This public media "authentic fiction" sought to crowdsource perspectives about education today. The Zed Omega teens, played by actors, "dropped out loud" from high school -- catalyzing open discussion about the structures and purpose of traditional education and its alternatives. The arc of each Zed Omega character was unscripted: they responded to ideas that people presented. The collaborative thought experiment and "interactive documentary" was live on social media during fall semester 2012. (-Learn more-) (-Credits-) (-Facebook-) (-Twitter-)
Press: WIRED / ARGN - Current - NCME1 - NCME2 - Center for the Future of Museums - StoryForward - AIR -Games for Change - MPR - Sparknotes
(Here’s my last video. there’s a clip of 12 year old Lizzie in here!)
Plans
The past semester and my plans for the future :)
Here are some of my favorite posts, discussions, added thoughts, and milestone moments
(1) http://edzedomega.org/post/29475209924/one-big-stack-of-desks
7,000 kids drop out of school each day for a reason. Kids drop out of this system because it’s not working for them. I am a statistic and I’m proud!
(2) http://edzedomega.org/post/32476106212/happiness-not-taught-in-school
Up until going to California I wasn’t sure that dropping out was the right thing for me to do. Having such a great experience traveling made me think that doing things like this would give me more knowledge than high school.
(3) http://edzedomega.org/post/30980157771/hey-again-lizabeth
Here is the letter that expressed everything I don’t want. I don’t want to be dependent on boyfriend (or anyone). I don’t want money. I don’t want a diploma. I don’t want a GED. I don’t want to be a nurse. I don’t want a car, a house, or spending money to get mani pedis and shop for kitchen appliances and new shoes. And I definitely do not want to do the class play.
(4) http://edzedomega.org/post/31019961968/lizzie-the-beautiful-thing
“So important, then, to learn what’s valuable to you.” -Alan
I do not value school. I do not value lesson plans, socratic seminars, bathroom passes, and forced physical fitness. I value a good book and adventures. School banned the best books and doesn’t trust you enough to adventure.
(5) http://edzedomega.org/post/32674160947/teacher-expectations-influence-learning
I’ve been thinking about this recently. Throughout elementary school we have one teacher each year. We see one adult each day and they are allowed to grade us and evaluate us. Just that one person. If that teacher decides they don’t like you, you still have to see them each day, for the whole day, the rest of the year. Whereas in middle school, high school, and college, you have multiple teachers that you see over the course of a quarter, tri, or semester. Do elementary school teachers have too much influence on students? I remember specifically my 2nd grade teacher not liking me. She made me feel dumb. I doubt that was her intention, but for the entirety of the school year, she made me feel dumb 5 days a week for 7 hours at a time.
(6) http://edzedomega.org/post/33250957944/to-die-to-sleep
Everyone is treating dropouts like a disease that must be cured. Do you see this post? We are people with feelings and thoughts.
(7) http://edzedomega.org/post/34081828792/hey-zos-listen-to-your-voice
Anyone can succeed.
(8) http://edzedomega.org/post/36089977916/tumblr-tag-education-fix
I agree with everything Kat said!
(9) http://edzedomega.org/post/36595031088/ed-via-immersive-play
The cool sub has an explanation behind their coolness! “Who’s to say my lesson plan is any more important to their development than the things they are finding online?”
(10) http://edzedomega.org/post/37188526025/tombstone-is-my-diploma
My tombstone will also be my diploma
(11) http://edzedomega.org/post/36525229747/forced-to-learn-covalent-bonds
Look at the notes! My first post that got into the #education tag. I want to hand out a chill pill to every #education editor.
(I still don’t understand covalent bonds, and I don’t need to!)
So those are just a fraction of my favorite posts. Have fun looking through everything!
-Lizzie
I don’t understand why we are required to learn some of the things we do in school. How often do covalent bonds come up in a normal conversation? I feel like I’m being forced to learn this, or else I will fail at everything in life.
I must get an A. If I don’t understand covalent bonds I will not… MORE
Check out the Notes: lots of perspectives there. I can’t help wondering though, as I read statements such as (paraphrase) “individualized education would be nice, but I guess we can’t afford it” if the writers intend them to satisfy students’ concerns somehow. The “student as road” metaphor, for example – probably does not reassure a student that the system has her interests at heart. To me many of the Notes seem to be written for the #education community itself, in a kind of echo chamber.
Tags education echo chamber competition grades curriculum lizabethdavis edzedomega ezothread
Reblogged from Lizabeth Davis
QUESTION OF THE DAY!
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Tags lizabethdavis dreams career job qotd
Complete this thought: “School is….” Zed Omegas Jeremy, Nora and Lizzie read some whiteboards left at HIGH SCHOOL ME at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.
I want to commend the tumblr editors. Since I mentioned the lack of students in the #education tag- there has been an incredible upsweep of student involvement… MORE
We reblogged fluorescentink’s eloquent video earlier – it’s here.
I feel like hitting my head against a wall
WHY IS THE EDUCATION SYSTEM SO FLAWED?!
Tags lizabethdavis education educational system education reform edzedomega
Reblogged from Lizabeth Davis
hithertokt asked: You said that this is a trial dropping out period for you. How is it going? What's good about it? What's bad? I'd love to hear an update!
lizabethdavis: It’s going well. I’ve had time to do things I haven’t been able to do in H.S. I drove to California with my cousin. I’ve been able to read books that I enjoy. I’ve picked up the guitar I haven’t played since I started H.S. For a while I was upset that I didn’t see my friends as much, now I’m fine with it. The only way I would go back to high school is if they changed it. -- via Lizzie, http://lizabethdavis.tumblr.com/post/36156962652/you-said-that-this-is-a-trial-dropping-out-period-for
I was watching a video about a guy who makes all of his money by going to junk stores, buying things he thinks is worth money, and then reselling.
So today I did that. I went to goodwill and bought 3 pictures for $16 that looked like they were worth more, and it turned out they are all worth more.
So congrats to me.
Once I sell them I will have enough money to buy a bus ticket to somewhere. Now all I need to figure out is where…
-Lizzie Davis
After we heard their stories, the kids at the High School for Recording Arts had some choice words for Nicole and Xavier about whether we Zed Omegas should go back to school…
(This is the first of 2 vids… The second is about bullying! Stay tuned…)
Xavier, Jeremy and Lizzie listen as a HSRA student tells her high school story. The High School for the Recording Arts invited the Zed Omegas to come talk with them in October 2012 about what high school was, is, and should be…. lots of straight talk. “School is my way out,” one student said. – Alan G.
Recent comments
Hang on a second while we grab Disqus for you.