- Textbooks are no longer the primary mode of getting information/learning. They might be resources. The focus now should be on how to get to the information they need (and how to evaluate and use that information.) It’s not about who know the most information any longer, it’s about who can find and use the information they need the most efficiently. For me this means I really need to find ways to structure my learning to focus on this. I need to really evaluate what I’m teaching. I need to spend a LOT more time focusing on the evaluation and use of information. I need to design things so that my students are really doing more research (even simple stuff) and then figuring out how to use that research to help them. This would seem to fall right into the PBL model our district is moving towards.
- Swartz focuses on thinking/collaboration/communication, that’s three of the 4 C’s. One of his questions is, “How can we get thinking into the classrooms so that students can do it better?” This is something that I’ve struggled with for a long time. I have often come up with what I thought was a really exciting/neat/fun plan, only to have it fall apart because the students refused to participate. This has been a focus of mine for a long time. For me, I think the focus is not so much, How do I create my lessons so the students are thinking critically (yes, this is important, but I don’t think it’s the key)? It’s; How do I create a learning environment where students feel safe taking learning risks? It’s: How do I structure my classroom and lessons so that students buy into a classroom style where they are using their critical thinking skills? This I think it the best way into redesigning our classrooms into places where students are working on their critical thinking, as opposed to outdated 20th century models.
- The more and more I listen to Swartz talk about (critical) thinking skills, the more I think about how the AVID program really focuses on many of these kinds of skills. The more I think about how all of my non-avid students would probably benefit from an intense infusion of AVID style skills instruction
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AuthorMrs. Moore (a.k.a. KAte) is a voracious reader and a reluctant writer. Archives
February 2017
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