Here are some creative ideas about how to beat the wireless sensor that will be embedded in every child’s galvanic response skin bracelet, if Clemson’s studies come to fruition. Bear in mind that the teacher will be evaluated in relation to the children’s level of excitement, engagement, and anxiety. Are they alert? Are they aware? Are they paying attention? How to create this state of high intensity?

In the first instance, the teacher insists that she herself would never do the following things, but she believes they would definitely work and guarantee a high rating on the responsiveness meter. In the second, the teacher treats the bracelet as a wonderful opportunity for his students to conduct an inquiry into how to game the bracelet.

Set a bell to ring at random intervals. When the bell rings, choose a student (mostly) at random and scream in their face for a minute about the slightest thing they’ve done wrong. Not only would those kids be kept in a high state of excitement, never knowing when or to whom a reaming would be handed, but they’d be the best behaved kids in the school, which I’m sure a lot of charter schools would love.Perhaps one could even create a bit of Stockholm Syndrome by some days being super nice candy teacher and being crazy screaming nutso teacher on others.I mean, the fun/interesting/cool stuff wears off-kids get used to it and you have to keep upping the ante. Not all kids are excited or interested in the same stuff. But fear? Everyone’s afraid of something…Plus, it’s a LOT easier to keep the kids afraid than engaged. I know one (as in, only one) teacher who is naturally so awesome that the kids hang on every word because “they might miss something.” I know a bunch more that try to be that way. But if it came down to keeping a job, keeping the kids afraid is a lot easier and I think that a lot of teachers that wouldn’t dream of teaching that way would do that if they felt they had no other choice.
Finally . . . some inquiry-based science materials!!I’d challenge the kids to figure out how the devices work and how to “game the system”. My 8th grade science students would be abuzz. They’d probably try attaching the bracelets to the class hamster (his metabolism usually registers as pretty excited). The kids would figure it and come up with incredibly creative ways to outsmart it!http://www.makershed.com/Galvanic_Skin_Response_Kit_p/msgr01.htmIt’s about time the reform movement offer our kids a means to develop their innovation! Before this, we have been starved of any materials, resources, support, or time for innovation or intelligence.