You don’t have to go far to realize that we are facing a major shortage of teachers in U.S.schools. News reports show that school districts across the country are scrambling to find qualified teachers to meet fast-growing enrollment at public schools.
The National Education Association has described the situation as “worse than we thought.”
Reasons for the shortage stem from retirement of teachers and teachers leaving the profession.
However, in my opinion, the...
In my last blog, I wrote about the concept of deep learning and how k-12 teachers might work to become the type of teacher that facilitates this type of deep learning.
First, a brief recap: these ideas of deep learning come from Ken Bain, who wrote about three types of students: surface learners, strategic learners, and deep learners. Surface learners are those students just trying to survive. Strategic learners play the system, learning and scoring well enough to get the A. On the...
What are Ways We Already Engage Families?
There are multiple ways to reach families and build those...
In addition to passing your classes, a new law passed in...
In his work on top performing professors, Ken Bain wrote about three types of college students: surface learners, strategic learners, and deep learners. Surface learners are those students just trying to survive. Strategic learners play the system, learning and scoring well enough to get the A. On the other hand, deep learners are also successful but immerse themselves in the learning itself, understanding conceptual ideas, thinking critically and creatively, and becoming adaptative...
The OECD’s Learning Compass 2030, launched today, urges nations to take action and reevaluate the knowledge, life skills, values and attitudes learners need to flourish and contribute to the well-being of their communities and their planet. Experts have argued that global education systems have not changed in hundreds of...
“We use play because play is learning.” – Catalina Gonzalez
Catalina González, founder and director of Literacy4all, begins her story in Colombia. A young school teacher, Javier González-Quintero, was asked to send report cards for his students to their parents. Javier decided this would not work since...
Fun Flag Facts:
I thought it would be interesting to trace back turning points in my teaching career--times when I had a breakthrough in teaching, met influential people, experienced intense, meaningful events or occurrences. Dictionary.com defines a turning point as “a time at which a decisive change in a situation occurs, especially one with beneficial results.”
Reflecting on turning points, in my opinion, can help connect the dots, to see how events are connected, and what molded and shaped our...