Jesse Miller Key Speaker – After Thoughts

What a great speaker Jesse Miller was! The class was not only really interesting, but also super applicable to teachers. A few things he said really stuck with me; here are a few, although I definitely forgot many more:

• I really appreciated how he discussed people’s responses to things that happen online (and honestly, in life). He pointed out how often, instead of actually helping, people further victimize the victim. Sad, but true. And I feel like we’ve all been that person at some point. It’s a good reminder to be careful about such behaviours.

• I also liked how he talked about going back to the “why”. Why someone started doing something before the “hate” showed up. Back to what made them happy, and reflecting on how that affects their self-esteem.

• Something that terrified me from the start is how realistic AI videos can be. I’ve thought a lot about the dangers of AI in terms of laziness, environment, and long-term employment, but I hadn’t considered how scary it is that we might not be able to tell what’s real anymore. And that matters for, like he said, young girls comparing themselves to someone, a someone who might not even exist.

• Another thought-provoking point, and it really was relatable for me, was that for some people (teachers, or principals specifically), high school feels like the safest place in the world, so their decisions are shaped by that belief. I relate, because I naturally think the same about elementary/middle schools, where I aim to work, which gives me a bit of a blind spot to the tough reality that schools and classrooms aren’t always safe. Honestly, I wouldn’t have even thought about keeping phones in class for the purpose of calling for help or recording inappropriate behavior.

• Another line that stuck with me: “We don’t learn when we are going through a crisis,” referring to taking a teen’s phone away. I asked what he’d do instead, and he mentioned using phone breaks and promising them after a set amount of time if everyone stays off their phones; leaning on accountability, which is so much more valuable to teach than punishment.

• His talk also gave me the idea that when I have my own classroom, I’ll ask parents if there are reasons their child should have a phone at school. I think this is especially useful in middle school, but it’s worth considering at every age.

In short, Jesse was incredibly insightful and knowledgeable, and I really appreciated him coming into our class and shining a light on these topics.

Oh and that photo of me from earlier? That person does not exist.