Today's Rant:
I'm pondering about learning and the culture of learning and assessment. If we want students to 'succeed', shouldn't we be offering opportunities for them to learn about what THEY are interested in learning about? Sure, the curriculum matters. It provides a framework for learning, but I think there is a lot more room to be made with where students can take this framework. Yes, the students.
We as teachers need to relinquish some of that all consuming 'control' over the learning that happens in our classrooms. It's holding our students back. They have a lot to say if we are ready to listen. Learning is really more about the process than the product isn't it?. The process is the part that will support one's ability to apply learning to new situations.
We can start by offering opportunities for curriculum integration that are driven by our students passions and grounded in the world that they live in. These opportunities need to be purposeful and authentic. They need to be student driven.
Is success a mark? Or is success a mindset and a passion? I believe the latter. Because really...are we teaching to help our students learn how to learn, or are we teaching our students to learn what we tell them?
Tell me what you think. Communication is two way street.
