Well I agree with the digital students ideas about college especially the idea of the cost not being worth the price. I think we have changed k-12 instruction and college needs to change as well. But I see the new reforms in high school education and the amount of curriculum that needs to be processed will make us more like college,more paper and pencil.... But I refuse to let the curriculum needs change my teaching. It does mean that I have to be more creative.
That leads into video #2 which is on my favorite subject creativity. In the TED video Sir Ken Robinson relayed lots of good information about public education and how it has become entrenched in teaching kids to be able to do well in college. The real change has happened since I started teaching in the early 1980's. In the 1970's we were still given lots of opportunities to try many kinds of non-college types of education. Art, band, WOOD shop, Industrial Arts, Metal shop, etc.... Where has my wood shop gone? It would like to know how many high schools have eliminated shop classes. I see many kids that are so good things other than academics that could be encouraged to ex cell, but now they get little opportunity and have little joy in school.
The last video is a montage of kids and their voices regarding what/who they see there educational needs versus how society says they should be educated. I agree with them, but not all teachers see kids in these limited roles. I think I actually see kids and give students lots of opportunities to show their talents, but they are scared to fail. I my class I tell them you will fail! You will make mistakes! But most of all You will Learn BECAUSE of your failures, mistakes, but mostly from your ability to keep trying despite your failures. I believe the key to prolonged success in ANYTHING is persistence! I don't think you can teach persistence, I think all people become persistent when then are doing what they like, they choose to do, and what drives them.
It is our job as educators to help them find those things!
Officially off my soap Box!
later
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