Comments on: Reality Check

By: Natalie

Natalie — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 03:10:22 +0000

This method of facilitated learning is right on, there is no doubt about this: hands on, real world application in order to produce lifelong learners and successful citizens is the essential goal for education. We know this praxis leads to student success; how, then, do we convince the parents of this?
How did education prepare them for the work force? How often does mom or dad sit in isolation at a desk, taking a pen and paper test in order to successfully complete a company project? How often is mom or dad required to read a company manual, take a test, whereupon completion they move on to the next company manual? There is a divide between how parents were educated in relation to the careers available at the time, or for the teacher’s lack of knowledge of what goes on beyond the classroom. In order to achieve the companies “bottom line,” to meet their goal, or quota, what skills do the students’ parents need to display competency in? How are goals defined and measured within the company…they are more often than not written by the employee, discussed with the direct manager, edited accordingly and approved. These are just a few examples of how to bring this to the “parents’ levels.” Rather than see this as a roadblock, we need to think as teachers in how we can make this approach applicable to the parents….As sad as this may be.

By: dday

dday — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:19:21 +0000

Suppose…just suppose there are no ports,cellphones,internet,etc. Suppose these students are in a very different world, with no “gadget support”. Those of you who are at least 50(or older),did you arrive at your current place in life because of “gadgets”?
Your foundation, your bottom line is you…the you who learned about life on the playground, at camps,in school,from TV/movies and observing life in general. You learned to think for youselves. Then you built empires using the “gadgets” as a tool, not a way of thinking to solve problems. You thought on your own and verfied it through the “gadgets”. Not in reverse.
Teaching must be a blend of a Socratic instructional style and using many resourses,”gadgets” being only one. How was this world built during the last 200 years? By the mind, our minds. These “gadgets” should be like a Katana…just an extention of the mind that holds it.
I would caution anyone teaching not lose yourselves to the “gadgets”. Yes,the method of teaching with tech is very liberating, successful and rewarding. Yet already we have virtual schools, and just like the way of most industries, education will eventually be replaced with the tech world.
What we replaced with the tech world was offices/factories filled with workers who interacted as humans should interact…being a part of its drama. We touched eachothers lives and learned to love, hate, and respect eachother. But we did it in real time, with real people, with real consequences. It hurt and we cried…and we grew.
Be very careful what you’re asking for…it’s not the tech that bothers me. What happens to those with their brains “wired” to the virtual world (as children) and knew no playground, camping, hiking and just left to figure it out for themselves? I wonder what world they will build? I think we’re at the very edge of a huge tech wave that is chasing humanity…and we don’t have a clue on where this ride is going.

Peace

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:56:19 +0000

I can agree that communication with parents is important. Though Will debunks the idea that expectation setting was a problem in this case, it could potentially be a problem.

What I can’t stand behind is the idea of faulting what sounds like an excellent teacher doing world-class work with technology as a tool because it wasn’t what parents expected based on their own long-ago education. I would bet my life that there are bigger problems that need addressing in any school and better places to spend an administrator’s time than on discouraging an ultra high-achieving teacher. If the goal is to give each teacher constructive tips for improvement, lets skip past “make sure parents know how your class is run” and get to something a little more meaty and individually relevant to the teacher.

By: Tom Swanson

Tom Swanson — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:50:06 +0000

I am preparing for the transition to a textbook free classroom next school year. Fortunately, I have the full support of my administration. I am simultaneously very nervous, anxious, and ecstatic about this move, and I have considered the potential backlash that this teacher has dealt with. Here’s to hoping it goes well.

By: Things I Learned This Week – #12 | dougbelshaw.com/blog

Things I Learned This Week – #12 | dougbelshaw.com/blog — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 07:02:27 +0000

[...] Richardson posted this week about a teacher who’s been experimenting in using social media with his classes. Going beyond [...]

By: David B. Cohen

David B. Cohen — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:10:46 +0000

That’s a possibility worth thinking about, Will. I’ve had that experience myself, where you try to introduce a change, and if it’s unusual enough to the students (in my case, a grading system without points or averages for the most part), then no matter how much time you invest in communicating about it, there’s likely to be some holdouts. I tried again and again to explain my system half a dozen ways, but the process was sort of like a half life. First explanation, half of my students understood the system. Second round, I got through to half of the holdouts, and so on, until there were just one or two kids who refused to believe this system was fair and beneficial to students – even when their peers took up the argument supporting me.

By: We Already Have a National Curriculum « TransLeadership

We Already Have a National Curriculum « TransLeadership — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:48:51 +0000

[...] School Board members in Texas. It’s just another reason why we need to get rid of textbooks despite what one Superintendent thinks. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Another Argument Against TextbooksIs [...]

By: The Reality Check « Andrew B. Watt’s Blog

The Reality Check « Andrew B. Watt’s Blog — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:07:14 +0000

[...] 15, 2010 · Leave a Comment Will Richardson writes, in a recent blog entry titled “Reality Check“: [A school administrator] said that a [...]

By: Kent Chesnut

Kent Chesnut — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:02:06 +0000

Will, I enjoyed the post and the numerous comments. But then something strange happened… I started thinking…

While agreeing with the majority view of the comments (and wishing that a few of my kids’ teachers had used such a strategy), the sparseness of information led my mind to a few questions – the crux of which is “Can we determine the appropriateness of the teacher’s strategy without more details?”

* What level does the teacher teach? Is he an elementary teacher who teaches all his subjects using this format? Or is he a Jr High or High school teacher? Would this make a difference?

–> From here on, I’m assuming he’s a high school teacher teaching 1 specific class with this method…

* Does the class he teaches have a state mandated / controlled EOI test required for graduation?
* Is the subject he teaches a “hot button” subject in which he could be accused of “indoctrinating” the students? (history or sex education, for example)

If my child were in his class, I’d know the answers to these questions… I’d consider the answers, discuss with my child and probably the teacher, and then review the online materials before I’d be willing to take sides in this matter.

I guess I’m saying we should be as careful about jumping on the bandwagon in information sparse specific situations as we’d like the parents to be about joining the hangin’ party.

Have a great day, Kent

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Latest Original Film Poster Auctions | — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:53:18 +0000

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By: Catherine McMahon

Catherine McMahon — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:52:50 +0000

How sad. I don’t want a doctor who tested well in school but would not take risks to save my life, or a teacher who didn’t cared enough to teach outside the books to see how intelligent a child is.

By: Scott Meech

Scott Meech — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:07:56 +0000

We do need to keep in mind that this particular parent’s comments are not the complete reality either. When I read the post and the comments included, I get the sense that people see this as the end of the process and a major step backwards because of it.

Why not see this as another opportunity to educate? Why not look at this as an amazing opportunity to do some major PR work? If things are going well in this class, the discussion could be a very easy one! Karen makes a great point right before me. Stand behind these initiatives with thoughtfulness and clarity!

… that is unless the majority of us who are drinking the Kool-Aid are going to pull a Ravitch!

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This is So Very Sad | My State of Flux — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:43:55 +0000

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By: Brian Crosby

Brian Crosby — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:15:14 +0000

Hi Ewan – I think too teachers want to do more of the talking to the teacher down the hall. In my school that would actually be very easy because there are doors between every classroom. Teachers have been burdened more and more with data acquisition and evaluation, and proving they are covering material AND programs that leave nothing to talk about for tomorrows lessons (if you follow the program which is how too many of us are being evaluated). Those discussions used to lead to discussions about the what are we doing, why are we doing it … the nuts and bolts of teaching. I think that is happening less and less and we agree it needs to happen more. We are in a time when we have never had more “time saving” appliances and technology … yet we have less time to be human than ever it seems.

By: Karen Szymusiak

Karen Szymusiak — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:12:55 +0000

Administrators are often challenged by parents when we stretch the limits of teaching and learning. It has happened for centuries. That’s why we need to be proactive in sharing with students, teachers and parents. It is a critical piece for all of us to stand behind our initiatives with thoughtfulness and clarity.

We need to work on becoming strong communicators about what we value in education. Build learning communities filled with conversations about what is best for kids.