I'm Not Surprised that Older Teachers Experiment More with Technology

by | Mar 7, 2012 | Less Teacher, More Student, Making The Shift, The How of 21st Century Teaching, Voices

Without the advantage of lots of experience, newer teachers struggle with curriculum pacing, instructional and behavior management, and knowing how to keep ever-increasing numbers of students learning in small classroom spaces. Experienced teachers have these basics mastered and are ready to tackle the challenges of experimenting with all kinds of new instructional tools…including new technology.

What Do We Need Our Teachers to Be?

by | Mar 2, 2012 | Connected Leadership, The Compelling Need for Change, The How of 21st Century Teaching, The Moral Imperative, Voices

What can we do, as administrators, to promote teacher learning on a daily basis? How can we structure our organizations to allow for collaboration and communication among peers, embed opportunities for both face-to-face and online learning, help our teachers stay informed and familiar with current research and practices (in content, pedagogy, and technology), model for them that we ourselves are growing professionally, and help the organization as a whole realize that complacency must be eradicated?

Digital Portfolios for Primary Students!

by | Feb 27, 2012 | Creating Global Classrooms, Less Teacher, More Student, Making The Shift, Uncategorized, Voices

I have been using my students’ blogs as digital portfolios for several years. By the end of the school year, they reflect each child’s learning in many subject areas from the first weeks of school until the last. In addition to showing the development of our writing skills, we make podcasts of our reading fluency at different points in the school year, and use webtools to show our learning in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies and health.

Dig Deep with Project-Based Learning

by | Feb 23, 2012 | Less Teacher, More Student, Passion Based Learning, The How of 21st Century Teaching, Voices

Project Based Learning was never something I spent too much time pondering. Just another way to assess learning, right? Well, I didn’t quite “get it.” Turns out PBL is not simply a culminating project at the end of a unit. It’s the learning experience that takes place throughout the project process. If you want to see your K-12 students’ eyes light up with excitement and watch them approach learning with more enthusiasm than ever before, PBL/Inquiry-Based Learning is for you. I encourage you to read on…

My Students Put Their 21st Century Skills to the Test

by | Feb 20, 2012 | Less Teacher, More Student, Making The Shift, Passion Based Learning, The How of 21st Century Teaching, Voices

This exciting and demanding opportunity for my students to serve as ejournalists at Canada’s National Rural Congress is the “exam” I’ve been preparing them for. I think this is the future of education: authentic tasks; embedded, mobile, BYOD technology. What students can memorize and spew back on a Biology or English final has no ability to tell me how they will perform in a high pressure situation like this. But I think they’re up for the task.

Juggling Plates, Leading Change

by | Feb 17, 2012 | Connected Leadership, Creating Global Classrooms, Local Professional Collaboration, Voices

In her new position as Westtown School’s Director of Teaching & Learning, Margaret Haviland says she is “mindful of the many ’21st century learning’ advocates who hold up for us a world in which our students will work in jobs that have yet to be created and likely will hold numerous jobs over the course of their lives. I see this school year as one of living into that experience as I sort through what this new position I’ve accepted will look like.”