21C The Future of Education

The 12 Keys to Learning

 

You can visit: http://www.learning-knowledge.com/learningkeys.html

Every Kid Needs a Champion

This is the direction we should all be going and it's what teaching and learning should involve every day.  It’s not all about academics - it's about relationships.  Also, please do keep in mind that teaching is definitely not easy, but it is a joy and passion that not everyone can or should do. 

 

Watch this 8 minute video.

 

TED TALK … Rita Pierson:

Every Kid Needs a Champion

 

Click this link or the title above: 

https://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion?language=en

 

 

Published on May 3, 2013

Rita Pierson, a teacher for 40 years, once heard a colleague say, "They don't pay me to like the kids." Her response: "Kids don't learn from people they don't like.“

A rousing call to educators to believe in their students and actually connect with them on a real, human, personal level ... Life is all about relationships and school is no different!

The Toronto Star: Education guru Paul Tough says grit is the true secret to student success

Paul Tough (who wrote How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character ) said we've long focussed on cognitive skills as the most important key to success. But Tough said researchers have started to identify other skills that matter - "grit," curiosity, conscienctiousness, self-control. Some call these "character traits," the business world calls them "executive functions" (Note: Commonly referred to in education as Character Traits, Virtues, Work Habits and Learning Skills)  READ IT HERE

 

CityNews: GTA school adopts "Self-Directed Learning" Program 

CityNews reporter Stella Acquisto speaks with students at Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School about a new program being adopted by the school in September called self-directed learning. 

 

This is a programme that Mary Ward CHS has been using for years ... it's gaining greater attention and respect and now other high schools are attempting to implement it. 

 

Here at Epiphany, in order to better prepare our students for their continued learning, we also gear our teaching in some respects in our Intermediate division utilizing a blended Self-Directed Learning model. 

 

WATCH IT HERE

What is Self-Directed Learning (SDL)?

Self-directed learning (SDL) involves initiating personally challenging activities and developing personal knowledge and skills to pursue the challenges successfully (Gibbons, 2002).   For students engaged in self-directed learning, there will be: Ownership of Learning Management and Monitoring of Own Learning Extension of Own Learning         What are some indicators of SDL? Students who are self-directed learners might display some of the following behaviours: Construct 1: Ownership of Learning  1. Student sets learning targets for himself/herself. Construct 2: Management and Monitoring of Own Learning  2. Student knows which parts of the lessons he/she does not understand.  3. Student asks questions when he/she is not sure about the lessons.  4. Student looks for more information to help understand the lessons better.  5. Student makes a list of what he/she needs to do for his/her learning.  6. Student completes his/her schoolwork on time.  7. Student tries to understand where it went wrong in schoolwork.  8. Student tries different ways to solve problems on his/her own. Construct 3: Extension of Own Learning  9. Student uses what he/she learns in class after his/her lessons. 10. Student finds out more than what teachers teach in school. 11. Student uses the computer to:         - go online to ask people outside the school for ideas on lessons;         - become better at a skill that he/she is interested in;            - get ideas from different websites and people to learn more about a topic.  Self-Directed Learning with ICT Theory Practice and Assessment.pdf

Right and Wrong Answers ... What do you want kids to do with technology?

Bill Ferriter is a Teacher, Blogger, Author, and a Professional Development Provider and he created the graphic below to remind us how important technology in the classroom is.

  

His website is available WATCH IT HERE

This is a small blog with a very simple, but relevant message ... The 21st Century is ours to embrace and if we don't jump into the game, our kids will suffer the consequences of our ineptness and stubborness.  We should start soon ... we're 14% into the 21st Century! Click the link below: Reflecting on What I Know

If you've got some time and you like easy-to-follow videos about 21st century technology (like Twitter, Blogs, etc.), watch some very simple, plain English, educational, and entertaining videos by the Commoncraft people. There's even a video about electing a President or if you want to know more about Zombies.