are envisioning them!