As we sat at PLC this week and talked about "executive functioning," one colleague shared a strategy of asking students to "put on their future glasses" prior to starting a new project or endeavor. The "future glasses" will help a child visualize the end product or result.
As educators we have to put on our "future glasses" in order to move schools into the future--what is it that we want and hope for when it comes to our children's education? How will we collaborate with students to make these shifts?
With my "future glasses" on, and the best of my current knowledge about the changing landscape of education, these are the shifts I'll be making:
Explore Time: Time for children and adults to explore and apply the new tools. Explore time will include teacher-student conversations, class discussions, and project application. You cannot employ a new tool without trying that tool out with children first. Learning with children is an efficient, meaningful way to explore new tools for optimal teaching.
Standards: I will consider the standards the backbone of the program, and look for the most engaging ways to embed those standards into the daily program. I will bundle and integrate standards and apply a menu of online/offline learning tools, strategies, and processes for each bundle.
Menus: Menus of apt tools will support most learning in the classroom. I will list the menu of online/offline tools on the class website for easy 24-7 student/family/colleague access. The menus will continually change as new tools are added, and less useful old tools are deleted.
STEAM Space: The STEAM space, for now, might not look a lot different from the old time arts and crafts corner, but the STEAM space will hold greater significance and integration as students explore science, tech, engineering, art and math.
Multi-Media Literacy Corner: The cozy rug-covered corner with bean bags, books, computers (when we have the cart), iPads (1 for now), and iPods will continue to serve as a center of reading, thinking, writing, exploring and learning.
Digital Share Space: The desks will be moved back to make room for a new rug and digital share space in front of the giant white board. We'll meet regularly to share and critique student work, and other digital learning resources.
Learning to Learn Focus: The year will start with multiple "learning to learn" lessons and strategies so that students understand that learning is a life-long endeavor, an endeavor that they manage. I will also emphasize that I am there to serve their learning needs.
Communication: Almost all communication will be digital. Newsletters and home study lists will be continually updated and accessible 24-7 highlighting classroom emphases, student expectations, and choice. Almost all classroom materials, learning venues, and information will be included on the class website for easy access. Twitter, the class blog, and content websites will host timely announcements, more detailed information, and student project share. Communication will be a two-way street so that all members of the learning community are using digital technologies to converse and discuss matters of importance.
The work ahead continues to center on a learning design focus--learning design that includes review, grade-level standards, and student-driven enrichment. My job is to know the standards well--standards that at my grade level are foundation skills, knowledge, and concept. Then, with the help of school/standard scope and sequences, I'll bundle the standards into units that include menus of exploration tools, strategies, and foci. When the year starts, we'll integrate and skip from one standards bundle/unit to another responding to students' interests, needs, questions, and adaptations.
As Couros suggests, what will I delete as we transform? This list represents some of the changes:
- We'll replace workbooks with hands-on/digital activities for the most part.
- The time I used to spend organizing class management structure, rules, and highly structured, teacher-led lessons will be replaced by "learning to learn" lessons and student-driven, collaborative exploration and study.
- Long films will mostly be replaced by short, pointed digital presentations, most of which can be accessed at home for review.
- Assessment, grading, and response in many cases will be done online and through teacher-student conference meetings.
There is much to consider as we move schools forward. This is one attempt to structure that evolution for my classroom. What actions will you roll out to move your students and school forward? What will you take away?
