If we don't use the interruption to education to make drastic changes after this pandemic, if we are just waiting for this to end so things can go back to normal, then we have missed a great opportunity.
Everything about life has changed, the way we think and act, what we wear, how we interact, learn and entertain ourselves. Kids are learning from home, teachers are making
videos of lessons, and teaching to kids who are at home by changing
their content and pedagogy.
Things that used to be sacrosanct had to be
cut, to rely on just the truly vital. This gives the freedom going
forward to do something more. If people are able to make these drastic changes to what and how they teach, they can do
anything.
Ideas to consider:
Truly give teachers a break by taking something off their plates
show they are valued by relinquishing the reins on the time they are required to be in school and what they can do when they are there
Truly give teachers a break by taking something off their plates
show they are valued by relinquishing the reins on the time they are required to be in school and what they can do when they are there
Allow students to show learning of targeted
material in any way that works for them.
Raise expectations by taking advantage of the "freedom" students have had, and have gotten used to
Raise expectations by taking advantage of the "freedom" students have had, and have gotten used to
Assume the
best and give students more freedom and flexibility to learn how they want
and show learning in a way that makes the most sense for them.
Allow students to take advantage of the
success skills the World Economic Forum declared in 2018 were going to
be the most important for the 21st Century. Again, that brings me back
to the fact that parents still have to be sold on this idea. They know
what made them successful and they want the same for their kids.
Teachers should be able to do real enrichment with students who want to learn more in their subject area. Not that it would be something they would look at as "extra" but in a way that both they and the students look forward to it. If there are people who don't want to do the extra teaching, they can hold off and supervise or work with kids who need extra time to catch up on the regular work.
In fact, there should be no retests like have been previously done. The retest should be some sort of hands on alternative that may be created or invented by the student themself, or taken from a list that the teacher has created. I wonder if the norm would eventually become that kids won't want to are the test, but to do something that they feel would be more valuable.
After a conversation where an administrator said, "teachers have gone through a lot this year We can't ask them to do more next year." I think it would not be asking them to do more if they had something taken off their plate and they were trusted to do something incredible with their coursework.
I realize that most courses have reconfigured their content for target based learning, which is great since the teachers know what the students have to learn. Now it is up to the students to take the "OAR" and truly paddle themselves into life. You can't talk about doing that and then keep their hands strapped down to their sides and tell them it is good for them and not let them truly and fully take ownership.
School districts have already laid the ground work by incorporating the forward thinking terminology, but is is hollow right now. It can be given more life by truly capitalizing on this unfortunate series of events to make drastic changes right now. It would be a great time to start. With the new high school coming, new areas to use the expressions that are being used of having public areas for students to work seem to be organized around the idea of them taking personal responsibility and that they will have work that they actually want to do and won't be screwing around while they are in those public spaces.
Teachers should be able to do real enrichment with students who want to learn more in their subject area. Not that it would be something they would look at as "extra" but in a way that both they and the students look forward to it. If there are people who don't want to do the extra teaching, they can hold off and supervise or work with kids who need extra time to catch up on the regular work.
In fact, there should be no retests like have been previously done. The retest should be some sort of hands on alternative that may be created or invented by the student themself, or taken from a list that the teacher has created. I wonder if the norm would eventually become that kids won't want to are the test, but to do something that they feel would be more valuable.
After a conversation where an administrator said, "teachers have gone through a lot this year We can't ask them to do more next year." I think it would not be asking them to do more if they had something taken off their plate and they were trusted to do something incredible with their coursework.
I realize that most courses have reconfigured their content for target based learning, which is great since the teachers know what the students have to learn. Now it is up to the students to take the "OAR" and truly paddle themselves into life. You can't talk about doing that and then keep their hands strapped down to their sides and tell them it is good for them and not let them truly and fully take ownership.
School districts have already laid the ground work by incorporating the forward thinking terminology, but is is hollow right now. It can be given more life by truly capitalizing on this unfortunate series of events to make drastic changes right now. It would be a great time to start. With the new high school coming, new areas to use the expressions that are being used of having public areas for students to work seem to be organized around the idea of them taking personal responsibility and that they will have work that they actually want to do and won't be screwing around while they are in those public spaces.
