Thinking about curriculum

Idea #1—The Dewey Decimal System, short story unit, photosynthesis, long division. These were a few of the opening of school units in various subjects and grades during my stellar K-12 career. Memorable? Nope. Engaging as initial units at the beginning of a new school year? Not really. Did they contain answers to questions that I had asked. Are you kidding? John Arnold, a university colleague once commented, "The middle school curriculum consists too much of giving our students answers to questions they never ask." A very powerful idea. He was right...and this idea applies to elementary and high schools as well, I'm sure. Children, young adolescents, and older adolescents have many interests, but those interests are not necessarily what the curriculum dictates when we don't give them time to ask and answer questions they have about their lives and the world.

Idea #2—For three weeks we have been reading about a variety of innovative schools and programs that sometimes look very different from the typical schools we all know. The question I wonder about is why we have so few examples of schools doing other than the traditional things we all know? Yes, there are a number of teachers doing other things and occasionally an entire school (King MS and expeditionary learning), but typically most schools have one model that all students must fit into. Why is that? Why can't any school try out different ideas to meet the needs of students (first), but also use the strengths of their teachers. A short example...why can't high schools or middle schools use different ways of organizing students and teachers...some self-contained, different sized teams, maybe even a team that crosses grade levels...all in the same school? Or, a combination of F2F and blended classes instead of all F2F?

Idea #3—Some thought-provoking ideas from all of you in our shared Google Doc in week 5 and our discussions about what we expect from young adolescents by the end of middle school. (Again, this list applies to elementary and high school students as well, don't you think?) Here are some of the ideas...limited because of space. Our middle schooler will be...self-reliant, a risk-taker, open minded, one who accepts responsibility, is independent and can work and think independently, learns from her/his mistakes, self-sufficient. Others said that schools should be places where students are motivated to continue to learn on their own; places that are fun, safe, and experimental, allowing students to explore their own possibilities; where education is connected to doing, and; where students learn empathy for one another. Lots more, but this is an excellent start, don't you think?

Don't throw these away

We are studying so many different ideas in EDC 533, reading critiques about what doesn't work, and trying to balance the old and the new. I honestly believe that one of the biggest barriers to improving schools as we know them...is that we know them so well. When anyone makes a suggestion about doing something different, the immediate reaction is to back up (and almost always defensively) and dig our heels in. The assumption that we make in this situation that what we were doing was wrong, ineffective, or harmful.


We know there are all kinds of helpful and positive practices whose value should continue. Here are several of the things that I think work well in classrooms and schools...and why. Remember, you read it here first.


1. We will continue to need gathering places for teachers and students (let's call them schools) for the opportunities for human connections. Between students and students; teachers and teachers, and; students and teachers. We need to learn from each other because with more and more technology, we need what Alvin Toffler called, "High tech, high touch." In this digital age we need more opportunities for human beings to work together...one of the most critical skills of the future.


2. A good part of learning is developing a sense of community. Having shared experiences. As good as Skype and other video conferencing systems are...they do not take the place of all face-to-face interactions. We need to learn from each other and we need to have an audience for our work that is safe, respectful, and welcoming.


3. Finally, nothing will take the place of a caring, committed, knowledgeable teacher who has taught her students to think deeply. Especially from pre-K through 8th or 9th grade, we need to have teachers who facilitate the learning of her charges...and even beyond that age level. Guiding, prodding, suggesting, encouraging...are only the beginning of what a good teacher does to her students.


These turned out to be more big picture items that I first anticipated, but I am sure that grammar, long division, and knowing how photosynthesis works is not what we will want to keep around for 21st century school...at least not in the form they are in today.


But, maybe, just maybe, there is something else I should have mentioned here. If so, I will be back!

Why don't they teach us more about technology (and learning)?

"I would use more technology in my classroom, but my school/district doesn't provide enough training for me to learn how to use all the tools available to us."

Have you heard that before?

Do you believe it?

This post came from my response in a recent Moodle forum and frankly, it was too good not to share more widely (he says modestly!).

Jon D. hit the nail directly on the head in his response...and I pick up from there. When MLTI started in 2002 or so, Bette Manchester and crew did an outstanding job of "mass educating" middle level teachers about the laptops, how they worked, and most importantly, how they could be used by students and teachers as learning tools. Before giving out brand-new laptops to every 7th and 8th grade teacher and student in Maine, they needed to have a massive professional development program like never seen before. The PD had to be thoughtful, engaging, multifaceted, and it had to be done fast! Preparing for initial MLTI implementation had to be done at that time and in that way and ultimately it was very successful. But as Jon notes, there is no way that we can provide personalized "service" to everyone. Mass education just doesn't work anymore (and maybe that goes for our work with our students as well)!

There is a reason why manuals that used to be book size are now on 3 x 5 inch cards; in addition, many tutorials, podcasts, and written explanations are readily available online. Once past a certain level of "technology savvy-ness", we simply need to spend some time with a new device or tool (like VoiceThread) and learn how to use it. Perhaps a major problem is that we don't take time to learn something by playing with it.

Let's deal with the elephant in the room. Why don't we use the expertise/knowledge of our students? Why doesn't every Maine school have an iTeam with tech-learning savvy kids who can not only set up and fix the machines...but more importantly, can help us figure out how to use them to learn? Let's take this even further. I suggest that every elementary, middle and high school have an iTeam whose members are knowledgeable about how the technology works, how it can be used to help students and teacher learn, but are also knowledgeable about using it safely, responsibly, and ethically. Call this digital citizenship if you like. And then we teach every student and teacher in the school how to use digital media in this responsible way. Possible...of course! Probable...only if we have the will to make it happen.

So, whose responsibility is it for us to learn more about technology and learning...and why aren't we using the expertise of our students who are willing and eager to help us learn this stuff?