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Podcast: Writing in the Age of ChatGPT

Brave Writer Podcast

Today Melissa and I nerd out about writing. We’re passionate about writing. We’re professional writers! Ergo: we LOVE it!

The unique aspect of Brave Writer is that our approach to teaching writing is different from what’s typically taught in education or seen in other writing resources. It’s a process that is reflective of the stages a writer goes through when writing and publishing a novel. And when we were designing that program, we felt that the missing element in writing education was love.

On this episode of the Brave Writer podcast, we discuss the history of the written word that led us to this conclusion, as well as new technologies that may have the potential to disrupt what it means to be a writer.

Show Notes

Have you ever found yourself reading a sample paragraph out of a teaching program and thought to yourself, “What happens next? I want a second paragraph!” If the answer is no, let me ask you this: Why would you want to use a lifeless piece of writing as an example for your children?

We know good writing when we see it — that’s love. We should be teaching the writing that lights us up, and that wants us to keep reading.

Why do humans write?

What drives us to create art, hieroglyphs, and alphabets? It’s the desire to preserve and share valuable information. The excitement of capturing something in a lasting way is contagious — it taps into our awareness of our own mortality. To teach a five-year-old the value of writing, they must see the purpose behind it. Why do we read and write? To preserve and share information. This is seen in how parents record their baby’s first words and share them with others. There is a strong desire to preserve original information in a written form.

When you start from a foundation of valuing the human being and the writing voice that lives inside, it makes the work more meaningful and you can take it at a pace the child can handle. We’ve designed all of our programs with that pace in mind for the sake of the child. Kids have to understand that there is something of value at the end of it.

But what about ChatGPT?

If you haven’t heard of it yet, ChatGPT is a sophisticated AI technology built to understand natural language. You can ask it a question and it will answer with what is often eerily human-sounding responses.

  • What about this brave new world of AI writing technology?
  • Will Melissa and Julie (and other professional writers) be out of a job? 
  • Do your kids even need to learn how to write?
  • What role should ChatGPT play in our culture and education systems, like college? 

ChatGPT can be, at first glance, surprisingly impressive. But as you see more examples of it, you begin to realize the limitations of what it can create or how reliable it is in its accuracy.

Beyond that, there are many unsettling questions about what this means for creators and writers. Where is it getting its information? Who could you unknowingly be plagiarizing by using it? As a structure, it’s appropriative.

If you want to incorporate ChatGPT and other AI tools into your child’s writing and education, start by treating it as an adventure that you can go on together. Explore and see if you can arrive at an understanding of where it’s useful and where it’s lifeless.

There are no easy answers when it comes to adopting and adapting to new technologies. We’ve seen it before with the rise of the internet, smartphones, and ever-present screens — it takes time to find a balance that works for your family, and you’re going to have questions along the way. We’re all still figuring it out. We hope that you’ll be along for the ride with us as we continue to see what direction this may unfold.

Resources

Connect with Julie

Brave Writer Podcast

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Podcast: Technology and Kids with Devorah Heitner

Brave Writer Podcast

Wondering how to juggle technology and kids? Today’s Brave Writer podcast episode is dedicated to addressing the number one requested topic: screen time and our children.

With the rise of technology and the numerous devices available, it’s natural for us to feel overwhelmed and concerned about the impact screens are having on our kids. Do you ever feel guilty about letting your children watch television or use their devices, even though you don’t feel the same way about listening to a podcast or audiobook?

Devorah Heitner
Devorah Heitner

Our guest today, Devorah Heitner, is here to help us answer our most pressing questions and ease the nervousness we feel around screen time. Devorah is a Ph.D. who studied media, technology, and society at Northwestern University and works with communities, schools, and companies to raise tech-savvy children. She is the author of the best-selling book, Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive and Survive in Their Digital World, and is here to offer practical advice, not add more shame or guilt to our already complex relationship with screens.

So sit back, relax, and get ready to learn about managing screen time for our children.

Show Notes

Should parents be concerned about tech?

It can be a significant challenge to manage technology in homeschooling environments. With constant access to tech devices like iPads and laptops, it’s difficult for parents to set boundaries. The devices are always present and the temptation to use them is high. This can be especially difficult for parents juggling multiple responsibilities, who sometimes use technology as a distraction. The tension between the availability of technology and the need to manage it is one of the biggest challenges faced by families.

Devorah is optimistic about the experiences kids can have — but has to admit her concern that tech companies don’t have their best interests in mind. However, communities like homeschoolers are showing great innovation. We want kids to know that technology is there to support them, not the other way around. It should enhance learning and connections, not control them.

Parents’ concerns are real, but how we react to those concerns is what is most important: We don’t want to be overly controlling and limiting, and at the same time we don’t want to just throw up our hands and give in freely. We have to focus on what technology can make better, and mentor our children in ways to use it that enhance their lives.

Mentors vs Monitors

When it comes to parenting and technology, it’s important to understand the difference between mentoring and monitoring. Mentoring focuses on setting your children up for success and helping them make their own decisions, while monitoring is more about catching them when they do something wrong. It’s important to prioritize teaching your children to do the right thing, rather than just catching them when they make mistakes. Mentoring is an ongoing conversation that involves sharing personal experiences, such as tech mishaps, and helping your children build their character and decision-making skills.

Entering into consensual monitoring is the key.

In terms of technology and parenting, filters and child locks can be helpful, but they are not a complete solution. It’s crucial to have open and honest conversations with your children about topics such as pornography and other potentially harmful content they may encounter online. Even with filters in place, your children may still come across these things, so it’s important to create an environment where they feel comfortable talking to you if they encounter something concerning.

Tips for regulating screen usage

In order to help children raised in the streaming era to have a balanced relationship with television, it’s important to create attractive unplugged zones in the home. This can be done by:

  • Visiting libraries, and bookstores, and restocking art supplies to keep things new and exciting.
  • It’s not always necessary to buy new items, but rotating the supplies and making them accessible helps kids engage in activities that don’t involve screens.
  • Making other spaces in the home attractive, such as a cozy spot around the piano or a game area, can help shift the focus away from screens.

When kids are drawn to technology-based activities, such as gaming or YouTube how-to tutorials, it’s important to encourage them to use that knowledge to create something in real life. This can be done by asking them to make dinner or to use the knowledge from the tutorials to make something. The goal is to have them create rather than just consume, as too much screen time can have negative impacts on their development.

Our kids are ultimately going to have to live with technology their whole lives. Keeping it inaccessible to them for most of their lives is only going to hold them back. But if we can set boundaries around what matters most and educate them on responsible usage of technology, their relationship with it may be better than our own.

Resources

Connect with Julie

Brave Writer Podcast

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Followership

Brave Writer

You know what topic rankles me more than most?

Leadership.

Please, dear blooming pear trees, can we stop telling people to be leaders or how to be leaders or that being a leader is a good idea?

I’m in CEO spaces, online membership communities, and have been a part of religious organizations. All are obsessed with training leaders, teaching about leadership, and then endowing you with authority that a “leader” deserves to have. Total status thing to be a leader (and then I wonder—who are the followers if everyone wants to be a leader?).

You know what podcasts about failed organizations tell me? That you can’t trust leaders!

Sure, managers of baseball teams are seen as de facto “leaders.” But who scores the runs?

I would love to see a revolution of followership. Maria Montessori does my favorite twist on leadership: “Follow your child, but follow as his leader.” Use that experience, resource, and maturity to follow your child. WHAT? Your child gets to have support for their agenda, not be “led” by yours. So good, right?

Collaboration Instead

Collaboration seems a better goal to me. What creates an environment where each person has agency?

I know sometimes decisions have to be made and there’s a point person who makes the call. But I’d rather name that for what it is: Responsibility.

Why dress it up in “leadership”? Feels coercive to me—like the “followers” need to trust me or look up to me. Responsibility just says: “I’ll take the heat if this is the wrong call.” Very different from “the leader knows best.”

Some questions to ask yourself:

  • What do I think about the term leadership?
  • Do I like being seen as someone’s follower?
  • If I see myself as a leader, do I know if my “followers” see me that way?
  • What is the advantage of not being a leader when in a relationship with others?

Above is a photo of me pretending to fly. It dawned on me that I should never be a pilot. I would be terrible at it. No margin for error. I need lots of margin.

Maybe that’s why being a “leader” feels fraudulent. People trust you! I want people to trust themselves.

Brave Learner Home

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Mechanics & Literature: February 2023

Brave Writer

February’s Dart, Arrow, and Boomerang selections feature strong characters who are finding their way in the world even as it changes all around them.

These stories will sow the seeds for Big Juicy Conversations your kids won’t soon forget as your family explores:

  • writing,
  • mechanics,
  • and literary devices,

And this month’s Quill contains the flavorful ingredients you’ll need to explore cooking with kids!

Discover new foods and the places they come from while your children practice early reading, handwriting, and math skills.

[This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you click on those links to make purchases, Brave Writer receives compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you!]

Brave Writer Quill
Quill (ages 5-7)

Break out the measuring cups! The February Quill (Cooking) is here!

In this Quill we’ll keenly observe the spices of life; cook up comparisons with kitchen language; put nursery rhymes into action; bake in order with sequencing; and compare measurement systems.

Note: You can use any cooking picture books you have in your stacks or find at your library.

Some suggestions:

Get the Quill.

Brave Writer Dart
Dart (ages 8-10)

Maya and the Robot by Eve L. Ewing

Things get interesting when Maya meets Ralph, a forgotten homemade robot who comes to life!

You won’t want to miss our story’s opening scene—it’s a food fight, oh my! And this story ends right where it started! You’ll have to read the book to see what we mean, but trust us, it’s the perfect example of this month’s literary device, hook and return! 

We’ll also: 

  • shout about interjections and exclamation points!
  • take a peek behind the curtain at prepositions,
  • dive into some deliciously detailed descriptive language,
  • look at the biggest, boldest literary device in the galaxy—otherwise known as hyperbole,
  • snip out some syllables, thanks to contractions,
  • see how juicy verbs can inject energy into writing, and so much more!

Purchase the book.

Get the Dart.

Brave Writer Arrow
Arrow (ages 11-12)

Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome

This historical fiction novel takes us to Chicago’s postwar South Side where a boy named Langston discovers the power of poetry and the people who create it! A story that will warm your day, even if it’s snowing where you are!*

February’s literary device is First-person Narrative. Discover the power of stories told from a main character’s point of view.

We’ll also: 

  • assess apostrophes,
  • announce amazing articles,
  • play with poetry,
  • find out what’s happening with action beats,
  • locate, look at, and learn about commas, and so much more! 

*Note About Content: Although this gentle coming-of-age story is ultimately one of hope and understanding, parents should be aware that just before the book’s opening, the narrator’s mother passes away, a fact that’s wrestled with as the story unfolds.

Purchase the book.

Get the Arrow.

Brave Writer Boomerang
Boomerang (ages 13-14)

Angel of Greenwood by Randi Pink

Watch Isaiah and Angel debate the teachings of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois and then decide what your family thinks!*

In this Boomerang, we’ll:

  • justify juxtaposition,
  • highlight historical fiction,
  • pick apart point-of-view,
  • dabble in dependent clauses,
  • notice narrative tension,
  • label literary foils, and so much more! 

*Note About Content: While ultimately hopeful and uplifting, Angel of Greenwood addresses harsh realities of history and depicts teenage romance (including kissing but nothing sexually graphic). We encourage you, the parent, to pre-read this novel to be sure it is right for your family. 

Purchase the book.

Get the Boomerang.

For ages 15-18, check out the Slingshot.

Brave Writer

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[Podcast] The Complete List for 2023

Brave Writer Podcast

Did you miss a 2023 episode of the Brave Writer Podcast? Did you want to listen to an episode again?

Not to worry!

Here are the episodes of the podcast aired in 2023 in one convenient place so that you can listen (or re-listen) to them whenever you want. Show Notes are included!

Note: We switched to a new numbering system February 1st so the January episodes can be found here (starting with S8E48).

2023 Podcasts

Tune in to the Brave Writer podcast on Apple Podcasts (or your app of choice),
and also here on the Brave Writer blog.

Brave Writer Podcast

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