by John Norton | Nov 2, 2011 | Less Teacher, More Student, The How of 21st Century Teaching, Voices
Teacher and inquiry learning advocate Peter Skillen shares a student project “that worked” — a remarkable short video celebrating graffiti art in Toronto. “I believe his work is so successful for several reasons,” Skillen says. “This project was his. He owned it. He created the idea. He had the passion. He had the motivation. He wrote the rap. He composed the music. He performed it. He struggled with the contradictions. He overcame the ambiguities. He was in charge and maintained focus and effort until completion.”
by John Norton | Nov 1, 2011 | Connected Leadership, Creating Global Classrooms, Global Communities of Inquiry, Less Teacher, More Student, Local Professional Collaboration, Making The Shift, Passion Based Learning, Personal Learning Networks, Student Life, Teacher Leadership 2.0, The Compelling Need for Change, The How of 21st Century Teaching, The Moral Imperative, The Teaching Life, Voices, Voices Index
This Easy Reference Index highlights posts 66-92 and continues our engaging mix of voices: classroom teachers, school-based leaders, district visionaries and other educators who support the deep learning practices (for students and professional educators) advocated in Powerful Learning Practice communities. Every post here has some relationship to “the Shift” — the necessary transformation of the education enterprise represented by new technologies, the Internet and the capacity for educators and students to become “connected” learners.
by Lyn Hilt | Oct 26, 2011 | Creating Global Classrooms, The How of 21st Century Teaching, Voices, Web Tools That Deepen Learning
Sometimes students, parents, teachers, and administrators are comfortable living in the shells of their own existence. They’re satisfied with the status quo, choose to interact with those from the same religious backgrounds, cultural heritage and political affiliations. Sometimes they consider the alternative views of others to be wrong, not just different. From an educational perspective, this is downright dangerous. We have a responsibility to ensure that our students develop cultural awareness and engage in acts of citizenship, not only within our schools and surrounding areas, but as active members of the global community.
by Chris Preston | Oct 24, 2011 | Less Teacher, More Student, The How of 21st Century Teaching, Voices
Busy classrooms with engaged students don’t automatically equal high achievement scores. It’s our job to connect the two. I’ve been in those revved-up classrooms where some students in one corner of the room might be discussing the merits of a court case while students in another corner are skyping with a storm chaser while he is getting ready for a chase. It’s quite an experience. However, it’s a moot point to the leaders of the school district if test scores aren’t where they want or need them to be.
by Kathy Cassidy | Oct 21, 2011 | Less Teacher, More Student, Passion Based Learning, The How of 21st Century Teaching, Voices
I have wondered for a long time how passion and project based learning would change my primary classroom. I have read with fascination the blogs of teachers who made this shift, but I have yet to find an example of a primary teacher sharing this change. Having an entire class of pre-readers and writers in your classroom alters the playing field for exploring your passions. This year, I decided to find out for myself what the difference would be in my grade one learning space.
by Marsha Ratzel | Oct 20, 2011 | Making The Shift, The How of 21st Century Teaching, The Teaching Life, Voices
This article, reprinted with permission, appears as part of the “Why I Write” celebration, sponsored by the National Writing Project, and taking place this week across the nation. Science and math educator Marsha Ratzel, who writes regularly for PLP’s Voices from the Learning Revolution group blog, was one of several teachers asked to submit essays for the NWP project. In her piece, Marsha explains why it’s so important that students write as a way to learn science—and why science teachers should write as well.
