Nocking the Arrow

"In learning, you will teach, and in teaching, you will learn." - Phil Collins What comes to mind when you hear the word, teacher? Do you picture Albert Einstein at the chalkboard feverishly writing equations for a room full of glassy-eyed students? Systems thinker, Russell Ackoff , challenges our traditional cognitions by asking, " who in the classroom learns the most? " In the spirit of trying to do the wrong things right, Ackoff explains, " Schools are upside down. The way students should learn is by teaching others, not by being taught. " Referencing one of Will Richardson 's recent Change.School provocations, "does your school or classroom apprise a culture of teaching or a culture of learning? " Many organizations are pursuing objectives contrary to their intention. It's not a matter of efficiency, it's a matter of effectiveness. ", concludes Ackoff. During last week's Change.School exploration we disc...

Is " learning " a noun or verb? Every dictionary tells us it's both. However, more and more, we see the word learning used as a noun. Should we be concerned about this? In a quest to gain a deeper understanding of learning in schools I have been reading samples of school vision and mission statements. Ideally, in a participatory age, learning lives as a verb. While many school missions omit the word learning entirely, others use learning as a noun paired with some other academic activity related more closely to achievement. Achievement, a term indicating successful performance, is not synonymous with learning. In a recent change.school roundtable discussion, Will Richardson , always quick with a provocative question, asked, " Does school achievement guarantee future success? " My mom says the only guarantees in life are death and taxes, so of course, I answered no.  The conversation was aimed at defining learning, and the point was the words learning ...

We are nearly twenty percent into the 21st century, and unless you've been trapped under an enormous rock, you've likely come across information about the Four Cs. Designed as a guide to better prepare learners for a modern world, the Four Cs provide a concise framework for pushing modern learning opportunities into the classroom. This publication from the National Education Association speaks to the Four Cs in precise detail. "An Educator's Guide to the Four Cs" Taking a page from the ISTE standards for students , what if we shifted the focus of these descriptors from actions to learner dispositions? We would be fostering the development of skills students will need to be valued members of a global community. These learner dispositions include: Critical Thinker Communicator Collaborator Creator While I heartily endorse the spirit of the Four Cs, I contend two dispositions are missing from this framework. Contributor Cultivator As someone w...