Almost every morning when I get into the car to take my 3-year old daughter to day care she asks me to play "Puff the Magic Dragon" for her on my MP3 player. [I do have thousands of other songs, but she never seems to want to hear Son Volt or U2.]
This repetitious request by children for the same song over and over is the bane of many a parent's existence (and perhaps the jackhammer between sanity and insanity). That is, the repetition of children's songs is not a new experience.
However, it's begun a thought that's been rattling in my brain (along with the chorus to Puff) about the delivery of media today and its effect on society, children in particular.
My daughter also always has children's shows to watch because my wife and I have Tivo'ed a number of them and can play them on demand (well, not literally, since we try to limit her TV watching time, but you get my point).
Sure, other parents have played Puff on CD or cassette tape (or probably 8-track), and they've got VHS or DVD versions of their kids' favorite shows and movies, but it seems to me there is
a fundamental psychological difference to children between getting a tape or cassette or DVD out to put in and play, and just using a couple of button presses on a screen or click-wheel to start exactly what she wants. Will this raise her expectations? Will she demand information and entertainment to just appear with a few clicks? Yes, of course she will.
And so will our students.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
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2 comments:
For us, it was John McCutcheon's The Birthday Song.
So to what extent must we provide content on our students' demand and to what extent can we expect them to receive it on our demand?
I would say the students already demand instant input from multiple sources. Just watching one of our student aides do his work while he has 6 IM windows open just boggles my mind.
And I have been fortunate enough to brainwash my daughter into requesting Tears for Fears songs. Break it Down Again is her favorite. :)
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