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| Photo: Rick Hess |
While Rick is away, we've got an illustrious line-up of guest stars. This week, Ed Jones, head of the Hackable High Schools initiative, will be guest-blogging.
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| Photo: Ed Jones |
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Photo: GraphicStock.com
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We can double what teens learn through school.
Some of you (most?) just rolled your eyes. I understand. Stagnant PISA scores, potential budget shortfalls, organizational challenges, an "incompetent" education secretary, all that. We'd be lucky to eek out a 10% gain, right?
Before I continue, I'd like to just say thanks so much, Rick, for this chance to spin some tales of unbundled learning and systemic transformation.
If you kept reading this far, you may be among the few who think the opportunity for learning growth is even more than 2x. Yet, let's stick with that; let's imagine it together, at least for this one week.
What would we do with such a gift? How might we make choices about all that new learning? By what means will we prioritize the new knowledge and skills they'll gain? How do we keep equity foremost in mind?
I mean in this exploration no slur on the work of today's educators. On the contrary, they've already performed near magic. While constrained by outdated systems, the larger picture shows they've even introduced significant amounts of new learning.
My niece is now Salutatorian in her rural district, just as I was. However, she will have packed in significantly more learning. Though not particularly a lover of math, she mastered AP Calculus as a junior, while I, with state awards in geometry, struggled with anti-differentiation and other concepts well on into my sophomore year in college.
What, and how, we teach has already greatly improved. We can count, too, the increased maturity in so many ways of a present-day teen vs one of a generation ago. While not all of that added maturity came via school, much did, and we have teachers to thank.
Read more...
Source: Education Week
