Limits

Limits are a good thing, when dealing with young people.  Young people want and need limits, though they won't ask for them.  Limits help them grow.  At camp we set limits for villagers.  We have rules and we have expectations for their conduct.  There are always little rules, that, if broken, don't result in a huge consequence.  Then there are those big rules, that if broken, by villagers or by staff members, result in you being sent immediately home, do not pass go, do not collect $200.  Those limits are necessary for the safety and well-being of the villagers and the staff.

What about limits for the program?  I am facing some limits, or limitations this summer. Enrollment for the first session is low.  I do not have any certified lifeguards hired.  That might limit our access to the beach.  But, when I see limits like these, then I try to think of how I can grow as a dean, or how I can grow the program through these limits, or through these challenges.  These limits cause me to come at a problem from a different angle.  I need to rethink my staffing pattern.  What can a 19 year old who doesn't speak Spanish do at the village?  He can work as a lifeguard and what else?  We've got small numbers for the first session, how will we make it even more successful and transformative than it usually is for a smaller group of villagers?  The staff and I will find ways to do it.  We will stretch the limits.

Isn't it the same with technology?  I want to use more technology in my classes, hence this blog.  But I feel limited by my access to technology, by time, by what I know and don't know, by student access outside of class, and so much more.  Can I look at these limits as opportunities to grow?  If I don't have a 1:1 laptop  program (which I don't), then how can I provide students access so that they can blog?   How will blogging help my students become better writers of Spanish?  What technologies will be fun to explore with students AND will move us along the path of learning Spanish?  These are questions that I hope to answer over time.  Any hints or suggestions are as always welcome.