Thing 3

The 21st century has ushered us into a technology/information explosion. Are our students equipped with the skills that will enable them to be successful adults?

Personally, I have been disturbed about the way we 'educate' for quite a while. I have seen too many bright and capable students 'fall through the cracks' becoming discouraged with school and with learning altogether. Unfortunately, there seems to be a high number of boys who do not thrive under our current system.

As an undergrad, I did a research paper on "Creativity and the Classroom." It reinforced some of my views such as the role of the teacher being more of a 'facilitator' and allowing the student to learn through his/her discoveries (as much as possible). It also opened my eyes to see that much of the creativity that we see in young children is either discouraged or squelched in our system of formal education. There was not much information out in the early '80s, but I learned a lot about encouraging creativity and learning in the classroom.

Unfortunately, the curriculum and state/school requirements discourage teachers from implementing different techniques. It seems to be a daunting task to change our ideas of education, but that is where it starts. Indeed, the materials I just viewed, addressed a real concern in my heart. As educators, we need to honor individual gifts and talents.  We need to provide an environment that is conducive to creativity and interactive learning. And THAT will be the spark to ignite a whole lifetime of learning!

In my day, the teachers 'spoon-fed' us necessary information we needed for the test. If we were able to regurgitate the facts and figures on test days, we succeeded! This is not the case today; our life is more complex. Yes, there are basic facts in every core subject, but our 'digital natives' should learn to reflect, communicate, collaborate, problem-solve, and in addition, have a knowledge base about other countries and cultures. Our educational system should supply students with the skills and resources they need to launch out on their own and become independent learners. Let's get into the 21st century! 

Thing 2

I've taken this road to blogging very slowly, but I'm on the trail now!

There seems to be many possibilities for blogging in the classroom.  Yes, it may take a little creativity and effort to get it going.  However, if it engages the interest of students and enables them to learn, isn't it worth the effort?