Powerful Learning Practice Blog
VOICES Interview: The Digital Age Dawns Slowly in the Rural Delta
In an interview with Voices from the Learning Revolution, national teacher leader Renee Moore reflects on the 21st century learning challenges in rural America — and in particular, in the Mississippi Delta where she teaches. “Technology access for the students in our public schools ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous,” she says, but “too many schools are using what computers and Internet access they do have to provided computer-assisted remediation drills for students in preparation for their state tests.” Moore identifies 5 actions that federal and state leaders could take to improve the chances for rural students to become connected learners. Among them: Reopen and restaff school and public libraries where so many residents have their only access to the Web. Monitor districts to assure equitable distribution of technology monies. And provide support for effective teacher networks – local and virtual – to promote professional learning.
Connected Coaching: Simmer & Serve
While I was washing the pot in which my spaghetti sauce simmered to take on all its goodness, similarities to our Powerful Learning Practice Connected Coaching pilot struck me. That experience was downright extraordinary too. And the ingredients were topnotch.
Teaching by Getting Out of the Way
I’ve always done inquiry science, but it’s been more teacher-directed than I wanted. Over the summer I took an e-course in “Unleashing Student Passion,” hoping to find a better approach. It was challenging for me because it exposed so many places where I want to be better. I needed to stop holding students back from becoming the learners they will need to be as they grow up. I have always helped students learn the science and be curious. But I knew it was time to take another step, to help the kids in my classroom kindle their own passion for learning.
Meet our team: Michelle Rogerson
It's a brand new year at Powerful Learning Practice, and our Communities aren't the only ones who have exciting things happening. Powerful Learning Practice has expanded its staff (and we're still hiring!) and brought some fascinating new minds (and fresh ideas) to...
Grading – What Is It Good For?
The more I move into 21st century tools and teaching practices, the harder time I have with our current grading system. The more opportunity I give students to work collaboratively, experiment, and pursue their passions, the harder it is to assign grades to this kind of learning and growth. Our standard “letter grade†system does not encourage learning. It does not encourage students to challenge themselves. It does not encourage creativity or innovation. It encourages memorization, competition, and discovering the easiest path to an A. Does this seem right?
Announcing: Our 2011-12 Communities!
By now you're back to school and probably busier than ever. Things are happening at a frenetic pace over at PLP as well, and we're excited to share the contagious energy with you! Meet our Communities Without further ado, we are proud to announce our Powerful Learning...
Just for fun: A PLP mascot
We need your help! We have some fun plans for an official PLP mascot, and we'd like you to vote on what animal it should be! Fill out this survey to let us know what you think! [button link="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6HWBJ8J" type="big" color="turquoise"...
Should Teachers Friend Their Students?
One of our many jobs as teachers is to keep a professional separation between who we are and what we do. When we are doing our best, we are presenting ourselves in ways that help to manage that professional distance in thoughtful and productive ways. In social networks, this looks like being present, being thoughtful, and being intentional in the ways that we use those spaces to promote what we think is essential — ways that do not confuse our teacherness and our friendness and help our students understand the difference between the two.
Global Learning: The Primary Way
In our primary classroom, my students blog and comment on the writing of other students a world away. We skype with kids from Down Under, talk with experts about the subjects we’re studying, and used wikis to “crowd-source” all kinds of interesting information. We are fearless. We never say, “Oh, we can’t possibly do that — we’re just first grade.”
The Power of e: Moving toward Collaboration and Connectedness
A small pK-12 Catholic school, founded in 1859, is discovering the power of eCollaboration among its faculty, and most of all, its students. “Students publish stories they write online,” writes Sister Geralyn Schmidt, “they produce animations; create book trailers; use SMART response systems to share knowledge about specific topics within the curriculum; construct new planets within far off solar systems and describe their features; view on online surgery videos; and edit and upload their multimedia and still images for parents and other students to see.”