21st Century Schools

Posts Tagged ‘21st Century Schools’

Mentoring for Student-Centric Learning

July 31st, 2010 by Sandra Miller

Students are motivated differently and want to learn in new ways. One way to help teachers adapt to diverse and changing students may be to encourage them to think of themselves as mentors.

In his book Disrupting Class, Clayton Christensen talks about student-centric learning, “customized” learning, and teachers mentoring students. Technology for customizing learning is being used across the country, and on-line learning institutions are becoming specialists in this area. Christensen’s ideas on mentoring make sense and could be shared with teachers. In particular, his discussion of “challenges” and excuses as to why education has or hasn’t changed are well expressed. Principals could use Christensen’s ideas as a springboard for faculty discussion about just what can be done to make our schools more successful.

The 2010 National Education Technology Plan, Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology echoes what Christensen and others are saying about changes to the traditional classroom program.

“…put students at the center and empower them to take control of their own learning by providing flexibility on several dimensions. A core set of standards-based concepts and competencies should form the basis of what all students should learn, but beyond that students and educators should have options for engaging in learning…”

Christensen’s book and the new federal plan are great resources for us as we work to take on new roles and better utilize technology that can make us all more effective educators.

Tags: 21st Century Schools, mentoring
Posted in Leadership, Pondering, Professional development | 1 Comment »

Mentoring for Creativity

July 18th, 2010 by Sandra Miller

21^st century learning is exciting! I feel like the chains of No Child Left Behind are beginning to loosen. Hopefully, testing will begin to take a more appropriate role, and teachers will be free to teach in ways they know will serve their students well in the future. Now, for those of us who are principals, a part of our job is to help teachers move toward new ways of working with students.

We know 21^st century learning covers a wide list of skills, but one area that is particularly challenging is “creativity.” How do you explain to teachers what it means to “mentor students to be creative” when you really aren’t sure yourself?

Daniel Pink has two books that focus on the 21^st century. A Whole New Mind (2005) is thought-provoking, a fast read, and could easily be used with teachers to learn about creativity. Pink explains creativity, presents tools and exercises to examine our own creativity, and talks about developing “creativity skills.”

Pink also discusses the skills needed for jobs in the 21^st century. He says high paying jobs will require that workers use their creativeness. Much traditional work—accounting is a typical example—will be taken over by computers or outsourced. Creativity will be the requirement for better jobs.

In his newest book, Drive (2009), Pink predicts tomorrow’s workers will be motivated by autonomy, mastery, and purpose; workplace rewards that may have worked in the past are outdated. As educators, we have known for years that these are powerful motivators for learning, as well. And, in fact, much of the work of the future will be all about learning.

David Kelly offers a complementary perspective. While his research has been in technology design, his current focus is design thinking in K-12 education. He believes students need to learn skills, but that for 21^st century work, the creative side of the brain needs intentional development, too. “Design thinking is basically a methodology that allows people to have confidence in their creative ability,” states Kelly. “Design thinking is ‘intuitive’ thinking, it unlocks the other side of the brain.” Sharing Kelly’s ideas with teachers can help them become better “mentors of creativity” to their students.

As we enter the second decade of the 21^st century, and constraints lessen, it’s an exciting time share new ideas with your staff. Pink and Kelly are a great place to start.