makeschooldifferent

There's been a challenge traveling around Twitter recently with the hashtag #makeschooldifferent. The challenge is to list 5 things that begin with 'When it comes to education, we have to stop pretending..." There have been lots of responses with lists, covering lots of aspects of education today. As I read just some of the many thoughtful and thought-provoking lists, I thought about my own teaching, and of the frustrations many teachers face, and also my own children's experience in school. The challenge started with a post by Scott McLeod, which you can read here.

Here's my list:

We have to stop pretending ...

1. That covering the curriculum is the same thing as students learning skills and information.
2. The recess has no value.
3. That music and art are entertaining extras.
4. That a noisy classroom can't also be a productive learning environment.
5. That teachers are only teaching when they're giving direct instruction..

I teach at a wonderful independent school that serves gifted children from preschool through 8th grade. We have the freedom to try new things and we have been given many great tools to help us, especially in technology. Visitors to our school always comment on the positive energy and creativity they see. So my 5 things are not so much about my school as what I read  about education generally. But we still struggle with the changes that are constantly happening - in technology, student populations, what is important to teach in the 21st century, how do we fit it all it ...

An educator who I respect very much recently said in conversation that we are in a tsunami of educational change that we are not yet aware of. One thing that is certain is that education be different.