Wow, so much information to process. That must be how our students feel as well. I can remember sitting as a first grader on a carpet square, and my teacher had a flip chart and a pointer that she would use to read us stories. In college, about 14 years ago, I learned about the software that can be used to read stories to students. Now, my own children create their own stories, put it into a power point presentation, and use animation and video to present it to their classmates. This use to be quite a feat for high school, but my 3rd grader did this last year. We were e mailed a copy of the story by her teacher, and we in turn e mailed it to family sharing her work in a matter of moments.
She was so motivated and excited to complete her project. I co teach Geometry and do not see that look of excitement or motivation from my students. I've also never taught or assigned a project such as this either. I guess we also get stuck in the rut of lecture, notes, then bookwork.
It was very interesting to see what skills were required in the workforce, as opposed to the way we expect our kids to learn. To see collaboration, reflection, and work ethic at the top of the list made me think. I can understand how and why these skills are important in the workforce, and need to be taught. I guess my frustration is how. There is so much emphasis at my school for assessment, that it leaves little time to think outside the box. It feels like we are always trying to pack 2 years worth of curriculum into 9 months. I would love to use technology to communicate with other teachers to share ideas about projects they might use to teach these skills.
I liked the quote about a literate person is someone who can relearn. I think many teachers and students are also in the rut of not wanting to try anything new. Working collaboratively involves working outside your comfort zone, and making yourself vulnerable to other people. This involves trust, honesty, and respect which are also important traits of a good work ethic.
I am motivated to find new ways to reach my students, and have them use technology on a daily basis. I really like the idea of reflection, using big ideas, and creating a supportive environment, so my students could learn to work in groups and collaborate on ideas.
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Some very perceptive observations. You're right, that is a lot of info to get through in this section of the things-- but I think having the background info helps to put the other things into perspective. We may not understand or appreciate social networking, but it's already a necessary skill for recent college graduates. And as I've heard and read from others: we teachers should be preparing students for THEIR future, not OUR future.
ReplyDeleteI agree that collaboration, reflection and work ethic are extremely important in the business world. I would like to see more collaboration with the AHS teachers. Sharing projects and incorporating information from other content areas would make classroom assignments more exciting for students. Setting up a staff blog might be a way of communicating with the staff and reflecting on your own work as well.
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to "cover" all of the curriculum and do the things you want. I sometimes think that the emphasis on assessment (locally and state) has taken away the creative side of our teachers. No time to try something new because you have to get through the benchmarks and standards.
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