In response to Dr. Shea’s request (Prep Sheet) to post our prepared class notes, here goes… It seems lengthy, perhaps I’ll try to condense it for next time.
Regarding The Construction Zone: How to Build a Student for the 21st Century
First, I have to start with a bit of a rant (my apologies). I guess I’m tired of the scrutiny and lack of support in the media; I find it overwhelming because I’m literally months away from graduating with a teaching degree.
The premise of the article is great; however, it seems to ignore the current reality. How can we talk about expanding and innovating curriculum to reflect 21st century needs when there’s a mandate to pass PSSA exams or lose funding? Specifically, because of the PSSA, teachers have less time available for teaching.
Less time + more curriculum=???
Also, the article doesn’t address what will be done with foundational curriculum; for example, what do we delete in order to add things to the school day?
On a positive note, the author describes how students in Singapore, Belgium, and Sweden are out-performing Americans in math and science. The article describes how their curriculum is different: it focuses on key concepts that are examined in greater detail; these key concepts are also presented in a particular sequence. They actually have thinner textbooks that attempt to highlight only the most powerful, productive ideas. Going deeper into core ideas allows students to synthesize and connect with information on a personally meaningful level.
In contrast, American schools tend to focus on diversity and quantity of information.
Regarding teamwork and people skills:
Research seems to support the idea that group work is beneficial in the classroom. Personally, I have mixed feelings. While I agree that working in teams is an important skill, I worry about the students who will do most of the work and carry the burden of the slackers. What happens to the deserving student when his/her team fails to deliver the quality that he/she put into the project? Should his/her grades suffer? Teams can produce higher quality products than individuals; unfortunately, they are also capable of producing a lower quality product than one or more competent individuals who give their best. I guess it’s the two heads are better than one vs. a team is only as strong as its weakest link argument.
I think the core issue behind all the group work buzz is interpersonal-relationships: we want people to get along and to work well together. Perhaps we should take a look at what lies beneath that statement.
Every workplace/team problem I’ve ever encountered could be traced to a personality issue. What curriculum can we study to prepare ourselves to successfully manage personalities? I think we should have a course in this (many perhaps).
21st Century English Curriculum Ideas:
To encourage responsible, productive teamwork (some ideas):
Include regular (weekly) team projects where students can choose their role, and receive a grade based on their contribution to the whole. In this way, the students would forge positive associations with team work because their unique contribution would be valued; it could also motivate them to do their best work. (Worrying about a “team failure” is also a strong motivator—but I think it can be debilitating when all members don’t consistently offer their best work.) Fairness doesn’t always happen in the “real world,” but it would be rewarding to strive for it in the classroom. The ideal arena would be a self-chosen young adult novel or a class required reading project.
To encourage a global perspective:
Have students select another (non-US) culture to report on to the class; this could be a daily or weekly feature. They could choose a poem, short story, or an interesting cultural practice to write about. Students have the opportunity to become the experts when they teach/inform their peers. The final essays could be compiled and published in an online magazine or blog format.
Or, a cooperative/collaborative project with (same age) students from another country; they could communicate via email or a blog and publish the final project as a website…?
To encourage innovation and technology:
Have each student conduct a brief presentation on a particular self-chosen web technology. Keep it casual and open-minded; for example, if they had an interest in gaming, blogging, or programming, they could use this interest to produce a presentation. Perhaps, the students could produce an essay on the technology as the final part of their grade.
To encourage creativity/problem solving:
Create a classroom social media platform or a “Yahoo Answers” type forum where students can help each other when they struggle with a particular assignment. They could get points for every question/answer/post toward classroom participation or some other type of reward. They can receive extra points for a particularly innovative approach toward an assignment problem.
To encourage critical thinking skills regarding information and reliable sources:
Have each student choose a topic for a compare and contrast essay. The student will find a reliable and unreliable source from the web and discuss the differences. This is a great preparation for college-level writing and research.
Essential features of this curriculum: This curriculum would require a high level of choice, the opportunity for depth, and would employ group work and web technologies. Additionally, these activities encourage the student to become creators, teachers, and communicators; the responsibility shifts from a traditionally passive role to one that is highly active.
Themes for today’s teenagers: Part 2
Social Media (Cyber Relating)
Virtual Reality (Gaming)
Instant Everything
Choice
Everything for Free (music, media, news, culture, entertainment)
Re: Engaged Learning
Activities where I’m most engaged:
Songwriting (music/and/or lyrics)
Reading poetry
Listening to music/reading song lyrics (good ones)
Designing a landscape or remodeling project
Reading a great novel, memoir, etc.
Writing
Cooking
Conditions that allow for this engagement:
Control over the content
Going beyond my comfort zone (not too far)
Seeing through the eyes of another
Becoming immersed in another culture/time/setting
Having few restrictions
I can explore on my own (at my own pace, in my own way)
Autonomy
Prior interests and knowledge are involved
Use of Imagination
Purposeful (there’s a beginning/middle/end) and a goal & reason for endeavor
Combining ingredients in new, imaginative ways
Parallel list of topics for teens:
Gaming/Imagination
Blog Writing or Social Media
Writing a new/original scene or alternate ending to a reading/book/poem
Have students imagine or design their own Facebook community
Infusing their favorite activity (sport, hobby etc.) into a flexible assignment
Combining a virtual reality with classroom learning unit
Texting Assignment (create an assignment where the medium is texting) transcript becomes the finished project
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