What should we be teaching students in today’s classrooms? This is a question I often find myself thinking about as the pressure mounts to increase
NECAP scores, meet
AYP and make sure all the curriculum content is covered (along with teaching kids reading, writing and technology in the content area). What really matters? In the end, what do we, as educators, owe our students to make them capable, functioning citizens of society?
In Chapter 1 of
Web 2.0 new tools, new schools, Solomon and Schrum stated,
"…how we educate our children may prove to be more important than how much we educate them"(p. 11).
I am in complete agreement with this statement. Students need to learn how to research, synthesize, analyze, communicate and collaborate, just to name a few. The content should just be a means through which these skills are acquired. The frustrating thing is that we are often times pressured to focus on content for testing rather than important skills. It is our duty as educators to prepare our students for the new world. Technology is not only part of that new world but it is also a great tool to help students master the necessary skills. Society is changing and education needs to follow suit.
Below is a video I found that was created by Tom Woodward of Henrico County schools in Virginia. Interesting thoughts...
I am also in total agreement with the quote you highlighted from page 11. This is also really in line with 21st century learning goals as opposed to subject specific GEs or content standards. As a history teacher I constantly have to keep in mind what essential understandings I want my students to come away with. Basic names/dates/facts aren't as important as the big ideas and understandings behind them.
ReplyDeleteLove the video! It is so true. How many classrooms do you walk by and the students are still in rows looking to the front of the classroom for direction from the teacher? Wouldn't it be a great world where we all had tables on wheels, bean bag chairs, comfortable seating and laptops for all students to be working with? Just my dream!
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