In the book, Why School by Will Richardson, he outlines two popular ideas to make schools "better." One of them suggests that high stakes testing should be used to determine which teachers are good and which are not. This view also suggests that we sell our curriculum to the highest bidder and allow our children to be taught remotely.
"In a nutshell, proponents of this view believe that education can be improved by identifying and getting rid of teachers whose students underperform on the test, by privatizing schools, and by “personalizing” the curriculum via computers that deliver content and problems to individual kids based on their assessed skill level." I find it interesting that the plan is to "personalize" curriculum by taking away the humanity. What we need to do is empower students and teachers to lead their own learning. Give the students the tools and the power to become the scientist, writer, the humanitarian that already exists in their heart. Unlock the global community so that we can all learn together.
One of the learning and unlearning ideas that really has power for me is the idea of discover, don't deliver the curriculum. In his book Richardson quotes Stephen Downes as saying, "we have to stop thinking of an education as something that is delivered to us and instead see it as something we create for ourselves." I truly believe that especially in the field of science. I hope to inspire my students to question all aspects of the world around them. In the classroom I will demonstrate that process of inquiry as we learn the content standards, teaching my students to extend their wonder and understanding into all aspects of their life.
One of the hardest for me to instill will be "do work for real audiences." It will be difficult for me to build this understanding for my students as lab and science work is not a natural experience for many of my students. They may not have home experiences where wonder and inquiry is encouraged. In our classroom we ask for projects and creations where the students mimic real world experience, such as biotech conference. Students will design projects that they will have to present and sell to parent and other students. This will take focus and effort to design, but will allow my students to be prepared for real world work.
Richardson, Will (2012-09-10). Why School?: How Education Must Change When Learning and Information Are Everywhere (Kindle Single) (Kindle Locations 232-234). TED Conferences. Kindle Edition.
"In a nutshell, proponents of this view believe that education can be improved by identifying and getting rid of teachers whose students underperform on the test, by privatizing schools, and by “personalizing” the curriculum via computers that deliver content and problems to individual kids based on their assessed skill level." I find it interesting that the plan is to "personalize" curriculum by taking away the humanity. What we need to do is empower students and teachers to lead their own learning. Give the students the tools and the power to become the scientist, writer, the humanitarian that already exists in their heart. Unlock the global community so that we can all learn together.
One of the learning and unlearning ideas that really has power for me is the idea of discover, don't deliver the curriculum. In his book Richardson quotes Stephen Downes as saying, "we have to stop thinking of an education as something that is delivered to us and instead see it as something we create for ourselves." I truly believe that especially in the field of science. I hope to inspire my students to question all aspects of the world around them. In the classroom I will demonstrate that process of inquiry as we learn the content standards, teaching my students to extend their wonder and understanding into all aspects of their life.
One of the hardest for me to instill will be "do work for real audiences." It will be difficult for me to build this understanding for my students as lab and science work is not a natural experience for many of my students. They may not have home experiences where wonder and inquiry is encouraged. In our classroom we ask for projects and creations where the students mimic real world experience, such as biotech conference. Students will design projects that they will have to present and sell to parent and other students. This will take focus and effort to design, but will allow my students to be prepared for real world work.
Richardson, Will (2012-09-10). Why School?: How Education Must Change When Learning and Information Are Everywhere (Kindle Single) (Kindle Locations 232-234). TED Conferences. Kindle Edition.