by Margaret Haviland | Dec 22, 2011 | Less Teacher, More Student, Making The Shift, Passion Based Learning, The How of 21st Century Teaching, Voices
The first Westtown School World History Film Festival has come and gone. Two weeks before Thanksgiving my students were channeling Ken Burns — and serving as witting accomplices in my continuing shift toward student ownership of learning. This year I decided to continue the individualized learning approach I used last year in our unit on the Mongols, but I chose the communication medium beforehand: documentary film. Greedily, I wanted a broader audience for my students’ work, and I wanted an excuse to learn to make this sort of film. Here’s what we learned!
by John Norton | Dec 16, 2011 | Connected Leadership, Less Teacher, More Student, Passion Based Learning, Student Life, The How of 21st Century Teaching, Voices
In the discussion over learning styles and measuring achievements, it’s important to take into account what educators see first-hand in class. To get a sense of their perspective on the subjects, MindShift editor Tina Barseghian asked educators who are part of our Powerful Learning Practice “Voices from the Learning Revolution” group blog to weigh in on what they’ve observed in their classrooms. Here’s what they say.
by Patti Grayson | Dec 8, 2011 | Passion Based Learning, The How of 21st Century Teaching, Voices
A creative, kaleidoscope mind is one that innovates – invents – inspires. It takes what it knows and turns it upside-down, inside-out, and backwards to see what new possibilities and patterns emerge. It will be able to view a problem from many perspectives, and find a solution/design more rigid minds could not. I have coached an Odyssey of the Mind team for five years now, and I’ve seen evidence that creativity is definitely a skill that can (and should) be taught.
by Shelley Wright | Nov 30, 2011 | Less Teacher, More Student, Passion Based Learning, The How of 21st Century Teaching, Voices, Web Tools That Deepen Learning
One of the most important things we can do is teach our students how to use social media wisely, and how social media can be used for social good. In grade 11 English this semester, we’ve chosen to create a social media campaign to raise awareness around modern slavery. It’s not enough for my students to learn about slavery, they need to do something with it, specifically “real world” projects that matter.
by Tony Baldasaro | Nov 21, 2011 | Less Teacher, More Student, Passion Based Learning, The Teaching Life, Voices
I remember feeling incredibly disrespected. I had worked hard designing, assigning and grading a project that got him to learn what I wanted him to learn, and he just threw it away. And, how dare he throw it out in front of me.
What I failed to see was how disrespected he was.
by Patti Grayson | Nov 18, 2011 | Creating Global Classrooms, Passion Based Learning, The How of 21st Century Teaching, Voices
Recently I got an email from my elementary division head. Our school is piloting a 1:1 netbook program this year, and our administration is interested in how the program is going and the different ways the netbooks are being incorporated into our curriculum. I started putting together a list, and even surprised myself at how much the availability of wifi-ready technology engages my students and supports instruction during the course of a regular school day.