Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Brain drain... Never again #WillWe



Since 1906 there has been research published and discussed on the "summer slide".  "William F. White, a mathematics instructor at the State Normal School, in New Paltz, New York, wrote an article for American Education, a periodical for teachers, titled “Reviews Before and After Vacation.”  The Cost of New York's Summer Slide,  Rebecca Mead "@Rebeccamead_NYC. As we head toward another summer, learning loss may never  be more critical than now.  In 114 years since White's original research what have we done to address the issue?  The overwhelming majority of public schools still function on a nine month calendar.

COVID19 has shown us that the American education system is capable of reaching students when they are not in school.  Will we get better at connecting to students with the intent of learning versus being in a school, without question.

Let's look at some numbers and consider what this current situation can do for students.

The infographic suggests almost three months of Math skills are lost over the summer.  Two months of Reading skills are lost according to research.  We will use months to look at impact:
2 X 10 = 20 months
20 months = 2 + years of school

Two years of learning are lost by the time students get through their sophomore year.

How have we addressed this learning loss?

There are lots of options.  Summer reading lists, reading logs, asking parents to read to their children, playing learning type games, and the list goes on.  While these all are good options, they rely on a basic key ingredient, an adult that has the time and the resource faucet to help.

Let's not forget summer school as an option.  Although teachers are considered 12 month employees, summer school is an extra financial burden on districts and will be tougher  to provide as the economy is reeling from COVID19.

We know we have an issue, we have known we had it for over 100 years.  Are we willing to address it as a result of this current crisis?

We have options to consider moving into the summer of 2020.
We, teachers,  can connect with all students on regularly scheduled times throughout the summer! Will we?
We, teachers, can still teach throughout the summer and still allow children and families a "break' from school.
Will We?
We, teachers, can still connect with students while continuing our own education and recharging with family.  Will we?

Our students need us more today than ever before.  Are we willing to look at the 100 plus old problem and peel away the excuses and address it?  It's time! If we aren't willing to address why we won't change now then when will we?   Is public education about students or about protecting what has been?

The next time we see a student struggling with a problem, just tell them not to worry about finding a solution, we have 100 years to think about it.

I encourage us all to ask the tough questions, and ask what #willwe do to lead!


Summer Matters.net.  @SummerMatters2U

https://www.oxfordlearning.com/summer-learning-loss-and-how-to-prevent-it/ . @OxfordLearning

http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2005863-1,00.html . @TIME @DavidVonDrehle .      

https://www.brookings.edu/research/summer-learning-loss-what-is-it-and-what-can-we-do-about-it/ 

@BrookingsInst 





Friday, April 17, 2020

Learning places

Looking back has me looking forward.  In the article,
Educations love affair with consuming technology written in 2014, it discusses technology consumption.  So COVID-19 has created a situation where kids aren’t allowed in schools and for many years we have believed that schools are the place where learning takes place.  Now, might be the time to really look at where does learning take place.  Technological reach, in more immersive ways, is more possible to any place and with that, learning could take place everywhere. Unfortunately or not, our kids are consuming more through technology than ever before. 

If we look at learning places and expertise instead of schools and buildings...what does that look like?   Right now kids are learning in their homes at a level that a month ago we would have thought impossible.  Are there perfect classrooms decorated with perfect bulletin boards?  No!  Are there human home's with messy rooms...a few.  What is a classroom?  Does it have to be located in a specific building? NO.  

Let's imagine learning places.  Let's imagine no boundaries within a city. Let's imagine teachers teaching their passion.  Doctors aren't doctors of everything, they specialize, they excel.  Is it time for educators to do the same?

Learning places and learning spaces.  When we think of all the places that have amazing learning potential we come up with amazing possibilities that lots of students never get to. Museums, National Parks, Zoo's, Factories, Capitals, Forests, Deserts, Stadiums, and the list can go and go and go.  Why do we  teach about animals without being there?  What about being IN what we are learning?  During this COVID19 time we have learned school buildings are not a necessity for learning.  We have learned technology can help but can't replace learning professionals as well.

Different schools have different ratings.  Parents want kids to go to best schools but often there are imaginary lines that prevent that.  Ponder that for a minute...imaginary lines determine quality of eduction that students receive.  If learning spaces were where teachers were and any kid and parent could join, would that be equitable?  Could busses still be run...of course.  Why aren't we using technology to open these spaces up? Teacher's are in need of a push to move to a learning environment and COVID19 has created the shove.  With immersive technology like Augmented Reality, learners can be engulfed in the environment but in order to do that we have to accept that the need for the old school building has changed.

So what do we know?  We know parents know their children best!  We know teachers know how to help children learn!  We know kids have exposure to more information than ever before!  We know most children get tired of school midway through the process.  Let's eliminate teacher's least favorite subjects and let them specialize in their passion.  Let's build networks of learning experts that are so regarded they have more youtube followers than gamers.  


Can we do it?  I hope so...will it take businesses and parents willing to do what is best for our future, yes.  Will it take teachers embracing the new frontier and moving past the idea we should go back to what it was, yes!  Will it be easy, no!  Will it be challenging like nothing we have seen, yes.  Let's set this generation up to be the greatest learners from our willingness to change.  Let's not re-invent the wheel, let's create a new way of transportation.

Friday, April 10, 2020

What will our children learn?

As we enter into ongoing uncertainty with COVID-19 and its impacts on the world let look at what students might take away from this historical time.

Will they look back and think about what we should have done?  As our lives are more isolated to our own homes and the news is relentless about what is happening, what do they see and think?  Unfortunately we don't have all the answers on what is the "right" thing to do so we are learning together.  Are we talking to kids that this is an ultimate example of learning, learning together and finding solutions (not answers) or are we discussing things from that traditional educational mindset?  Are we focusing on we should have an answer and we should have known it?  Thinking about how we discuss this pandemic is a key step in setting the stage for what learning looks like after it resides  Learning is ever-changing and this is a real-life example of that the solutions to all problems are everywhere but we must be able to continue to re-assess and try a different routes.

Are our children learning empathy in this time of need?  When we see the coverage of shortages at grocery store when there has not been a true increase in need what do our children learn?  In a time of need are our children learning about helping each other?  Are we focusing on needs and appreciating all we have?   How are we helping each other in a time of isolation will set a standard that our kids  will hold onto for a generation.

What are our children learning about school?  Education will most likely look different in years to come but what are students, parents and community learning about education as we go through this crisis?  Are they learning packets are how we learn?  Are they learning pre-recorded videos can replace classes?  Are they learning how to better work with teachers to help students learn?  Are parents becoming an integral team member in the learning process?  Are teachers finding ways to make content come alive in the world students are already accustomed?  We can defend what is good about schools with a backward facing perspective but to our children and their families that shows we are about what was, not what is now.  Can we change the conversation from school to education during this time?  Can our children see that we are committed to building a an educational process that looks at them as individuals and not someone in a bus or classroom. 

The children/students of today will guide what is accepted as education in the very near future.  Are we helping them develop the learning, empathy and understanding to learn now and lead into the unknown.

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Learning attached to music

My kids and I decided we would embrace the Corona message by incorporating it in to songs and remaking lyrics.  We challenge anyone to share your ideas and create your own. 

We dug deep, used My Sharona, My Adidas and Stitches.  Enjoy and please share your videos.  #coronamusicchallenge






How have we improved?

  This Ted style talk was deliver in 2014. Lots of things have changed since 2014.  We have faced global pandemic.  We have seen multiple ...