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To me, this quote was a showstopper. I can honestly say I've said it myself - that we need to prepare our students for the real world. But in reality, most of them are experiencing a world we will never understand. We need to prepare them the best we can to fit into a world where technology is at the forefront. Where life changes in a blink of an eye. Where new jobs are being created that people 50 years ago never thought of. I get frustrated when I see popular Instagram accounts where picture after picture is a cute new worksheet or activity that you can purchase off TeachersPayTeachers for your students to do. Yet, those “activities” do not instill creativity. In fact, they limit it. Let’s look at education and see how we can change it for our kids. I’ve said this once, and I know I’ll say it again, create small changes. Take it step by step. Put away the old worksheet you’ve brought out year after year and allow students to live in a world of creativity and innovation. Where they are guiding their learning. Filling their minds with possibilities by collaborating and researching. Where they do not have to fill in the blank. That is preparing them for the future That is creating a better tomorrow for our youth. 
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When I got my first teaching job, I was so excited. I was just a reading interventionist for kindergarten, but to me it was just as good as a teaching job. Why? Because I would be there to help students learn. That was why I went to school for 5 years to be a teacher. But after my first day of touring the school and meeting the principal, my attitude changed. That first day I was sharing my excitement for finding new ideas for the kids and the response I got back was, “We already have ideas. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.”   In December, if you would have asked me who I was, my response would have been a teacher. Because since I was 9, that’s all I wanted to be – it’s all I have ever known. Some people dream of being a doctor others a mother – me? I wanted to be a teacher.
Art: the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.
Challenge accepted! Here is our Buddy Blog. I graciously agreed to be David Caruthers blogging buddy for this post - it was great to connect with him. We choose to blog about The 8 Things to Look for in Today’s Classroom. David's part is more of a reflection on 2 of these characteristic as he am not currently in the classroom.  David Carruthers, Technology Coordinator for the Thames Valley District School Board located in London, Ontario.
Critical Thinkers: I recently wrote a blog post where I drew a comparison between compliance and engagement. I suggested that many students in school today, are simply “doing school”. In others words, they are complying with the instructions provided by their teachers, following the rules, and doing what is expected. Essentially, they are fitting into a mold, resigning themselves to what it means to be a student within the context of most schools today. “Leaders are meant to unleash talent by bringing their people’s strengths to life, not ignoring them.”This resonated well with me and it made me think of a conference I attended last week. Sir Ken Robison was the keynote speaker, at my conference, and he was telling a story about - The Beatles. More specifically, Paul McCartney or Paul as he called him, and how Paul’s elementary music teacher told him he was not good at music.
How do you create or build on these conditions to support innovation? What has been the impact on those you serve? |
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