The world as we see it?

Recently, I challenged my staff to consider how they view the world and how that impacts their teaching. I told them I was surprised to find a picture of my house on google street view. If you asked me prior that disquieting moment if I thought someone would be allowed to drive by my house, take a picture, and post it on the internet, I would have so no, it is an invasion of my privacy. Clearly, what I think of the world is sometimes at odds with reality. As print newspapers continue to abandon paper in favor of digital, we as educators must continue to consider what we must abandon in our teaching because how we see the world may not be our students' reality. You can still see my house on street view, but hopefully, my lawn is mowed and my truck is washed.

Comments

[Denis McCarthy]

The digital age have brought change at an amazing rate. We need to make a conscious effort to keep up with it.

[Sunny Williams]

Love this post. I get very frustrated when I hear veteran teachers say that that they don't want to change because what they have done for years works pretty well. However, I recognize that things need to change and am willing to try just about anything, but since it is hard for me, a very open and ambitious person, to sometimes take the first step, I can only imagine how difficult it is for someone who isn't a risk taker.

Do you think this is going to be something that grows out of individual classrooms or is this shift going to be mandated from the "powers that be"?

[Steve Poling]

Denis and Summy, thank you for your comments. Yes, the speed of change is amazing. I think change toward 21st century learner focused schools will come from a combination of growth in individual teachers as well as mandated from the top. There are positive aspects of both top-down and bottom-up reform so a combination of the two can best bring change. What do you think?

[Dereck]

Excellent post Steve! The paradigm has to shift if we expect schools to prepare students for the 21st Century.