Suffern Middle School in Second Life

I am engaged now in NECC debriefing and filtering and reflecting but in the mean time here is the SLURL for the StoryKeeper’s Garden as presented at NECC!  WHAT A ROCKIN CONFERENCE! All slides will be posted to Slideshare.com too!

Teleport to StoryKeeper’s Garden in Second Life:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lehigh%20Carbon%20Island/11/103/31

Here is a sample transcript of the trial:

Lennie Small Trial - 6/20/08

Nicole, Kara and Emma
Robelmonte is Ryan
Fantasia is Brianna
Lucidor is Dante
Pelagia is Eli
Sakuntala is Kevin

[7:56]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer (Dante): Would the D.A like to call up anymore witnesses?
[7:56]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer(Brianna): I would like to call upon Slim.
[7:57]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer(Dante): Slim please come up to the chair.
[7:57]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer(Dante): Do you swear to tell the truth…
[7:57]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer(Dante): The whole truth…
[7:57]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer(Dante): And nothing but the truth…
[7:57]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer(Dante): So help you God?
[7:57]  Pelagia SMSJourneyer(Eli): Yes.
[7:57]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer(Dante): Please sit.
[7:57]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer(Dante): Proceed Fantasia.

Fantasia SMSJourneyer(Brianna): Do you believe that Lennie should be placed in jail for rape and murder?
[7:57]  Pelagia SMSJourneyer(Eli): no i don’t.
[7:58]  Pelagia SMSJourneyer(Eli): He has some type of mental problem.
[7:58]  Pelagia SMSJourneyer(Eli): He can’t help it.
[7:58]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer(Brianna): With you moral judgement, knowing Lennie, do you believe he meant to harm anybody at all?
[7:58]  Pelagia SMSJourneyer(Eli): He just likes to touch “nice things.”
[7:58]  Pelagia SMSJourneyer(Eli): I don’t think he meant to hurt anyone.
[7:58] Sakuntala SMSJourneyer(Kevin: Objection. If he is kept out he will continue his madness.
[7:58]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: Do you have any other statements/comments to add about Lennie?
[7:59]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: But not if he has some sort of “watch.”
[7:59]  Pelagia SMSJourneyer: He doesn’t mean to be any trouble and I try to control him.
[7:59]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: He does NOT need to be charged with rape and murder!
[7:59]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Objection overruled.
[7:59]  Pelagia SMSJourneyer: Sometimes it gets a little out of hand.
[8:00]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Let her make her case.
[8:00]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: Slim, do you have any additional comments?
[8:00]  Pelagia SMSJourneyer: No, ma’am.
[8:00]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: Then you may return to your seat, thank you.
[8:01]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: If that is all slim, you may take your seat.
[8:01]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Yes
[8:01]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: I have no additional witnesses.
[8:01]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: That’s all.
[8:02]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Does the prosecution have any more witnesses to call up?
[8:02]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Maybe Crooks?
[8:02]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: May I call up George?
[8:03]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Yes, you may.
[8:03]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: George, please come up.
[8:03]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?
[8:03]  Robelmonte SMSJourneyer: I will.
[8:03]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Proceed.
[8:04]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: George, is it true that you agreed to take care of Lennie?
[8:04]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: And to stay by his side?
[8:05]  Robelmonte SMSJourneyer: Well, at first I said I would but I lied… But when he almost drowned in a lake I knew I had to take care of him.
[8:06]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: Then, were you with him when the murder happened?
[8:06]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: Or near him at anytime?
[8:06]  Robelmonte SMSJourneyer: No, I was playing horseshoes with the other workers.
[8:07]  Robelmonte SMSJourneyer: We were having a tournament.
[8:07]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: So that means Lennie was alone in the barn with Curley’s wife?
[8:07]  Robelmonte SMSJourneyer: Yes.
8:07]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: And that is where the body was found.
[8:07]  Robelmonte SMSJourneyer: Correct
[8:08]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: Objection! He knew he had to take care of Lennie, but Lennie is not FULLY unaware. He just needs help making decisions and he doesn’t need to be watched at ALL times. He is a grown man!
[8:08]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: he should have been with george the whole time
[8:08]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Order, order!
[8:08]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: Not alone.
[8:08]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Let Sakuntala make his case
[8:09]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: Thank you.
[8:09]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: And you may add on when it is your turn.
[8:09]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: He said he would help take care of him but that doesn’t mean he needs to be baby sat, how do you learn without trying things by yourself?
8:09]  Robelmonte SMSJourneyer: She has a point.
[8:09]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: Not that he was trying to harm anybody…But he did not unknowingly.
[8:10]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: Now with that you may continue.
[8:10]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: But if he is not hung, things like this will keep happening.
[8:10]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: but if he is not hung, things like this will keep happning
[8:10]  Robelmonte SMSJourneyer: Good point.
[8:10]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: And george told Lennie not to even look at her.
[8:11]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: There are many things at this time that can be done without sentencing him to death!
[8:11]  Robelmonte SMSJourneyer: Yes, I did.
[8:11]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: With our advances something can be done!
[8:11]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: This is true.
[8:11]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: Being hung is a very cruel thing.
[8:11]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: for two mistakes his life has to end?
[8:11]  Pelagia SMSJourneyer: He could just get help.
[8:11]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: Many people have probably said that and look what happened!
[8:11]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: DEATH!
[8:11]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: If Lennie has done this unknowingly, and if very forgetful, these things may happen.
[8:12]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: ORDER, ORDER!
[8:12]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: One more thing.
[8:13]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: At the time when the body was found where was Lennie
[8:13]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: He was no where to been seen.
[8:13]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: Well, usually when people are threatening to SHOOT YOU, you run!
[8:13]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Very good point.
[8:13]  Robelmonte SMSJourneyer: THAT’S TRUE BUT YOU CAN”T PUT HIM TO DEATH!! HE DID’T MEAN NO HARM!
[8:13]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: ORDER!
[8:13]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: Being hung is obviously not the appropriate thing to do in this case.
[8:14]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: But at the time Lennie did not know people wanted to shoot him.
[8:14]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: ORDER OR I WILL HOLD YOU BOTH IN CONTEMPT!
[8:14]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: Then jail for life.
[8:14]  Pelagia SMSJourneyer: Why can’t we at least put him in a “Happy Hut” or get him some help?
[8:15]  Robelmonte SMSJourneyer: I think he should get some help, not jail.
[8:15]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: He can get some help, but help and hanging are two different things.
[8:15]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Would any of you attorneys like to explain your evidence?
[8:15]  Robelmonte SMSJourneyer: May I go back to my seat your Honor?
[8:15]  Robelmonte SMSJourneyer: ?
[8:15]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: excuse me he strangled a human being
[8:15]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Yes. You may
[8:16]  Robelmonte SMSJourneyer: Thank you.
[8:16]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: HE DIDN’T MEAN IT!
[8:16]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: ORDER!
[8:16]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: How do you know?
[8:16]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: For God’s sake he is mentally handicapped, he didn’t know!
[8:16]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: maybe he was mad!
[8:16]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: From getting beat up from Curley.
[8:16]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: When you don’t know the difference between right and wrong you need assistance.
[8:17]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: maybe he wanted revenge.
[8:17]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Will somebody explain the evidence before the jury starts to deliberate.
[8:17]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: Thats not the case at all.
8:17]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: He needs someone to help him thats all, he needs help!
[8:17]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: This is all I have to say.
[8:18]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: Well I have something to say….
[8:18]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: THE EVIDENCE!
[8:18]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: EXPLAIN THE EVIDENCE!
[8:18]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: the evidence is the body your honor.
[8:18]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Then what is this gun?
[8:19]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: Lennie Small is should be innocent, and kept away from jail and being hung. He did not know that he was hurting anybody when he strangled her he did not know. All he needs is some help and assistance he does not need to be hung as a punishment. He needs help.
[8:19]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Final statements?
[8:20]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Prosecutors?
[8:20]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: HE SOULD HAVE NOT BEEM ALONE IN THE 1ST PLACE!
[8:20]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: okay, will the jurors please deliberate.
[8:20]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: Please, your Honor, listen when I tell you he should not be hung or placed in jail he didn’t mean to harm anybody he really didn’t.
[8:20]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: Ladies and gentlemen.
[8:20]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: I have heard many things today…
[8:21]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: If Lennie is not hung he should be put in a jail not a “happy house.”
[8:21]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Okay.
[8:21]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: That is enough.
[8:21]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Jurors…
[8:21]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Deliberate.
[8:21]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: Thank you your Honor.
[8:21]  Helina SMSJourneyer: I believe Lennie is guilty but does not deserve jail time and should be put into a mental home.
8:23]  Gaussia SMSJourneyer: But because of his mental state, he should have a different punishment.
[8:23]  Helina SMSJourneyer: As stated in the case, Goerge shouldn’t have to watch Lennie all the time but Lennie doesn’t know right from wrong without him. So letting him stay on the streets isn’t fair to the human society and this will prevent this from ever happening again.
[8:24]  Helina SMSJourneyer: He should have a punishment but not a cruel one.
[8:24]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: Then, put him in a jail with a therapist.
[8:24]  Gaussia SMSJourneyer: Lennie is definately guilty, but he should not serve he same punishment as someone without a mental illness.
[8:25]  Gaussia SMSJourneyer: he should be put in a mental home because it wasn’t his fault, he didn’t know what he was doing.
[8:25]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Has the jury reached a unanimous verdict?
[8:25]  Gaussia SMSJourneyer: If he’s put in a mental home, it will prevent him from hurting anyone else.
[8:25]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: Do you know that for sure?
[8:25]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: same with a jail!
[8:25]  Helina SMSJourneyer: He should stay in a mental home until he is able to know right from wrong and to not depend on George all the time.
8:26]  Fantasia SMSJourneyer: Yes I agree, being mentally handicapped does NOT excuse the fact that he killed someone…but death? No, he needs help.
[8:26]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: You are not allowed to persuade the jurors.
[8:26]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: I will hold you in contempt.
[8:26]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: EITHER ONE OF YOU!

[8:26]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Have you reached a verdict?
[8:26]  Helina SMSJourneyer: Yes, we have your honor.
[8:26]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: What is the verdict?
[8:26]  Gaussia SMSJourneyer: I think he’s guilty.
[8:27]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Is that true?
[8:27]  Sakuntala SMSJourneyer: Just put him away.
[8:27]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: What is the punishment?
[8:28]  Gaussia SMSJourneyer: the punishment is that he’ll have to stay in a mental institution for the rest of his life.
[8:28]  Lucidor SMSJourneyer: Okay.

Court was adjourned.

Here is a sample of student’s responses to Mrs. McKiernan’s final evaluative survey:

I LOVED socializing in world, it was a lot of fun and it made it fun to do math!- Sylvanna

I liked the project very much & with a little tweeking here and there it could be perfect. I didn’t like how when you did the math it was rounded from what you actually solved. I did like however the preparation this oppratunity gives you to be put into a real life situation. I wish we had a choice on the items we buy, but you give us the number of items we need. It gives us more freedom to explore real life.

I made a few decions that I would not make again. I was not able to buy a bathing suit because I used too many Lindens buying a cooler. I just started comparing prices today. I actually spent more on the sufboard because I liked the way it looked more than others. I have really gotten the hang of socalizing in-world.

Dear Mrs.McKiernan,

    I really enjoyed the flea market. It was a lot of fun and I LOVE to shop! Yes I would have made different choices and I would have bought cheaper stuff so I had enough money left to buy everything. No I wasnt able to stay within my budget. I did compare prices only sometimes though I just bought stuff that was a good price to me and clearly it didnt work. Some items were important to me and others I  kind of didnt want to have. I didnt spend any extra on special items. I enjoyed socializing in world but I did like having private conversations in im instead of local chat. I think that this was a really really awesome project. it was fun but it still required some work. Thanks so  much. THANKS SOOO MUCH!!!

Today was an exceptional day for learning in Second Life!   Mrs. McKiernan’s classes were all given their stipend of100L$. They joined the group, “Beach Bash” and a whole group notice was sent that read :

Hello everyone…
By now you should have received your lindens.  You are going to have to make sure that you budget wisely.  In order to attend the beach party, you MUST have:

Good luck and I’ll see you at the beach party!
Mrs. McKiernan

The 45 minutes flew each class, as the kid were feverishly doing their math, calculating discounts, recommending certain items over others (in IM!) and helping each other manage their budgets!  There was a lot of laughter,some complaints about prices (LOL) and comments were heard that truly attested to the learning going on:

“Don’t buy that one- the blue one is a better deal”

“But I want the red one to match my surfboard!”

“If I get this I won’t have enough L$ left fotr the ticket to get into the party!”

and the inevitable….”Can anyone lend me 4L$???”

Teacher’s comments: I think this is incredibly fun.The kids are engaged, they’re doing math and they aremaking choices they would encounter in real life situations!”

Once again, I give my teachers high praise for their creativity! Two of them came to me and said they were having a conversation about how to address some math concepts surrounding money and budgeting with their classes. One said, “I wish I could give them each $100 and put them on a bus and take them to the mall where they could shop and dine and figure out sale prices and calculate tips and manage their money.” Fast forward to our latest project!

The kids were indeed each give 100(L)$ and were sent to a new Flea Market in Ramapo Islands where they were given a list of items they needed to purchase while staying within their budget, and being careful to retain at least 6L$ for entrance into the culminating Beach Bash where they would have a party with food, drinks, dancing, windsurfing, para-sailing, tubing, jet-skiing and many more activities.

THe students needed to purchase all of the supplies on a list before they could go to the party. Things like, suntan lotion, bathing suits, coolers, hats, sandals, beach towels, umbrellas, surfboards, and water bottles were all set up for sale in the market. At least 4 versions of each item were for sale at various prices and discounts that reflected the percentage off. And so the math began because although they may have wanted the surfboard WITH the particle effects AND the suntan lotion that actually sprayed, they had to be careful not to exceed their budget and to leave enough funds for admission to the party and for possible spending for the optional “high end” items that were only available at the Beach Bash.

As fate would have it, the day of the Beach Bash, I had to be at a conference (NYSCATE Metro) and had no idea if I would be able to login and support the teachers that day. About half- way through the class time, I managed to find a bench out in the hallway and dropped in to Ramapo for a quick look! The party was in FULL SWING - everyone had made it in and the kids were rocking away on the dance floor or flipping around on their surfboards. Mission accomplished! Monday Thursday they were furiously calculating percentages, working their math in a hard copy “checkbook” and going back to check their math when the price they came up with didn’t match the actual price of the item for sale. I had told them that there “may be errors in the prices when they went to pay-just like in the real world” so they were very careful with their pennies (L$s). Below are some photos of the week’s work:

Crazy busy as always - yet reveling in what sometimes appears to be a chaotic stream of creativity that is Ramapo Islands, more and more of the work being done has been managed by the teachers and students, without me. What do you mean you didn’t need me????? Oh -yeah, well, I guess that was the whole idea … Oh.. OK.

Enter Marc Jaffee, music teacher extraordinaire…

A little bit about Marc.

MArc graduated from Suffern Middle School. Many of his colleagues were his teachers. He is an accomplished musician. Since graduating from Ithaca College with a B.M. in Composition, Marc Jaffee has given over 1000 performances, written and performed nine albums, and composed four musicals. He has also taught over 1500 students and developed a Digital Music program for public schools .
Most recently, Marc was seen in La MaMa Experimental Theater’s Production of Sam Shepard’s “The Tooth of Crime” which received top reviews from the New York Times and The Village Voice.

March has been working with cutting edge technology and has brought his students into the digital music arena with a rigorous curriculum that has resulted in students projects that boggle the mind! When I approached him about the possibilities of using Second Life, he needed all of about 6 minutes of convincing. The minute he learned that his students could stream their compositions into a virtual performance venue he was signed up and on board. the project has now extended itself to an island of shops where the students are learning to market and promote their own music, as well as establish sound business skils. Their shops each house a juke box type vendor where visitors can listen to clips of the compositions and our next step is to link these vendors to an online distribution site. Also planned is an inworld concert which will stream live performances as a culminating event to the school year.

Last week I spent every day in the classrooms with the three groups working on the Digital Storytelling project. Sans our posse (Bernajean Porter, Kevin Jarrett and Marianne Malstrom) the teachers and I were determined to see the project through with the high level expectations set forth from the onset.

Each class I entered the kids were hard at work, at the computers…digging into the nuts and bolts of gathering their resources to tell their stories…Kids were in Garage Band, on the Internet gathering royalty free images, in Second Life capturing machinima and building sets… a gratifying sight indeed..right? Well, in a word, wrong. As I approached each group and listened to their collaboration, it became very clear to me that there was a big problem… True to my coaching, I listened first so as not to shift the ownership of the discussion. After observing a reasonable amount of exchange by the students, I interjected the million dollar question, “Tell me your story?” In almost every instance the kids then launched into a description of what their story would look like - but not one group actually told me a story, no less a story that needed to be told! After a bit of redirection I then asked the second million dollar question, “What is the lesson learned?” Again - blank stares, hedging, and maybe something off the cuff - without conviction without passion resulting in my response—”so what?” Brutal? Yep - that’s my job.

It became clear to me that the product construction had taken precedence over the product development- that the kids were much more comfortable jumping right into the technology than they were with the earnest blood, sweat, and tears of the writing! I saw that the bells and whistles had taken center stage and I knew that substance was now an endangered entity. And so, it was back to square one- writing, writing, and more writing!

Time for a Sheehy soapbox: time for a revisit to purpose and a call to excellence. I remind the kids that they are charged with writing a story that is from the heart, that is told from the emotional self, and is a story that needs to be told. I add that they are again the pioneers, and that the work they are doing will set the stage for the future. Shamelessly I challenge them with the fact that their names are going to be forever attached to this work, and they have an opportunity to create something magical.

They have made wonderful beginnings, through a pretty grueling process, but their stories are still fragmented, and need emotional tension, clear conflict and resolution and most importantly, a lesson learned!

We spend the next two days writing - tugging, pulling, prodding each other to get to the heart of the story - and by Wednesday - I can honestly say - they have arrived. Each group now has a written narrative, with a clear lesson and they are invested in their work. There is a whole different feeling in the room - due to the fact that they know they have fought the hard fight - My job was to cheer them on - to ask the tough questions - to refuse to let them settle for less than their absolute best. Wednesday they moved on to their story boards - painstakingly aligning their stories with their parallel poems, and blocking their scenes and images and sounds to illuminate the story.

Again, the teachers and I support the work but the kids are in charge now - and the snippets of their conversations confirm that they have indeed become storytellers!

Thursday the nuts and bolts begin again - back to the computers, grabbing the digital cameras, resisting the lure of Google images for copyright safe resources and writing their own music in garage band! We have a long way to go - and the teachers are feeling the pressure of curriculum that awaits as time passes. But the work will continue alongside the demands of the next units. The kids show up in the library at lunch, they are logging in from home and the coming week we will be supported in world and via Skype by our incredible support team. Firesabre awaits the list of artifacts and objectives we will need supported and Bernajean, Kevin and Marianne are devoting yet more hours as they can.

We have taken on a mighty, mighty task. We refused the shortcuts. We know the world is watching.

Forgive my disappearance. At some point this last few months I had to step away from many of my projects and endeavors in order to keep vigil with my sister, Mary Jane, as she concluded her days here with us. She lost her battle with lung cancer last Saturday and through the support and understanding of many, I was able to spend that time by her side. For this I am forever grateful.

I am going to direct you now to a blogpost that describes the last weeks at Ramapo better than I could right now. Kevin Jarrett has written an eloquent and extensive report of our latest leg of this incredible journey and I will defer to his energy for now: Please read, “You Got the Love? “

The Tech Club, now up to forty-seven members, has produced some incredible work on our islands. Many of the kids wanted to “own” land but instead were instructed to submit a business plan and if approved they were given a parcel of land of which they would serve as “custodians”. The plan had to support a build that would be beneficial to all of the Ramapo Islands community. Some that were approved are, The Free Foundation, The Community Center, The Amusement Park and now one student has submitted plans to build a Delorean type vehicle- with fueling stations and a race track. Here is the schematic that Struveana submitted:

Here are some pics of Mr. Tepper’s Spanish class project. The kids each created a display for a traditional Spanish celebration - Sweet 15, Day of the Dead, Feast of Three Kings and others. Then they invited the high school Spanish classes to join in a day of virtual celebrations where each student presented the cultural background of the celebrations and how they chose to depict it. Later there was music dancing and burritos and chips and salsa!