My daughter is away on a school trip and I have taken to leaving iChat open in case she wants to chat. Doing so led to a spontaneous conversation with an educator I have not talked to in a long time. I respect this person greatly and love the freedom to discuss all kinds topics without fear of where they lead.\u00a0 To play devils advocate, to stir the pot of thought, and just talk for the joy of it is such a privilege.<\/p>\n
One of the many topics we discussed was change or lack of change in schools, learning and education. Though we discussed many ideas these are two thoughts that have stuck with me. I am not sure where I stand on these but love the thinking process.\u00a0 Below is a summary of some of the ideas we were bouncing around.<\/p>\n
We can not change if we do not know what we are changing into.
\nAre we addressing the wrong audience to bring about change?<\/p>\n
We cannot change if we do not know what we are changing into.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I read books and blogs, attend conferences and webinars, and chat with educators on twitter and plurk.\u00a0 The focus of much of this is the need for change.\u00a0 I think we agree formal schooling is not working as it is, it is not meeting all of our children’s needs, we are letting our students down. But that is about all we agree on.\u00a0 The rest is quite varied and up for discussion.\u00a0 Some want to do away with schools as they are, others want them to be technology driven, some want to have more control on curriculum, revamp testing, still others to abolish state testing all together. Where we are going is undecided? Are we addressing the wrong audience to bring about change?<\/em><\/strong> One audience we (the collected eduverse) address our calls for change is to teachers, trying to get them to adapt collaboration, communication and content creation tools to their teaching.\u00a0 We ask them to change how they teach, though they must teach within policy and mandates they have little control over.\u00a0 School administrators are also those who much of the conversation is addressed.\u00a0 We hope they will lead the way with change and give their staffs the freedom to change how they teach and interact with students and information.\u00a0 Our conversation then turned to parents.\u00a0 Maybe the target audience should be parents? Many feel helpless about what happens at schools, and do not understand how schools work today and how technology can influence learning. Informed parents maybe able to influence change where those of us within the system cannot.\u00a0 I have not really given this much thought before, but certainly will now.<\/p>\n I would love to hear your thoughts.\u00a0 I love a good discussion.<\/p>\n *I actually did not know.\u00a0 Here is the list of my state board members<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My daughter is away on a school trip and I have taken to leaving iChat open in case she wants to chat. Doing so led to a spontaneous conversation with an educator I have not talked to in a long time. I respect this person greatly and love the freedom to discuss all kinds topics without fear of where they lead.\u00a0 To play devils advocate, to stir the pot of thought, and just talk for the joy of it is…<\/p>\n
\nIs the reason schools are not changing? Is it that we do not have a common goal, purpose and as such push and pull in so many directions that we end up standing still?<\/p>\n
\nOnce upon a time a community got together to educate their children. Teachers lived in the community, and the community had great control over how schools were run and what was taught. Things have changed greatly over the decades.\u00a0 Curriculum and policy is mandated from state and federal levels, families and teachers no longer have real influence on what is taught. One of the constant complaints I hear from educators is that tests drive what they teach.\u00a0 In this day and age curriculum, standards and testing seem to be developed by political and business interest from outside the local community. My colleague asked “how many educators sit on your state board of education? How many have actually worked in schools, and taught in a classroom?” * Control for what happens at schools comes from a distance yet accountably is still at the local level.<\/p>\n