Have you thought about how the amazing changes that have taken place – since you as a parent were in school -affects what your kids need to learn and know how to do?
There’s a lot of people out there who have, and are working to help our education options evolve so they develop critical skills and knowledge of our students.
Most Likely to Succeed Trailer from One Potato Productions on Vimeo.
1. Knowledge is now a commodity, and our kids are digital natives.
It’s no longer enough to know things; you have to be able to DO SOMETHING with what you know. And in a world with ever increasing access and stores of knowledge; you have to be able to learn on demand and be a lifelong learner.
2. School and Learning are different things.
Will Richardson’s Tedx Talk is a brilliant, short overview: “The Surprising Truth about Learning in Schools”. Watch it and see if you agree that schools are not set up in a way that mirrors how human beings want to learn or learn best.
He also has a great e-book out that is compelling, called Why School – How Education Must Change When Learning and Information are Everywhere.
Schools need to change in order for students to develop critical skills.
The is also the famous Ken Robinson Ted Talk – and his book, Creative Schools – The Grassroots Revolution that’s Transforming Education, are a great place to start. His talk is humorous and illustrates how many talented, brilliant people don’t do well in school, aren’t encouraged.
3. Students are missing critical skills
Education needs to change – what, how and when.
Because of our sudden access to knowledge, information, people, and tools, schools and systems must move away from “delivering” and organizing an education toward, instead, helping learners organize their own education.
– Educating Modern Learners
The below Tedx talk by Grant Lichtman on how some schools are tackling this is good value. In September 2012, pursuing a decades-long passion for transformational education, Grant traveled around the United States for three months to discover what schools are doing to prepare students for an evolving future. He visited 21 states, 64 schools, and learned from 500 educators.
The rate of change in the world demands that we re-imagine and restructure the foundational learning relationship among students, teachers, and knowledge.
– Grant Lichtman
Paula Cassin 