"He saw something in my son that no one else did."
These are the words that the father says about the film director who showed the world Caine's talent. This, I believe, is what every teacher must do for every student they teach.
As Sir Ken said yesterday, "some talents/passions are buried deep."
It's the job of teachers, parents, coaches, and bosses to help students discover their passions.
Watch these two videos. Then put down a reaction to each video. Also, leave feedback to the reactions of two of your classmates.
Caine's Arcade
Caine's Arcade 2
Caine proves what Sir Ken talks about in his TED Talk about the power of creativity. Caine is willing to work incredibly hard, think outside the box, innovate, and handle failure. All key traits that are vital in the real world.
ReplyDeleteI like to work hard and think out of the box, but I do not like to fail. School has done this to me. Failing is the number one thing we shouldn't do. How are we supposed to learn a lesson that would prepare us for the real world?
DeleteMr. Zutz tells us to go out and try something new. Who cares if you fail. Just do it in front of the students so they can see how you recover. This is actually quite good because it shows students how vulnerable and authentic we really are.
DeleteI once read a quote by a veteran teacher that went something like this: "Teaching is the act of pretending like I've known all my life what I just learned that morning."
I think it should be something like this: "Teaching is the act of showing students that I don't know everything. Teaching is all about showing students that I am capable of learning new things all the time. It's not about pretending to know more than anyone else. It's all about finding things out and learning."
In Caine's Arcade 2, Caine's dad utters the great phrase, "He saw something in my son that no one else did." This is what we all need at some point in our lives. Often times, we don't even know what are passions are, until someone else points it out to us and gives us encouragement. What would school look like if we ALL did more of this?
ReplyDeleteIf someone points out to us what we are good at, then it may help us find our true passion. Also, if someone sees the value in something that we do, then it might open up big opportunities for us.
DeleteWhen someone tells us that we are good at something it makes us feel better about ourselves and what we are doing, so we keep doing it.
DeleteThe first video kind of gave me some hope that I will find something I love to do and be passionate about. Right now I'm not very passionate about any certain things. That kind of has to do with my creativeness. I do what teachers tell me to do. Most of those things don't really need creativeness.
ReplyDeleteBut you can find a creative way to do anything. I'll show you a video on this. Creativity is a habit. It takes time and effort, but it can be learned. I have total faith in you.
DeleteI agree with what you say, most of the things we get assigned in school have us follow a strict guideline so its uncommon to find someone going above and beyond. We aren't used to being creative and using our imagination (atleast I'm not).
DeleteIn the second video, I was thinking about how the littlest things can make the biggest differences. So many teachers just go through the motions and teach right out of the book. There isn't really any room for the students to grow in their own ways. Teachers, I believe, need to think out of the box and be creative. Every student is different and that need to be recognized.
ReplyDeleteThe students will learn the material better if the teacher goes above and beyond with trying to teach it. If the teacher is just going through the motions, then the students will not learn very well.
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ReplyDeleteIn Caine's arcade part one, I find it amazing that such a young boy can have such a strong mindset. Most nine year olds don't have a good enough attention span to stay in one spot for two minutes. This boy would put hours upon hours into his cardboard arcade, and even when no one would play, he still toughed it out and stayed open.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Caine has a strong mindset. I think about my little brother, and that he would never be able to focus on one thing for however long it took Caine to make his arcade. Most kids don't! Caine worked hard to get it done and keep improving it. His luck got even better.
DeleteThis is a kid with a passion. He loves building and creating new things. He didn’t give up when nobody wanted to play his games or the kids at school made fun of him. He persevered through all of that. It only took one person to play his games and change his life. If he would’ve quit cause he was getting made fun of and nobody played, he wouldn’t be where he is.
ReplyDeleteI think that there is something to be learned from him. Not only does he have an amazing mind with creativity, but he also doesn't give up. It shows that if you put in the time and effort, things will pay off in the end.
DeleteCaine just proved to us all that with having so much passion for something can help us persevere when things aren't going our way. This reminds me of basketball when I can't make a shot to save my life. It's tough at the time but the dedication to push through it made the end result that much better and it definitely paid off.
DeleteIn the first video. Caine a little boy from Los Angeles had a great work ethic and did back down from the box arcade not becoming a big thing at first. The thought to quit never even crossed Caine's mind. An average boy his age would've made on little arcade game and then forgotten about the whole idea the net day and move on. Caine stuck with and was original and with that greatness came to Caine.
ReplyDeleteYou're right about how most average boys would've made a game and given up without any customers. The unique faith that Caine places in his arcade makes it clear that he's far from an ordinary boy. In the end, what sets apart his character from others is what draws people in and helps him with his future.
DeleteThe second video. Caine has still been going strong on his arcade and has made a claw machine. Because of Caine's hard work and determination people are donating him money for college and in just a couple day he raised enough money pretty much to pay his whole way through college. Caine proved that with a little luck and determination greatness can come to anybody. Even an 11 year old boy in Los Angles.
DeleteThe video really shows that one person, or one moment in someones life can really make a difference. It shows that if you are persistent and don't give up so easily, that is when you will succeed. If everyone is given the opportunity to succeed in their place of interest, great things can happen.
ReplyDeleteBecause of that one person who gave Caine the opportunity, great things have happened. Not only has his arcade become well known, but because of it he has come out of his shell. He is doing better in school and has become more confident.
I completely agree with you Keenan. Everything that has happened in Caine's life has changed him as a person. I really like the part about everyone has an opportunity to succeed in what their interested in.
DeleteIn the second video, it's amazing how lucky Caine gets by having an independent film maker come by and play his games. What starts off as a guy spending a few bucks to play some cardboard games, turns into a nation wide front page news story. In the video, it said that Caine already has over $150,000 in his college account. That's amazing. Any kid who is that young and puts that much work into something is bound to have a successful life.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was amazing to see how successful Caine already is.Just from his creativity alone anyone could tell that he will go far in life. The publicity and scholarship money he got will give him a head start when he starts college and his career. Whatever he decides to do with his life I think he'll be successful.
DeleteI agree that its is pretty amazing how just from having and imagination with card board boxes and some tape made him into a nationwide start kind of. Now he has $150,000 in his college bank account thats crazy.
DeleteThe second video showed how far Caine’s Arcade went. It didn’t just affect him, it affected the whole world. He changed the lives of kids all over the globe and inspired them to be passionate about what the love.
ReplyDeleteI think creativity is contagious and if we started a change and it caught on, it would just be a matter of time before a type of creative Renaissance would sweep up the whole world. I think it would benefit everyone and improve education for kids of all ages.
DeleteI think it's pretty cool that now the whole globe was inspired by this little boy's imagination with just a couple of card board games... Thats insane.
DeleteThe first video sparked my interest right away, it reminded me of the marble mazes we made in 6th grade, and how we had to get creative to make a successful product. In the video I also saw that one person can really spark a change for someone, and it set off a "domino" effect for creativity for many other people and places. Something like this set off a spark for creativity, and I think we need to continue that in our education system.
ReplyDeleteThose mazes were awesome. That's a great example of bringing out the creativity in young minds. I agree that things like that should take place throughout all the years of schooling. Everyone has a creative mind, some people just need an opportunity to use it.
DeleteI too thought of the marble mazes that we were able to make in 6th grade. I actually thought a lot of aspects from 6th grade were really neat. We were constantly being pushed to create things and machines using what we had learned in class. As much fun as it sounded I thought it was difficult because I had never done stuff like that before. I wish we had had more chances like that.
DeleteIn the first video it shows how persistent Caine was and how it eventually paid off for him. If he would have just given up in the first few days with no customers, then he wouldn’t have gotten the big surprise that he did. This shows that hard work and persistence does pay off.
ReplyDeleteIn the second video we learn how much Caine’s Arcade helped him out. He started doing way better in school, quit stuttering, and came out of his shell. He wasn’t trying to do all of this when he started his arcade, but all of these positive effects happened when he did what he loved to do.
I agree, if you are persistent things will happen. Such as in this story, because he never gave up and didn't miss a day. That one customer came by and changed not only him, but his future.
DeleteIn the first video, I found it absolutely amazing how Caine was so persistent. Even when he couldn't get anyone to play his games, he still never gave up and continued to not make his arcade better and to persuade people to play it. His willingness to not give up obviously payed off when he got his first customer. I find his persistence very inspiring and it shows that hard work and willingness with pay off.
ReplyDeleteIn the second video, it shows how well his persistence payed off for him. He did better in school, lost his stutter and started to get out of his comfort zone in a good way. It shows that hard work always helps you grow and the harder you work, the more opportunities rise for you. Since he worked so hard on his arcade, he grew into his own and came out of his shell.
ReplyDeleteI think it was great that Caine started doing better in school. It has been a proven fact that when kids are involved in art extracurriculars, they tend to test better in school. Since Caine worked so hard luck was on his side, and he got the opportunities in life he worked for. He now has a huge college fund that will help him in the future.
DeleteIn the second video, it shows how hard work pays off. I think it was amazing to see how much they raised for Caine's college fund. Caine's arcade has already touched many people, and it is even spreading to other countries. I think that it is cool that they are having a special day for kids to create their own things like Caine, you can also tell how he has touched the lives of others by the way his fans adore him.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw how many people were involved in the Cardboard Challenge, I was blown away. For that many kids to have the opportunity to express their creativity through engineering is great. More ideas for hands-on education need to be incorporated in the ways schools teach.
DeleteVideo #1:
ReplyDeleteThere are two things that kids have that some people lose as they grow up they are creativity and persistence. Caine has a lot of both. Despite his constant upset of having no customers he continued his arcade. And in the end his persistence and determination paid off when he met the film director that would change his life. It was a timing and pure luck that happened because of Caine’s boundless creativity and constant persistence.
Video #2:
ReplyDeleteIn Ken Robinson’s The Element he mentions several times that people that find their element, for example Gillian Lynne, tend not to do very well in school.
In my mind this connects to Caine because in the second video Caine’s father mentions that his son has improved in school. I think this is evidence that he has become more confident, but I also believe that he has improved because he has taken more of his creative views and applied it to his learning.
The first video was very inspiring. I loved how determined and dedicated Caine showed himself to be; never giving up, even when his arcade became a bit of a joke in the town. The fact that he sat out in his chair everyday, wearing his t-shirt proudly, showed that he had a lot of passion for what he had created and was a part of. His ingenuity and commitment were what brought out the great repercussions to all of his work.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Caine was extremely determined. He had to problem solve when his dad wouldn't buy him a claw machine, so he created his own. Some kids his age would have given up on the whole project, but he persevered and finished the project.
DeleteThe second video was interesting because it let you see how what Caine had done didn't stop affecting people after October 26. The encouragement of diverse learning through this annual event inspired by this little boy's actions is incredible. The participation of kids all over the world is even more amazing.The story of this underdog becoming a hero to so many people just by being himself shows how passionate persistence can pay off.
ReplyDeleteThis kid is amazing. He started his own little buisness with cardboard boxes. Even though he had one customer he never gave up. He would sit there for hours everyday trying to get people to play his games. He was always trying to make the games better. In the second video it shows that hard work really does pay off. I thought is was cool when all of those people showed up at his arcade place. This kid has a lot of passions.
ReplyDeleteIn the first video I think Caine is a very inspiring little boy. He took card board boxes and turned them into an arcade. The part that really inspires me is he only had one customer, yet he still sat outside waiting for more even though the chances weren't likely. His determination and passion keeps him going even when his classmates made fun of him for having an arcade.
ReplyDeleteI find it so cool that Caine's fun little game could lead to so much more. Who would've guessed that he would be talked about around the world and really change other children's life. It's really neat that Caine's schoolwork and stuttering problem improved from this. It really proves that creativity and school go hand in hand. We can't learn without being creative. Teachers need to bring that creativity out of their students to get a more effective result in their learning.
ReplyDeleteVideo #1: In video one the boy showed that nothing would get him down, and he waited and waited for that one customer and never gave up. He was alway in high hopes and never thought once about quitting.
ReplyDeleteVideo #2: In video two the little boys patience and dedication finally payed off in a huge way. I think it is pretty inspiring what this little kid did and now theres a day for imagination with boxes... pretty cool.
Part 1: I find this video very creative and inspiring. It reminds me of my childhood because as a kid, I would gather all of my family members books and put them into the living room to form my own "library." I made library cards, color coordinated the books and even managed to get some "business" from my family members. Like Caines, I would brag about my very own library to my fellow Moorhead Spuds to often get a disapproving look and an attempt at an eye roll in return. Also like Caines, I had people who enjoyed my creativity and encouraged me to keep my imagination running. Without this support I do not know if I would have been able to continue with my makeshift library. Ultimately, This video really makes me realize how powerful creativity and imagination is among kids and adults alike.
ReplyDeletePart 2: This part of "Caines Arcade" really puts imagination into perspective for me. For Caine, all he needs to make an arcade is a whole lot of cardboard and imagination. Caines frankly has a lot of both and so much more. Caines not only has a wild imagination, he also has determination and passion for what he has created despite being knocked down by peers and his one sale up until the secret event. This video also puts the power of the media and social media into perspective for me. Not only did Caines make a film on youtube, He appeared and was mentioned on multiple major news networks, multiple websites including Reddit and to top it all off, was the start of the cardboard challenge to inspire other children and adults across the world.
"When you are a lonely nine year old boy, An empty cardboard box can be a universe of possibilities." -Diane Sawyer
Video 1: I like how someone took just a little bit of time out of their day to go and play with a kid and make his day a whole lot better. It goes to show how really the smallest things can make the biggest impacts in someones life.
ReplyDeleteVideo 2: It fascinates me how so many more kids got involved and started creating their own little arcade games. Caine really inspired a lot of people and is bringing back creativity and imagination that I think a lot of people have forgotten about.