Rething Literacy

I liked David Warlick's take on education today and into the future (admittedly, I didn't love him as much as Sir Ted Robinson).  The concept of redefining literacy is imperative; students no longer sit passively while teachers drown on about Reading, Riting, and Rithmatic.  Students are now taught to engage, ask questions, and interact with the material that they are learning.  Because educators don't know what the future has in store for all of us, we have to prepare our students to be courage enough to try new things. 

Warlick's attention to ethics, regarding to the technology and everywhere in the classroom, was interesting as well.  It is easy to forget that most of our students will have no working memory of the 20th century (because they will have been born post Y2K!!).  Because they do not know what it is like to live in a world where you cannot share everything at every moment, it's important to include how to ethically use and apply this information in the classroom and everywhere in their lives.  I am sit on a fine line of growing up with technology.  My first computer I remember was a laptop that had Candyland.  Candyland was on a B drive disk (a disk that was actually floppy).  When I was older, we had the Muppet's Printing Program.  All of our signs were printed with Muppet character's heads as pictures, but the printer was a crank wheel with sheets of paper that had to be torn apart.  And I was a freshman when facebook was introduced to the world.  I have reservations about sharing my every thought with the whole world, but my students probably won't.  Mostly likely blogging about how great last weekend was will be a normal occurrence for them.  My experience with technology is so outdated now, it's making me laugh out loud as I type this (should I have used LOL??)

Inaugural Post: Response to Sir Ken Robinson

I am constantly thinking about what is wrong with education today, and how would I fix it if I were given ultimate power.  I am typically stumped.  There seem to be so many bad things (and bad publicity) going on with public education today, I cringe when I admit to people that I am going to school to become a teacher.  The admission is often followed by a negative comment, groan, even a comment about unions.  This is bizarre to me because I would never decide on an occupation with the intention to be crappy, but I also wouldn't attack some one's occupational choice. 

I am so happy that I was introduced to Sir Ken Robinson.  He is not condemning the education system, as too many people do.  He is pointing out problems and mistakes we're making today, and giving realistic solutions.  So few people are brave enough to give a solution, that often we just hear complaints. "All kids have talent and we squander them," a quote from Robinson.  I shutter at this truth.

After watching all three videos, I mostly agree with Robinson.  We need to support our students not condemn them for thinking outside of the box of education.  Students are not all intended to be University Professors, as Robinson says.  The story of Gillian Lynne exemplifies this truth.  I wonder, how many students have been passed over because they did not fit into the particular view of the mind?  I want to be the teacher that can look into each student's eyes and see their potential and their talents.  I work hard to be a positive influence in the environment I live.  I do this by assuming the best of the people I encounter during the day; when someone cuts me off in traffic I assume that they are late for a very important meeting.  Surely they didn't just give me the finger because I was driving 25 mph down Murray Ave...  I plan to do this with my students.  The child in the class who doodles constantly may not be interested in Shakespeare, but that does not qualify him as someone who will never succeed.  He may one day be a famous graphic designer...

I believe that students are not products produced by a school.  They are individual humans that have the right to have unique interests.  As a teacher, I want to encourage their interests (I believe we're happier doing the things that we love).  I hope to keep Robinson in my mind, and continue to visit his website, and be part of the education revolution that benefits our children, not our product.