I think the greatest impact that the paper holds is probably how we have to expand our ideas of a "learning environment" in the new century. As the current US system is modeled on the industrial model of production, a new system must better reflect the type of society our stuents will be entering.
It implies educational models need to be fundamentally altered to accomodate a more expansive view of "education." The strict classroom and lecture system does not work and we must use the variety of resources and technology available to students to expand their understanding of the topic while simultaneously making greater connections to local, national and global communities. The classroom can no longer exist in a specific place, but must be part of a larger model of learning as part of project and "real world" lesson plans. Further, it must accomodate the variety of needs and talents students posses.
I personally thought that Shirley's comment today about how to give our learners (who are so used to reciving less) more in terms of richness of experience and varied instruction that really speaks to their experience. I think that point was well articulated and when I read the part in the White Paper that dealt with how much instruction time kids need, I was really struck by the fact that on average, other developing countries attend school 300 hours less than the US, yet those countries are aahead of us with certain basic skills.
The paper also highlights how we refer to classrooms now. Perhaps we should think of them as learning spaces. That way educators will begin to see that learning does not have to be confined to one room, but in fact anywhere where learning can occur is a classroom or learning space. Even if we cannot always leave the confines of the classroom, I think that the author wants educators to think of different ways we can set up classroom space to facilitate different kinds of learning. I think this set up can come in the form of what types of decorations there are or even having the students offer their input on different areas in the building to use for different types of learning. Again it's the idea of many different means to get to the end goal of creating a successful learning environment and experience for the girls.
The most striking aspect of the paper to me was the amount of its philosophy that is actually carried out at MCA on a day to day basis. If John Dewey is correct in refering to schools as mini-communities, then MCA is a great model, with emphasis on parental involvement and adult education classes for family members, as well as support for younger students. The article says that all effective school communities have one thing in common: committment on the part of everyone - adults and children. This challenges us as teachers to take an interest in our school community for the sake of those we serve, but also to engage in our own learning, modeling behaviors rather than doling out assignments and appearing to hold all the knowledge. The list of strategies for healthy communities was particularly interesting because some of the points would not traditionally be valued in the field of education. Often, these strategies are associated with a business model, or even a governmental or civil model. The truth is that schools are the source from which these practical applications arise, so it makes sense to use the language/terms right from the beginning. Students should be aware of themselves and those around them as members of a community which includes their neighborhood, school, teachers, siblings, parents, and peers. Their lives become integrated rather than compartmentalized, and I think the article does a fantastic job articulating the importance of connections between all aspects of the students' lives.
One section of the White Paper that was particularly interesting was the part about Time for Learning. I thought that it made very valid points about "seat time". Many schools still use "seat time" as a form of assessment, but assessments need to measure what was learned, not how much time was spent on the topic. You could spend three weeks on a topic, but that does not mean that the kids could demonstrate or apply it. I think Massachusetts needs to make the shift that New Hampshire did and focus primarily on "demonstrations of subject matter mastery and application". Also, the paper noted that in earlier eras in schools there was little structured time for adults to interact with other adults. I think that MCA has built in a good amount of time for us to have helpful discussions with our co-workers.
Also, I really like the points that the article and Michelle brought up about learning space. All too often do we confine ourselves and the students strictly to the classroom. So much knowledge can be gained outside and we need to take advantage of that. Even when we are in the classroom it needs to be up to date as far as resources so that we can change with society. Overall the paper had so many useful points and strategies, and I think MCA is already very good at many of them!
This article reinforces the idea that we have to be flexible in our view of learning. Like Michelle said and Liz agreed, we have to be flexible in our opinion of where learning can occur. At MCA we are lucky to be able to move all around the school for learning to occur and take field trips (we need a new term for these to keep up with this thinking!), and we should be conscious of always trying to find ways to make our space conducive to learning. Let's not be boxed in by the classroom and make best us of the whole building (and beyond!)
Furthermore, we have to be flexible with time and flexible with others. Since there is not a "final bell for learning," we need to continue to reinforce and elaborate on topics previously covered. I also think this idea relates to "retakes" and revision. I think we must promote student accountability while we continue to give opportunities for them to improve/deepen their thinking and understanding. School is not a job, we are not paying them; even in jobs, we have time for revision. We must prepare them to be the best they can be when they leave our place. If they can experience excellence here (even if it takes many many tries), hopefully they will continue to strive for excellence because they know it as possible.
Also, I can't wait for the day to be in a school where fig 1 is a reality!
So many great notions in the paper and in your comments! I'll just pick a couple to touch upon, or I'll be here all night! :)
I think the first piece that struck me was the comment that 21st century learning must take place in contexts that “promote interaction and a sense of community [that] enable formal and informal learning.”
Having last year's overarching questions relate to community and relationships, some of which are being carried over/continued this year really speaks to that importance and hopefully will help us keep that facet of the learning environment in mind.
The other piece that I think ties in beautifully to that is about relevance and the real world-- the learning our girls do is so much deeper and more meaningful when they can relate it to their own life and experiences in some way. I think we make a really solid effort as a learning community to provide those opportunities to them with the authentic assessments and hands-on projects we have integrated into our teaching and they really do shine.
I'm in full agreement with everything said so far, especially L. Norberg's comments to the community and Amy's comments about incorporating the real world.
One of the pieces that I found to be the most striking was the notion of students gathering to create, not just collect, information; the paper suggested that it should be the library that houses such creation, but in going with their theme of flexibility and using the environment we have, I found that notion to be striking overall. While I see and appreciate their point of view that we must be able to incorporate new technology into our curriculum, I still think that the focus should be on doing all these things- providing opportunities for students to collaborate, evaluate, and demonstrate knowledge- as the focus with or without the new technology. Technology is only as useful as the instructor makes it or the student sees it. Being as hands-on and interactive as possible, however, is extremely important.
When I was reading the paper I was surprised at how many of John Dewey's ideas we actually use at MCA. The community that they describe, and helping the overall student, is what MCA prides themselves on.
I was also surprised, like Allison, like the library should be th ehub of creation. It is so surprising because we very rarely actually use the library. I have only used it as a small meeting place when the class is using the computer lab.
I agree with Michelle on the setup of the classroom. While it is possible for us to move around the school, when we are learing in the classroom sitting in rows and pairs isn't always the best. I remember starting class that like last year but very quickly the U-formation that was formed in the 7th grade room proved to be the best. With such a small class moving around the desks to form clusters or any other grouping for learning is awesome.
The paper actually made alot of sense to me coming from a third world country where the educational system is not necessarily the priority in the minds of those in government. An aspect of the paper that I wanted to highlight though was the importance of the student centered curriculum. It is important that the knowledge that we provide our students should be specialized to their needs and also to help them function in the increasing global world out there. For example in social studies classes a lot of the children that come from urban settings do no get to hear about the great civilizations and accomplishments of THEIR ancestors or forefathers whether they were members of great African or indigenous empires. I think it is important for the kids to know that their people were capable of and accomplished great things that they might not be aware of.
I also liked how the article criticized the form of traditional education which was in line with the industrialization era where schools were seen as a site for standardized manufacture and built firmly on rigidity. I think in this dynamic day and age where technology is constantly changing life as we know it, schools need to incorporate flexibility in its structure and curriculum so that it can cater to a ever changing and progressing world.
Like Michelle I also found interesting the author's discussion of the set up of the classroom and how it needs to be colorful, welcoming and facilitating of different forms of learning. And if we think about it in our daily life our environment does affect or sometimes dictate our productivity and attitude.
I think the greatest impact that the paper holds is probably how we have to expand our ideas of a "learning environment" in the new century. As the current US system is modeled on the industrial model of production, a new system must better reflect the type of society our stuents will be entering.
ReplyDeleteIt implies educational models need to be fundamentally altered to accomodate a more expansive view of "education." The strict classroom and lecture system does not work and we must use the variety of resources and technology available to students to expand their understanding of the topic while simultaneously making greater connections to local, national and global communities. The classroom can no longer exist in a specific place, but must be part of a larger model of learning as part of project and "real world" lesson plans. Further, it must accomodate the variety of needs and talents students posses.
I personally thought that Shirley's comment today about how to give our learners (who are so used to reciving less) more in terms of richness of experience and varied instruction that really speaks to their experience. I think that point was well articulated and when I read the part in the White Paper that dealt with how much instruction time kids need, I was really struck by the fact that on average, other developing countries attend school 300 hours less than the US, yet those countries are aahead of us with certain basic skills.
ReplyDeleteThe paper also highlights how we refer to classrooms now. Perhaps we should think of them as learning spaces. That way educators will begin to see that learning does not have to be confined to one room, but in fact anywhere where learning can occur is a classroom or learning space. Even if we cannot always leave the confines of the classroom, I think that the author wants educators to think of different ways we can set up classroom space to facilitate different kinds of learning. I think this set up can come in the form of what types of decorations there are or even having the students offer their input on different areas in the building to use for different types of learning. Again it's the idea of many different means to get to the end goal of creating a successful learning environment and experience for the girls.
The most striking aspect of the paper to me was the amount of its philosophy that is actually carried out at MCA on a day to day basis. If John Dewey is correct in refering to schools as mini-communities, then MCA is a great model, with emphasis on parental involvement and adult education classes for family members, as well as support for younger students. The article says that all effective school communities have one thing in common: committment on the part of everyone - adults and children. This challenges us as teachers to take an interest in our school community for the sake of those we serve, but also to engage in our own learning, modeling behaviors rather than doling out assignments and appearing to hold all the knowledge. The list of strategies for healthy communities was particularly interesting because some of the points would not traditionally be valued in the field of education. Often, these strategies are associated with a business model, or even a governmental or civil model. The truth is that schools are the source from which these practical applications arise, so it makes sense to use the language/terms right from the beginning. Students should be aware of themselves and those around them as members of a community which includes their neighborhood, school, teachers, siblings, parents, and peers. Their lives become integrated rather than compartmentalized, and I think the article does a fantastic job articulating the importance of connections between all aspects of the students' lives.
ReplyDelete-L Norberg
One section of the White Paper that was particularly interesting was the part about Time for Learning. I thought that it made very valid points about "seat time". Many schools still use "seat time" as a form of assessment, but assessments need to measure what was learned, not how much time was spent on the topic. You could spend three weeks on a topic, but that does not mean that the kids could demonstrate or apply it. I think Massachusetts needs to make the shift that New Hampshire did and focus primarily on "demonstrations of subject matter mastery and application". Also, the paper noted that in earlier eras in schools there was little structured time for adults to interact with other adults. I think that MCA has built in a good amount of time for us to have helpful discussions with our co-workers.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I really like the points that the article and Michelle brought up about learning space. All too often do we confine ourselves and the students strictly to the classroom. So much knowledge can be gained outside and we need to take advantage of that. Even when we are in the classroom it needs to be up to date as far as resources so that we can change with society. Overall the paper had so many useful points and strategies, and I think MCA is already very good at many of them!
This article reinforces the idea that we have to be flexible in our view of learning. Like Michelle said and Liz agreed, we have to be flexible in our opinion of where learning can occur. At MCA we are lucky to be able to move all around the school for learning to occur and take field trips (we need a new term for these to keep up with this thinking!), and we should be conscious of always trying to find ways to make our space conducive to learning. Let's not be boxed in by the classroom and make best us of the whole building (and beyond!)
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, we have to be flexible with time and flexible with others. Since there is not a "final bell for learning," we need to continue to reinforce and elaborate on topics previously covered. I also think this idea relates to "retakes" and revision. I think we must promote student accountability while we continue to give opportunities for them to improve/deepen their thinking and understanding. School is not a job, we are not paying them; even in jobs, we have time for revision. We must prepare them to be the best they can be when they leave our place. If they can experience excellence here (even if it takes many many tries), hopefully they will continue to strive for excellence because they know it as possible.
Also, I can't wait for the day to be in a school where fig 1 is a reality!
So many great notions in the paper and in your comments! I'll just pick a couple to touch upon, or I'll be here all night! :)
ReplyDeleteI think the first piece that struck me was the comment that 21st century learning must take place in contexts that “promote interaction and a sense of community [that] enable formal and informal learning.”
Having last year's overarching questions relate to community and relationships, some of which are being carried over/continued this year really speaks to that importance and hopefully will help us keep that facet of the learning environment in mind.
The other piece that I think ties in beautifully to that is about relevance and the real world-- the learning our girls do is so much deeper and more meaningful when they can relate it to their own life and experiences in some way. I think we make a really solid effort as a learning community to provide those opportunities to them with the authentic assessments and hands-on projects we have integrated into our teaching and they really do shine.
I'm in full agreement with everything said so far, especially L. Norberg's comments to the community and Amy's comments about incorporating the real world.
ReplyDeleteOne of the pieces that I found to be the most striking was the notion of students gathering to create, not just collect, information; the paper suggested that it should be the library that houses such creation, but in going with their theme of flexibility and using the environment we have, I found that notion to be striking overall. While I see and appreciate their point of view that we must be able to incorporate new technology into our curriculum, I still think that the focus should be on doing all these things- providing opportunities for students to collaborate, evaluate, and demonstrate knowledge- as the focus with or without the new technology. Technology is only as useful as the instructor makes it or the student sees it. Being as hands-on and interactive as possible, however, is extremely important.
When I was reading the paper I was surprised at how many of John Dewey's ideas we actually use at MCA. The community that they describe, and helping the overall student, is what MCA prides themselves on.
ReplyDeleteI was also surprised, like Allison, like the library should be th ehub of creation. It is so surprising because we very rarely actually use the library. I have only used it as a small meeting place when the class is using the computer lab.
I agree with Michelle on the setup of the classroom. While it is possible for us to move around the school, when we are learing in the classroom sitting in rows and pairs isn't always the best. I remember starting class that like last year but very quickly the U-formation that was formed in the 7th grade room proved to be the best. With such a small class moving around the desks to form clusters or any other grouping for learning is awesome.
The paper actually made alot of sense to me coming from a third world country where the educational system is not necessarily the priority in the minds of those in government. An aspect of the paper that I wanted to highlight though was the importance of the student centered curriculum. It is important that the knowledge that we provide our students should be specialized to their needs and also to help them function in the increasing global world out there. For example in social studies classes a lot of the children that come from urban settings do no get to hear about the great civilizations and accomplishments of THEIR ancestors or forefathers whether they were members of great African or indigenous empires. I think it is important for the kids to know that their people were capable of and accomplished great things that they might not be aware of.
ReplyDeleteI also liked how the article criticized the form of traditional education which was in line with the industrialization era where schools were seen as a site for standardized manufacture and built firmly on rigidity. I think in this dynamic day and age where technology is constantly changing life as we know it, schools need to incorporate flexibility in its structure and curriculum so that it can cater to a ever changing and progressing world.
Like Michelle I also found interesting the author's discussion of the set up of the classroom and how it needs to be colorful, welcoming and facilitating of different forms of learning. And if we think about it in our daily life our environment does affect or sometimes dictate our productivity and attitude.