I am going to be writing about 21st century learning and how we can create schools that truly prepare students for the future. The task often seems insurmountable and therefore needs to be broken down into manageable steps; a road map or blueprint as a guide to teachers.
In curriculum 21 Heide Hayes Jacobs speaks about the essentials of 21st century learning. Despite the complexity of the paradigm shift, she suggests beginning with one aspect; assessment. It has often been said that assessment drives instruction and as such, if teachers are encouraged to make changes to assessment, it is highly likely that instruction will be altered as a result. In order for students to successfully accomplish the assessment requirement, the learning will need to look different.
As teachers attempt to create assessment tasks that are more authentic, it is easiest to think of assessment requirements in terms of asking students to take on a role; a role that is related to the discipline that is being studied and calls on the child to create something, that a professional related to that discipline would create. For example, in English Language Arts we could ask students to take on the role of journalist, or book reviewer, or editor, or debater, or conference presenter....... In a biology class we could ask students to take on the role of genetist, or medical doctor or nutritionist or....... Students are called upon to create products of value that model what "real people" do.
Teachers could begin by altering one assessment as a start; upgrade one assessment per semester. Students in a grade 11 English class could develop a screenplay instead of a short story. Students in grade four could develop a webquest about a visit to a foreign country. Students could create podcasts to show their new learning.
This could be the most manageable way to gradually move into 21st century learning.
More to come.....
Friday, November 11, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
new website
I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer.
I found a fabulous website - vocabulary.com
It is a great website for older students to develop their vocabulary. It takes them to progressively more challenging application of the words. Truly a great site.
I found a fabulous website - vocabulary.com
It is a great website for older students to develop their vocabulary. It takes them to progressively more challenging application of the words. Truly a great site.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Good Morning all
As promised, I will continue blogging and sharing with you what I am reading or learning about in the field of education.
This past week, I started reading Visible Learning by John Hattie. In this research based book, Hattie summarizes 800 meta-analyses and many more individual research studies that focus on teaching practices that have the greatest impact on student learning. Among other statistical measures, Hattie looks at an effect size - in particular effect size that is above the moderate size of .40 that you will see from general but not outstanding teaching practices. He presents strategies that have an effect size of .60 and above, which is quite significant.
One of the most effective and powerful strategies is teacher feedback. Students need to know how they are doing - at any given time. In addition, they need to have developed the comfort level and trust in the educator to be able to ask questions freely without risk of embarrassment. This leads to the importance of classroom environment in student achievement.
Feedback to teachers is also critical so that theycan gage how students are progressing and can modify and adjust their teaching according to individual accomplishments and/or challenges.
One of the most effective classroom strategies with an effect size of .76 (very high) is reciprocal teaching. The process of mediated learning, scaffolding instruction and using metacognitive strategy instruction in the developement of reading comprehension is extrememly valuable.
I will write more about reciprocal teaching and other visible learning strategies that have a significant impact on student learning.
Have a great week-end
Karen
As promised, I will continue blogging and sharing with you what I am reading or learning about in the field of education.
This past week, I started reading Visible Learning by John Hattie. In this research based book, Hattie summarizes 800 meta-analyses and many more individual research studies that focus on teaching practices that have the greatest impact on student learning. Among other statistical measures, Hattie looks at an effect size - in particular effect size that is above the moderate size of .40 that you will see from general but not outstanding teaching practices. He presents strategies that have an effect size of .60 and above, which is quite significant.
One of the most effective and powerful strategies is teacher feedback. Students need to know how they are doing - at any given time. In addition, they need to have developed the comfort level and trust in the educator to be able to ask questions freely without risk of embarrassment. This leads to the importance of classroom environment in student achievement.
Feedback to teachers is also critical so that theycan gage how students are progressing and can modify and adjust their teaching according to individual accomplishments and/or challenges.
One of the most effective classroom strategies with an effect size of .76 (very high) is reciprocal teaching. The process of mediated learning, scaffolding instruction and using metacognitive strategy instruction in the developement of reading comprehension is extrememly valuable.
I will write more about reciprocal teaching and other visible learning strategies that have a significant impact on student learning.
Have a great week-end
Karen
Friday, April 29, 2011
Hi All
I've been away from blogging for awhile but am now committing to posting each week.
This week, I'd like to share a very interesting book that I've just finished reading called "Linchpin: Are you Indispensible" by Seth Godin. After reading it, I am convinced that it is a must read for our high school graduates. The author speaks about the rules of the past that are no longer the rules of today. In the past there were two teams, the managers and the workers. Things have changed drastically, partly because of the internet and the access that everyone now has to the public, Given that the rules of yesterday have changed, and in essence the rule book has been thrown out, how do we become indispensible in today's world. It is much easier than you might think.
Linchpins are the building blocks of great organizations - and the organization is meant as a word for the place where you work - could be large or small. According to Godin, people who are indispensible get the best jobs and have the most freedom.
What makes a person indispensible, the glue that holds the organization together, is what Godin terms emotional labour. How to connect to people, solve conflicts that others have been unable to solve, or find solutions that others have not yet been able to find.
There are many educational implications in this book - some obvious others less so. As such, this book can be a great starting point for our students who will soon be entering the world of work. It's not just about being mediocre, it's about being indispensible. Perhaps one of the most important points in the book is that mediocre is running rampant. This makes it all the more important to go that extra mile to get the job done even if you're completing a task that isn't officially part of your responsibility.
And it doesn't have to mean owning your own business. It is about engaging in emotional labour, that connects you to others. It is also about how to follow your dreams and get things done, without possessing the fear that often holds people back.
Read it and enjoy. Share your thoughts.
I've been away from blogging for awhile but am now committing to posting each week.
This week, I'd like to share a very interesting book that I've just finished reading called "Linchpin: Are you Indispensible" by Seth Godin. After reading it, I am convinced that it is a must read for our high school graduates. The author speaks about the rules of the past that are no longer the rules of today. In the past there were two teams, the managers and the workers. Things have changed drastically, partly because of the internet and the access that everyone now has to the public, Given that the rules of yesterday have changed, and in essence the rule book has been thrown out, how do we become indispensible in today's world. It is much easier than you might think.
Linchpins are the building blocks of great organizations - and the organization is meant as a word for the place where you work - could be large or small. According to Godin, people who are indispensible get the best jobs and have the most freedom.
What makes a person indispensible, the glue that holds the organization together, is what Godin terms emotional labour. How to connect to people, solve conflicts that others have been unable to solve, or find solutions that others have not yet been able to find.
There are many educational implications in this book - some obvious others less so. As such, this book can be a great starting point for our students who will soon be entering the world of work. It's not just about being mediocre, it's about being indispensible. Perhaps one of the most important points in the book is that mediocre is running rampant. This makes it all the more important to go that extra mile to get the job done even if you're completing a task that isn't officially part of your responsibility.
And it doesn't have to mean owning your own business. It is about engaging in emotional labour, that connects you to others. It is also about how to follow your dreams and get things done, without possessing the fear that often holds people back.
Read it and enjoy. Share your thoughts.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
We are in the midst of a very interesting book club discussion focusing on Costa, A.L. and Kallick, B's book titled "Habits of Mind. The book highlights the 16 habits that become the compass for the child supporting decision making in academic and non-academic contexts. It is the map that guides life's decisions.
Please look at this curriculum document that highlights a school's program as they implemented the Habits of Mind within their school.
http://http://www.chsvt.org/wdp/Habits_of_Mind_Curriculum_VT_WDP.pdf
Our next book club meeting is taking place on February 8th at 8:30 a.m.
Please look at this curriculum document that highlights a school's program as they implemented the Habits of Mind within their school.
http://http://www.chsvt.org/wdp/Habits_of_Mind_Curriculum_VT_WDP.pdf
Our next book club meeting is taking place on February 8th at 8:30 a.m.
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