Finnish Lessons

I've been reading a ton about education (reform) in Finland and had to order the book Finnish Lessons by Pasi Sahlberg. Have only read the first chapter but am excited about their approach and teamwork mentality. More review to come as I read on!

"Doing School" - A Book I Suggest

Winter Break has always been such a great 'catch-up' time for me and reading. Just finished my third book this week and still have 14 more days of vacation.

I heard about 'Doing School' by Denise Clark Pope during an administrator workshop and checked it out from my local library. The format was very easy to read and the stories about each student from Denise's study were fascinating. Click this link to read more about the book.

Some questions that I'm thinking about....

1. Do you believe our current education system is preparing our children for life? Work? Relationship? Healthy living?

2. If not....What will it take to change our current systems?

3. What can adults do to help students like those featured in the book.

Instead of Recess

An interesting article in the NY Times School Book section this morning talking about enrichment classes during recess. A school in Queens, NY offers enrichment classes during lunch recess, instead of having the kids play on the yard.

There are students who don't enjoy recess, don't run around and play kickball, don't enjoy being outside for fresh air. Should this be an option at schools for students with different interests other than recess?

Read the full article here....

10 Ways to Change the Minds of Tech-Reluctant Staff

How do we move our colleagues into the 21st Century mindset? A great article on the Committed Sardine Blog about moving a staff/colleagues/yourself.

Here's a recap of the 10 ways, read the article for additional information and strategies.

1. Use technology for personal reasons first.

2. Emphasize how it helps them specifically.

3. Take small steps.

4. Pair off staff members with a knowledgeable co-worker.

5. Let students lead.

6. Allow paid lead for educators to get up to speed.

7. Be sure to offer continuous training and support.

8. Plan a fun event.

9. Realize technology can be intimidating.

10. Make sure the technology works - and is easily available.

What's on your list?

Building Blocks

A GREAT article in the NY Times School Book section about using blocks to play, learn and discover. My older brother and I would play with wooden blocks for hours and hours on end!

Smarter Every Day

Came across a pretty neat YouTube Channel this morning called Smarter Every Day. Some great looking videos and because we always have hummers in our backyard, check out the video!

Thoughts on this Sunday....

Was going through some old bookmarks and a great article on the Mind/Shift blog came to mind for a re-read.

21 Things That Will Be Obsolete by 2020, you can read the entire list here, and my thoughts on three are below.

Desks - This shift should have already happened five years ago with the boom of laptops in schools. My current school is only five years old and many of the planning decisions in my opinion were very short sighted.

aka: Desktop computers were purchased with the school, only to be replaced by laptops this year. Overhead projectors were purchased initially, with LCDs and Doc Cameras coming soon after. Desks are still being purchased for classrooms we're adding, despite our vote for moveable furniture, or simply comfortable chairs to 'learn' in throughout the day.

Wikipedia - My teaching career spanned from 3rd grade, to Junior College, and Wikipedia was always a discussion for my class. Not a good place to start with research, 'the' place to start your research. If you can cross-reference on two other sites, you can use the original information from Wikipedia. Many teachers I talk with are still reluctant for their kids to use this resource, even Google is/has changed their search algorithm to utilize current trends and social suggestions for their results. Come-on, hop on board with Wikipedia.

I.T. Departments - Probably the touchiest and for sure the costliest if we don't change. Touchy because jobs are at stake, which brings unions into the picture. Costly, because districts are spending lots of money on hardware and personnel when there are free or discounted options available.

What are your top three from this list?