Great Teaching Means Letting Go Great Teaching Means Letting Go by Grant Wiggins, Ed.D, Authentic Education My greatest learning as a teacher came on the soccer field. We had been working for a few weeks on the same key ‘moves’ on the field related to creating ‘space’. After a few practices, the team looked good in the drills – they’ve got it! Next two games? There are two vital lessons here about learning: Transfer is the bottom-line goal of all learning, not scripted behavior.Transfer means that a learner can draw upon and apply from allof what was learned, as the situation warrants, not just do one move at a time in response to a prompt. In a word: autonomy. Put negatively, the more coaches and teachers prompt/remind/scaffold, over and over, without a deliberate and explicit plan for release of responsibility, the more students will flounder in situations demanding autonomy. Everywhere I go I see way too much scaffolded and prompted teaching – through twelfth grade. But, Grant – surely with little kids… No! 1. 2. 3.
Creating Classrooms We Need: 8 Ways Into Inquiry Learning If kids can access information from sources other than school, and if school is no longer the only place where information lives, what, then happens to the role of this institution? “Our whole reason for showing up for school has changed, but infrastructure has stayed behind,” said Diana Laufenberg, who taught history at the progressive public school Science Leadership Academy for many years. Laufenberg provided some insight into how she guided students to find their own learning paths at school, and enumerated some of these ideas at SXSWEdu last week. 1. Laufenberg recalled a group of tenacious students who continued to ask permission to focus their video project on the subject of drugs, despite her repeated objections. 2. Laufenberg’s answer: Get them curious enough in the subject to do research on their own. “Rather than saying, ‘We’re going to study immigration,’ I took them through a process where they become interested in it themselves,” she said. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Jennifer Rivers' Blog 8 Steps to Create an Infographic 1. Pick a Topic / Collect Data There are many data sources available, such as Google public data, which is a great starting point for data collection. Advertising-Agriculture-Antiques-Architecture-Arts & Crafts-Automotive-Aviation-Books-Chemicals-Collectibles- Communications & Media-Computers-Consulting-Design-Disabilities-Education-Electronics-Employment-Entertainment- Fashion-Financing-Food-Gambling-Games-Government-Health-Hobbies-Home & Garden-Hospitality-Information-Jewelry- Jewelry-Law-Music-Parenting-Retail-Real Estate-Religion RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Retail Management-Science-Security-Software-Sports-Telecommunication-Transportation-Travel-Video-Weather. 2. Find References for Your Material Over 80% of visual is related to color, which conveys information and provides the user with other operational benefits such as a unique identity. 3. Research Infographics are data driven, visual pieces of content. SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITH THE WORLD: t: f: visual.ly: P
Preparing a Classroom Culture for Deeper Learning After reading an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence, students form a circle to engage in conversation about liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The inquiry circle begins with two questions posed by the teacher: What is more important, liberty or the pursuit of happiness? To begin, some students argue that liberty and the pursuit of happiness are only open to the people who follow rules within a society. This leads to a conversation about the nature of happiness. While the conversation was rich and rooted in deeper learning and understanding, the inquiry-based discussion did not end within the classroom. Deeper student learning can evolve over time facilitated by an educator who is skilled in the art of thinking within a carefully crafted environment. 1. The development of formal thinking and logical reasoning skills is necessary to achieving deeper learning. Photo Credit: Elizabeth A. 2. 3. 4. Have students retell or reimagine learning content with a modern-day twist. 5.
Best Websites for Teaching & Learning Best Websites for Teaching & Learning honors websites, tools, and resources of exceptional value to inquiry-based teaching and learning. Sites recognized foster the qualities of innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration. They are free, web-based sites that are user friendly and encourage a community of learners to explore and discover. The Landmark Websites are honored due to their exemplary histories of authoritative, dynamic content and curricular relevance. They are free, web-based sites that are user-friendly and encourage a community of learners to explore and discover and provide a foundation to support 21st-century teaching and learning. Landmark Websites for Teaching & Learning 2018-2019 Best Websites for Teaching & Learning Committee Stacy Brown Elizabeth Kahn Joy Millam Maria Muhlbauer Floyd Pentlin Leslie Preddy Kathryn Salmela Deborah Schiano Karen Scott Krista Welz Sherry Gick, Chair Phoebe Warmack, Board Liaison Jennifer Habley, Staff Liaison
A Case for Curiosity Every year, five million children enter kindergarten armed with one word: "Why?" They continuously ask questions in what seems like an unending loop. On the other side, parents, caretakers, and teachers do their best to come up with answers to manage this kiddie-inquisition. Yet there's no allaying it. Behind that question hides another. Early-childhood research says that we have a curious scientific nature from the beginning of life. But something happens as children get older. Many great thinkers and artists lament the act of forgetting one's innate nature. Today, the need for curious people has heightened. Nurturing Curiosity It's time to make a recommitment to curiosity, and all that takes is a few small acts. In fact, Isidor Rabi's mother asked him this every day, and he later won a Nobel Prize in physics. Stay Hungry. Some children already understand that they've inherited a curious mindset, and they do their best to remind adults. So make space for asking questions.
The Best K-12 Education Technology Blogs If it takes a village to raise a child, how many people does it take to train an educator? It’s hard to say, but 50 helping hands seems like a good place to start. In the spirit of community, collaboration and information sharing, EdTech: Focus on K–12 has rounded up 50 ed-tech blogs that we deem must-reads for the K–12 community. We launched our first Must-Read IT list last year to great response so we hope that you all enjoy this year's batch of blogs as well. These blogs are a mix of voices and include blogs authored by teachers, administrators and technology vendors. They share real-world classroom experiences, offer inspiration and distribute valuable best practices. This list was built in part by you, our readers. Without further ado, here is the 2013 Honor Roll: Purely Paperless We are living in a world that is becoming increasingly digital, and Montana elementary school teacher Kate Peila is a paperless girl. Read the blog: purelypaperless.blogspot.com The Daring Librarian EdReach Mr.
Personalized Learning Personalized learning is instruction that offers pedagogy, curriculum, and learning environments to meet the individual student’s needs. The experience is tailored to learning preferences and the specific interests of different learners. In a personalized learning environment, the learning objectives and content, as well as the method and pace, may all vary. Personalization also encompasses differentiated instruction that supports student progress based on subject matter mastery. Read a report and key findings from the Software& Information Industry Association about innovation and redesigning education for personalization. Personalized learning is non-linear The way people learn is ‘messy’ and intensely personal –research has shown that it doesn’t happen in a straight line or easy progression. Read a white paper from the Center for Digital Learning that covers current and future pathways to personalized learning. Developing a personalized learning plan Technology and personalized learning
Information Fluency | iTeachU Information Fluency is a three-part lens for assessing student understanding. The information fluency triad includes domain knowledge, critical thinking, and presentation and participation — three components of learning that work together to develop and confirm students’ understanding of the subject of your course. Domain knowledge is the specialized information about your field of expertise that you as a scholar have gathered over time through research, collaboration, and experience. When you share domain knowledge with students, it is the content piece of your course. As you expose students to information, they learn to identify reputable sources, make connections to communities of practice, and begin developing their own strategies for collecting, reflecting, connecting, and sharing what they learn. Without a firm grasp on the domain knowledge in your course, students will often resort to sophistry or rhetoric to cover their deficiencies.
Plagiarism Scavenger Hunt Examples: I would be plagiarizing if I were to write an essay about the walrus and said: The walrus' other characteristic features are equally useful. As their favorite meals, particularly shellfish, are found near the dark ocean floor, walruses use their extremely sensitive whiskers, called mustacial vibrissae, as detection devices. As their favorite meals, particularly shellfish, are found near the dark ocean floor, walruses use their extremely sensitive whiskers, called mustacial vibrissae, as detection devices. The walrus' other characteristic features are equally useful. Why is this plagiarism? #1 is an example of plagiarism because I took the sentences directly from this National Geographic Website. Remember, even though you learned from the walrus site and wrote sentences in your own words, the information still does not belong to you! How do I avoid plagiarism? Plagiarism Scavenger Hunt Activity The Plagiarism Scavenger Hunt assignment will teach you more about plagiarism.