Leading+with+21st+Century+Learning

=Leading with 21st Century Learning= - David Warlick

How do we do this? Especially for those of us who have been teaching for a while...how do we make this change?

Teachers have to think about themselves in a different way. 3 converging conditions: preparing kids for an unpredictable future, learners learn differently because of what they experience outside the classroom, textbooks make about as much sense as stone tablets would have been to us....new definition of literacy.

Quit teaching kids how to be taught -- instead teach them how to learn. What kind of problem can I give them for a reason that is meaningful to them?

Key competencies -- what are the 21st century competencies we look for in our students and teachers? Muddled messes...not a linear path. States are still seeking consensus on these competencies -- Competencies on the list 10 years ago: cultural literacy, critical thinking, certain skills in core subjects -- social studies, science, health, arithmetic, typing, reading comprehension, writing, job skills (vocational ed), learning skills (listen and be quiet), lots of memorization and testing

How do kids show us what they know? Schools are test driven...this is how we determine mastery/knowledge...a score on a test demonstrates what a student has learned?

How do you test creativity? collaboration? Will assessment in schools change?

For instance, when kids are playing video games...these games are constantly asking questions...how am I going to do this or that? You know when it is the right answer when it works. Activities in the classroom where they can "get it right because it works" Ex. 2002 -- literature teacher in NY City -- teaches Othello...students write a review...graded on content...in 2002 she spent some time thinking about the assignment...how do I teach my kids how to communicate in this day and time...what communication do I use to find out what movie to watch this weekend....work in teams to produce a movie trailor for Othello. I have a terrible time getting my students interested in reading Othello...the assignment became the students producing a movie trailer to inspire other students to WANT to read this play.

The world of no grades has been discussed for many years...the assignment above is great...but how do you evaluate them? We have to give grades...we have to find places where we can incorporate grading with non-grading activities.

How do we help teachers move to collaborative, creative, critical thinking, authentic (meaning they are actually using the info not just regurgitating facts)?

One of the problems that we all have is how do I teach collaboration? How do I teach creativity? How do we evaluate? Do we still evaluate on the old models...reading, testing, skill level? We cannot ask for one and then evaluate on the other.

Reading comprehension -- how does that change with a new definition of literacy? The need for reading comprehension will not go away...it will expand into other areas. Web literacy -- what is happening when kids are reading on the web instead of in print?

The most excited the elementary students have been is when they were given a problem and a robotics gizmo and allowed to find the solution. Worked in teams...that means a lot...what is the students responsible for? who are they responsible to?

We don't really have to teach our students how to access knowledge...they know how to do that...we have to teach them how to discern the "good" info from the masses of info provided. Critical thinking skills...

personal learning networks...tools available on the web...teachers are connecting themselves out there on the web to all different kinds of resources that are not contained within a classroom...going global.

Conversations in the classroom are very important...go to wikipedia research...then prove what you found on wikipedia is true. I was taught to assume that what was in my textbook was true...we have to stop teaching that...we have to teach our students to prove the truth of what they find. Students have to be challenged to not only find the research but to find the evidence to prove it.

Are there best practices or questions to ask teachers to help them get here? If I were an administrator I would ask: tell me something you just learned? How did you learn it? How does this teacher use information? Ongoing -- I want to see what the students have produced in each class.

I hate the terminology "integrating technology"...

Formative evaluation -- summative evaluation - I would ask for it...show me digital products that the teacher has produced...a wiki...a blog...bookmarks piped into the web site...not just so I know they are using technology but so that I know they are using teachng methods that meet the learning needs.

Science Leadership Academy -- Chris Leeman -- How do you assess your teachers? Tour of the school...conversations wih Chris it is hard to tell if the person is a teacher or student...they are always talking about a project they are working on.

What do you suggest in regard to our own professional development? I would suggest that each of you set up blog...not necessarily to the public...agreeing to write 3 articles a week of some experience you had that taught you something. Subscribe to each others blog through RSS...go find 2 administrator bloggers from other schools and some teacher bloggers who are talking about education reform and read them...share what you learn with the group. Cultivating your personal learning network is pruning...be caretul that it does not swallow to much of your time...15 minutes a day...write a couple of paragraphs...on-going conversations about the world of education. Delicious...if I was getting ready to do a presentation I would go to Delicious -- these have been bookmarked by others work. Twitter -- mining the conversation -- I can search what people who are thinking what they are seeing (flickr) -- rather than having the formal news these give us the opportunity to expand our community to others

Main differences from my old classroom to today's classroom: lecture would not disappear. Students would sit in straight rows at time. Each student would have a laptop. All assignments would be turned in on a blog...no paper. Every assignment would be about sparking a conversation instead of ending a conversation. Now, go read the blog entries of 3 other students and leave a comment. Wiki set up where there would be an ongoing learning experience from year to year. Student produced digital content stored in the library -- students would have the option to go in and build on something that had already been done. If I were teaching today every time I gave a test I would take my students to the library...they would have access to everything there...it is more important that they are able to find information instead of memorizing it. Most of my classes would be more converastional...it becomes an extension of your brain...the "off-task" behaviors become about searches to find answers to questions that have arisen during the conversation. Know the games your students are playing...learning is happening during video games...what is it about the game that makes it so compelling to students...incorporate that knowledge into the learning that needs to take place in the classroom.

What does the standardized testing that we use look for? IOWA -- has shifted toward critical thinking...not just knowledge-based facts. PSAT, SAT, ACT, or AP testing -- critical thinking but some knowledge is necessary especially for AP testing.

One of the most interesting positions in education today is the librarian. THey have to reinvent themselves or the library will disappear.

The 3 rs become the 3 es: expose what is true, employ information, express ideas compellingly.

When people think of libraries they traditionally think of reading...I would encourage libraries to engage all 3 es. A place to read, to produce, to express. The books are still there...but there are also tools there to help the kids refine their presentation.

The classroom is not for producing...that would be done outside the classroom for the most part.

We have to teach them to respect the speaker. Even though they may be surfing, researching, or what not...they may still be engaged. It is important to teach learning skills.

What looks like "off-task" behavior may be the ability of our students to "shift" from one task to another. "It has been proven that multi-tasking is not brain possible." However, today's student can shift quickly from one task to another.

Social networks -- facebook was designed for a social environment not for a classroom. Our students work for audience and attention.

Qualities of our students outside our classroom diagram is on the handout page on David Warlick's website.

We respect the right answer...we have to come to understand that there are good mistakes...mistakes you learn from.

What do you think about Utube? Most schools block this...some schools allow it and it gives the students audience and attention. "Shift happens" took off...started off as a small staff development session that was put out there...blogs were written about it.

Why am I teaching this? Authentic learning -- component or essence of the future? How authentic is the education we offer? Most of the things we do are test driven. Are undergraduate education classes teaching "teachers" in this manner? Seems like there is lots of buyin to the concepts presented but we seem to always fall back on the old ways.

It is important for our students to "buy-in" to the learning.

What are we going to do different after this day? How can we expect others to change if we just leave and go back to our old ways. Challenge -- WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THIS?

Scratch? Make your own video game...download for free -- awesome cat...yes, math is important and useful. Sorry...had to get that in.