TEAMS an Education for the Future

“ I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” -Mark Twain

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it” -Alan Kay

Why do many students find school boring and irrelevant? Because school is mostly boring and irrelevant, that’s not just my opinion; that’s what students have told me over my 15 years in the classroom, and I am not just talking about students who have fallen through the cracks. Even our best and brightest, those matriculating to MIT, Princeton and Stanford have told me how mind-numbing school can be. If that’s what our model students think, you can begin to understand why our at-risk students do so poorly or drop out of school entirely. Why is this? Because in most cases, school does not do a very good job preparing students for the “real” world, or tap into student’s talents and interests. That is why kids don’t apply themselves, kids who do well, are not necessarily learning in a deep and meaningful way, they just become good at doing school. They know what they have to do in order to receive the grade they want, mostly memorizing and regurgitating information gleaned from reading the textbook or listening to a lecture, unfortunately this is the modus operandi of most Advanced Placement classes. Students who are “educated” this way usually are not required to think critically, creatively or required to solve problems.

What if kids went to school and actually developed a passion for learning about the things they want to know more about? What if we re-imagined school to be completely different from the factory model we have perpetuated for the last 160 years or so, and allowed the student to be the center of their own learning, stopped teaching subjects in isolation, regulated by arbitrary bell schedules. What if teachers became the “guide on the side” instead of the “sage on the stage?” What if we encouraged students to take risks and see failure as an opportunity to learn and not something to be avoided. What if we taught students to be entrepreneurs and innovators so that the next generation of creators become successful because of school not in spite of it? What if we taught our students to use the latest technology to effectively research, collaborate, and communicate ideas? Make learning relevant on their terms and not on ours.

Most schools today stress STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). The implicit goal of the STEM movement is to recapture America’s lost prestige as a world innovation leader. The prevailing narrative among policy makers is countries like China and India have quickly outpaced our ability to produce students proficient in the STEM fields and are well on their way to technological and economic domination. International tests such as the Program for International Assessment of Students Achievement (PISA) reinforce this point. As a result, the United States has taken bold measures to ensure that it remain the economic leader of the free world by emphasizing STEM education as evidenced by the proliferation of career and technical academies and magnet programs that specialize in these subjects. I believe that STEM education is a good thing, but I don’t believe that schools exist solely to train students for the workforce and that is what STEM education seems to do. The reality is that we are preparing our students for jobs that don’t even exist today. The technological revolution has affected every aspect of our personal and professional lives, yet we continue to “school” our students for a bygone era. I believe that the best way forward to is train students to think like artists and entrepreneurs, it is one thing to be able to learn STEM, but it is a much better approach to teach our students how to use their education to create something original and new, think of it as the Steve Jobs approach to design. For this reason, I propose a new acronym, one that will prepare students to be creators, innovators, and collaborators. My school will be built upon the TEAMS acronym, Technology Entrepreneurship, Art Math and Science, STEM education with a purpose.  

Project Based Learning and the High School Social Studies Curriculum: Strategies to Develop 21st Century Competencies

The No Child Left Behind Act (2001), and its strict accountability measures for testable subjects such as math and reading, had the unintended consequence of marginalizing other subjects such as the social studies. This has had a profound impact on our student’s overall performance in reading as indicated by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) or the nation’s report card. Since 2002, eighth grade students have made no discernable progress in reading despite the fact that schools report spending upwards of 60% of their time on the subject (Tieso, 2013). Countries that outperform us in reading point out that the only difference in curriculum is the fact that they “provide their students with a comprehensive, content-rich education in the liberal arts and sciences” (Tieso, 2013, p. 97). Our continual shortchanging of the social studies has not only led to historical amnesia, and reduced reading scores, but is a lost opportunity to develop student’s skills, and  habits of mind that will help them be successful after they leave school. The problem is that high school history students are not learning the skills and dispositions that will help them be successful in post high-school education, the 21^st century economy, and civic life.    

            For students to be successful in the 21^st century economy, they will need to possess skills beyond the traditional reading writing and arithmetic (Huang, Hodson, La Torre, Obregon, Rivera, 2010). The new economy puts a premium on abilities such as critical interpersonal skills to include speaking, listening and the ability to function as part of a team. Students need to learn the skills to help them find and assess appropriate information using technologies such as the World Wide Web and databases. Students need to know how to communicate effectively in both verbal and nonverbal ways through a variety of platforms to include digital networks. An understanding of American history is critical if students are to become contributing members of our democracy, students will need to understand basic scientific principles such as the scientific method if they are to become critical thinkers and adroit problem solvers. Living in a global society requires that students be fluent in multicultural understanding and foreign languages (Uchida, 1996). While teacher-centered classrooms are the predominate configuration in most American schools, they are ineffectual in developing the previously mentioned skills and dispositions.     

            Traditional teacher centered pedagogy is not conducive to students learning 21^st century skills, while teacher lectures and demonstrations are important to the learning process, students should be at the center of their learning, they should be provided with several opportunities to engage in “hands-on” learning (Odom, Bell, 2015). An effective way to engage students in a student-centered lesson is through the use of Project Based learning or PBL. According to Lattimer & Riordan (2011) “PBL is typically considered an approach to teaching in which students respond to real-world questions or challenges through an extended inquiry process. PBL often involves peer collaboration, a strong emphasis on critical thinking and communication skills, and interdisciplinary learning” (p.18) Research indicates that inquiry based teaching pedagogies such as PBL are an effective way to engage students, as Weimer (2012) points out “while no evidence proves that PBL enhances academic achievement as measured by exams, there is evidence to suggest that PBL ‘works’ for achieving other important learning outcomes. Studies suggest that PBL develops more positive student attitudes, fosters a deeper approach to learning and helps students retain knowledge longer that traditional instruction” (p. 44-45). The 21^st Century economy requires that students think creatively and become problem solvers, in addition, providing students a diversity of student-centered lessons will help them retain their learning, according to Starko (2013) “creative applications of core content are among teachers’ most powerful tools in building students’ understanding. If we want students to master the content, they must do something with it beyond simple repetition. They must use it in meaning ful ways and make it their own” (p. 55). In addition “collaboration, creative problem solving, and problem-based learning have all been shown to increase creativity in children. This recent research supports what earlier researchers have maintained about creative learning environments: they must be flexible, free, open to unusual or divergent answers, and collaborative” (Cullen, Harris, & Hill, 2012, p. 11).

            Addressing this problem would benefit a variety of stakeholders to include social studies teachers, curriculum designers, administrators and of course students. I believe most teachers want to do everything possible to ensure that their students are successful in school, I believe the reason most social studies teachers do not engage their students in PBL, is simply that they do not know any better. Despite the fact that PBL has been effectively used for many years, my school district has never provided training on its benefits and implementation. In addition, I  never received PBL training in my education preparation program. Despite these facts, I believe it is important that teachers provide their students opportunities to hone the skills and dispositions that will make them successful  in post high-school education, the 21^st century economy, and civic life. Student-centered pedagogies like PBL will do just that.   

     

References

Axelrod, A., Markow, D., Metropolitan Life Insurance, C., & Harris Interactive, I. (2000). The

            Metropolitan Life Survey of the American Teacher, 2000: Are We Preparing Students for

            the 21st Century?. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, doi.

Cullen, R., Harris, M., & Hill, R. (2012). The learner-centered curriculum. San Francisco, CA:

            Jossey-Bass.

Huang, D., Leon, S., Hodson, C., La Torre, D., Obregon, N., Rivera, G., & ... University of

            California, L. E. (2010). Preparing Students for the 21st Century: Exploring the Effect of

            Afterschool Participation on Students' Collaboration Skills, Oral Communication Skills,

            and Self-Efficacy. CRESST Report 777. doi. 10.1037/e642072011-001

Lattimer, H., & Riordan, R. (2011). Project-Based Learning Engages Students in Meaningful

            Work. Middle School Journal (J3), 43(2), 18-23.

Odom, A. L., & Bell, C. V. (2015). Associations of Middle School Student Science Achievement

and Attitudes about Science with Student-Reported Frequency of Teacher Lecture

Demonstrations and Student-Centered Learning. International Journal Of Environmental

And Science Education, 10(1), 87-97.
Starko, A. (2013). Creativity on the Brink? Educational Leadership, 70(5), 54-56.

Tieso, C. L. (2013). Moving the Past Forward: From a Birmingham Jail to Occupy Wall

            Street. Gifted Child Today, 36(2), 96-113. doi: 10.1177/1076217512474982.

Uchida, D., American Association of School Administrators, A. V., & And, O.

            (1996). Preparing Students for the 21st Century.

Weimer, M. (2002). Learner-centered teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Student Centered Teaching

One of the key elements of a 21st century education is the shifting of focus from a teacher-centered classroom to a student-centered classroom, a classroom that gives students “voice and choice” as they engage in real world problem solving through creative critical thinking, collaboration, and use of technology. According to Weimer (2013) there are five elements of the learner-centered classroom, they are lessons that focus on students as active learners   rather than passive receptacles that teachers need to fill. They empower students by giving them control over their learning, teaching that encourages collaboration. In the student-centered classroom students have the opportunity to reflect on their learning and engage in explicit learning skills instruction.

In the article New Learning Environments for the 21st Century: Exploring the Edge , Brown points out that 21^st century schools should be cross disciplinary in nature. That today’s learners need access to multiple ways of knowing and that a one size fits all curriculum is counterproductive, as today’s learners have been conditioned to expect choice in the things they consume. Today’s students want to create and learn at the same time, and by doing this they will bridge the gap between knowledge and knowing (Brown, 2006). One of the best pedagogical approaches to create the learner centered classroom is the implementation of project based learning or PBL. In a study of the educational outcomes of PBL, Pedro Hernandez-Ramos and Susan De La Paz found that students who engaged in project based learning activities in a middle school social studies classroom learned more than students in a traditional classroom setting (Hernandez-Ramos and De La Paz, 2009). Project based learning requires students to engage in real-world 21^st century skills and elicits greater overall learning. In addition students learn the skills they will need to be competitive in the modern economy. A 21^st century education must take advantage of the revolutionary changes brought by computer technology and the internet. According to Harry Pence (2010) teachers must become acquainted with the technological environments of which their students are familiar. This approach will enable teachers to connect with their students and build upon their interests using technology. This approach will not only hook students, but will engage them throughout the lesson leading to greater student learning.  

                  My educational system is still rooted in the industrial error but is desperately trying to move forward. Unfortunately, one of the biggest problems facing my school district are teachers who do not recognize the need for change. Many teachers I know, still cling to antiquated notions of education such as the need to cover tremendous amounts of content, overreliance on multiple choice tests, and lectures. These approaches are not serving the needs of our students as students want a more active role in their education. However, I believe that a paradox exists in that our school district wants to see growing participation in advanced placement courses, which are often taught in a rote way, but emphasize the  need for 21^st century skills and approaches this raises the question is the advanced placement curriculum and 21^st century approaches compatible? Is it possible to teach the AP curriculum in a PBL or other student-centered format?

Brown, J. S. (2006). New Learning Environments for the 21st Century: Exploring the Edge.

            The Magazine Of Higher Learning, 38(5), 18-24.

Hernandez-Ramos, P., & De La Paz, S. (2009). Learning History in Middle School by Designing

            Multimedia in a Project-Based Learning Experience. Journal Of Research On

            Technology In Education, 42(2), 151-173.

Pence, H. E. (2010). Teaching in the 21st Century. Journal Of Educational Technology Systems,

            38(2), 103-110.

Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-centered teaching: Five key changes to practice (2nd ed.). San
            Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Why Schools Must Change

The Clark County School District, the fifth largest district in the nation, resembles in many ways the factory system of the industrial era. In the 19^th century, industrialist experimented with ways in which to make their factories more productive, thus lowering costs and raising profits. At the same time, they had to contend with assimilating immigrants who had little experience of industrial and urban life. Work was structured around a bell system that signaled workers when it was time to start, break for lunch, and when it was time to end the workday. Complex tasks were divided into parts, so that each worker was responsible for only a small part of the finished product, they had very little autonomy and were under the constant supervision of their immediate supervisors. The factory system worked well for the time in which it was implemented. Educators, faced with the same challenges of assimilating immigrants and educating large populations of students turned to the factories for inspiration as to how to most efficiently educate their students. Schools were structured around individual subjects, students were grouped by age, and a bell system let students know when it was time to change classes. Schools and factories operated in a similar fashion for the last one hundred and thirty years or so.    

Unfortunately, the schools designed for a 19^th century economy are still ubiquitous today.  These factory school are anachronisms that seem woefully out of place in our modern technologically rich environment. One of the most problematic vestiges of the old factory model of education  is the teaching of subjects in isolation. A century ago an educated person was someone who had memorized massive amounts of information and could recall it at will, in an age when access to knowledge was reserved for a small minority of educated elites, this made sense. But today, thanks to personal computing and internet technology, students have instantaneous access to information once only dreamed of. This has called into question the relationship between learners and knowledge (Wiles & Bondi, 2014, p. 65). In addition, schools still function like factories in that they have standardized almost every aspect of education. While most education leaders talk about the importance for differentiation of instruction and giving students voice and choice, the school’s infrastructure impedes these very things. Teachers are locked into teaching by quarters and semesters, they must teach in such a way that denies the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge. Teachers themselves continue to work in the isolation of their classrooms, interacting with their colleagues intermittently or not at all.

While many schools across the country approach education in the manner previously described, there are some innovative schools that are forging ahead and reimagining what school could be. One such school is High Tech High located in San Diego California. What makes HTH different is that they base their curriculum on Project Based Learning, students work collaboratively to solve problems and design projects across the curriculum (Robinson & Aronica, 2015, p. 129). At HTH teachers are facilitators of student learning, not the sole source of all knowledge. Students are encouraged to take risks, ask questions, collaborate, evaluate and think outside of the box, all traits that will help them be successful in the world of work and college in the 21^st century economy.    

  

Robinson, K., & Aronica, L. (2015). Creative schools: The grassroots revolution that's
            transforming education. New York, NY: Viking.

TED Conferences, LLC (Producer). (2010). Ken Robinson: Changing education paradigms
            [Video file]. Retrieved from
            http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_changing_education_paradigms

Wiles, J.W., & Bondi, J.C. (2014). Curriculum development: A guide to practice (9^th ed).
            Boston, MA: Pearson.

Why I oppose AB 303 and Support the Common Core State Standards

My name is Jeff Hinton, I am a National Board Certified Teacher, 2014 Nevada Teacher of the Year, and 13-year veteran teacher in the Clark County School District, I currently teach U.S. History and Government at the Advanced Technologies Academy.  I support the Common Core because I know that higher education standards are needed if we want our students to be competitive in the 21^st century knowledge economy.

Earlier this year, in his state of the state address, Governor Sandoval outlined an ambitious plan to move Nevada forward, he spoke optimistically of a “New Nevada” a Nevada that would diversify and modernize its economy by attracting high tech businesses to the Silver State, businesses such as the Tesla Gigafactory. This is exactly what we need to do to make Nevada a better place to live for our families and students, however recently the Brookings Institute published a report indicating that despite the fact that Nevada is quickly growing jobs in the STEM fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math we are unfortunately not producing enough workers with the necessary skills to fill those jobs. In a recent article Tom Skancke  of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance pointed out  “This last year, of the 251 opportunities of new businesses to locate here, 35 percent of those businesses chose not to come here because of workforce availability and education,”

As a veteran teacher I have taught both the old Nevada Content Standards and the Common Core Standards and I would like to take a few minutes to tell you why I believe, in my professional opinion, the Common Core Standards will help student acquire the skill set necessary for the New Nevada economy. Due to the unprecedented changes brought about by the digital revolution, teacher’s  have the incredible task of preparing students for jobs many of which don’t currently exist. The old Nevada Content Standards were appropriate for the time and purpose for which they were created but today seem anachronistic and outdated. Due to the proliferation of internet connected devices, memorization and regurgitation of  information no longer can be considered the pinnacle of a high quality education. Instead, students need to be able to think critically and analytically. Because data is so ubiquitous, they must be able to evaluate sources for validity, content and meaning, they must be able to ask probing questions and more importantly find answers to those questions. Students must be able to evaluate multiple sources of primary and secondary evidence and draw conclusions based upon their interpretation and evaluation of the evidence. Our students must be effective communicators both orally and in written language across a variety of platforms. They must learn to be expert collaborators, because the innovations that will move the New Nevada forward will not happen in isolation. This is what the Common Core does. 

I know there are some fantastic educators present who don’t share my enthusiasm for the Common Core, and certainly the standards are not perfect, and I believe we should have a conversation about the number of standardized tests students take, but let’s not confuse the issues. The Common Core and the number of required tests are two different conversations. In the market place of ideas the Common Core has already prevailed, we have decided that these standards are indeed the best we can do for our students that repealing them will have a detrimental effect not only on our students but on our teachers as well.  The truth is teachers are suffering from reform fatigue, repeal of the standards will only reinforce what many teachers already believe, “give it enough time and the Common Core will just go away just like every other reform before it.” This state needs to prove to teachers, students, parents, and stakeholders once and for all that she is serious about improving our schools, that a New Nevada is possible but only with a commitment to higher more rigorous Common Core standards.

Educational Edutopia

              American history is full of examples of philanthropists who enjoyed incredible financial success and then committed themselves to giving their fortunes away in the pursuit of making the world a better place. Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and Bill Gates loom large in this pantheon of humanitarians whose work improves the lives of millions through their charitable giving. Institutions of higher learning, libraries, concert halls, and disease eradication are but a few of the philanthropic ventures undertaken by these remarkable benefactors. There is another philanthropist whose work is not as widely known, but whose impact on the world may be just as significant, particularly in the field of education. Director and writer George Lucas is the founder of Edutopia, an organization dedicated to education research and dissemination of ideas and practices that give all students the tools they need to be successful in the 21^st century economy.

George Lucas founded Edutopia with the understanding that education is the key to improving the human race. Edutopia works to accomplish its mission through research and dissemination of its findings through their free website http://www.edutopia.org/ . Edutopia contains articles, videos and blog posts dedicated to improving education through a variety of innovative approaches, what Edutopia calls its core strategies. Strategies include comprehensive assessment, integrated studies, and project based learning. Combined, these approaches have the potential to reshape education and improve the lives of children all over the world.

            A significant way in which Edutopia is affecting education is through its research into comprehensive assessment. Traditional formative and summative assessments that rely on multiple choice bubble tests are not effective in measuring the wide range of learning outcomes associated with higher-level thinking. Edutopia espouses an assessment approach that advocates authentic assessments that differentiate the ways in which a student’s learning can be measured. These assessments focus on the creation of real-world products that support social, emotional and academic achievement. As an educator, I have incorporated comprehensive assessment strategies in my own classroom and with outstanding results. Through authentic assessments I have a better understanding of my students learning while at the same time fostering critical thinking and creativity.

            Edutopia is improving education by advocating for integrative studies. George Lucas understands that technology has profoundly changed the way we work and live. The internet has democratized knowledge to the extent that anyone with web connectivity can instantaneously access information, any time and any place. As a result, students must acquire a skill set that is radically different from the industrial age system of the past. Students must be able to integrate a variety of information and synthesize academic content. Learning should no longer take place within the silos of rigid academic subjects, but students should have the opportunity to see how English, history, science and math converge and make connections across academic disciplines.

            Modernizing education so that it better prepares students for the realities of the 21^st century workplace requires students to think critically, problem solve, work together in teams and communicate across a variety of mediums and networks. Traditional curriculum approaches such as lectures do not adequately educate students in these dispositions. Edutopia advocates instead for project based learning. Project based learning is a learning strategy in which students explore real-world problems and challenges while at the same time acquiring a deeper knowledge of the subject through hands-on projects. This approach to education gives students the opportunity to learn the skills and dispositions necessary for them to be successful. My own experience with project based learning has shown me that students, even reluctant learners, respond positively to this learning approach. Students enjoy exploring ideas and subjects more when they can make the connection to real-world situations. They also benefit greatly from working in teams to solve problems.

            George Lucas and Edutopia are making the world a better place by giving educators the information and tools necessary to prepare their students for the modern world. Anachronistic teaching strategies do little to promote the skills and dispositions that students need to compete in the modern technological world. Comprehensive assessment, integrated studies, and project based learning are but a few of the strategies that Edutopia advocates for improving education. While many philanthropists have spent their fortunes creating structures and institutions to promote the general welfare, George Lucas and Edutopia are disseminating ideas that will significantly change the way students the world over are educated creating a legacy that will be felt far into the future.

Why Teacher Voice Should be at the "Core" of the Education Policy Debate

“I hate history class, it’s boring!” If I had a nickel for every time I heard a student utter that sentiment I could retire by now. Nevertheless, before we condemn our students for their historical illiteracy and lethargy, we should acknowledge that there may be some truth to their protestation. Since time immemorial, teachers have taught history by giving lengthy lectures requiring students to memorize long lists of names, dates and events. In many history classrooms the textbook is the only thing students read, despite the preponderance of rich source material. Section after section, chapter after chapter, students endured what has become known as the “Bataan Death March” to finish the thousand plus page tome before the end of the school year. I don’t blame teachers, they are simply doing what they needed to do to cover the antiquated academic content standards required of them. To assess those standards teachers tested what students learned by giving “fill in the bubble” multiple guess tests. This “memorization and regurgitation” approach requires little to no higher level thinking and most students forget the material they crammed into their heads after they take the test. No wonder student’s find history boring.     

Thankfully in Nevada we have Common Core standards, which provide a fresh and intellectually invigorating  approach to how we teach and learn. Good history instruction should be less about “drill & kill” and more about analysis, interpretation and understanding the complexities, decisions and points of view of historical actors. As the Common Core points out the best way to do this is through an analysis of original documents. When students analyze and interpret document they have the opportunity to interrogate the past by asking questions, proposing claims and counter claims and deriving meaning directly from the source material. What makes this approach particularly powerful is the fact that teachers don’t tell students what to think, but how to think. Teaching history in this way is by far much more intellectually stimulating and rewarding, and requires students to think at a much deeper level than the traditional “one damn thing after another” approach. Common Core standards bring my classroom alive as my students debate the past and think critically about important events in American history.

Our technological world necessitates that we change the way we teach and the way our students learn. As the new Nevada economy brings high tech jobs to the Silver State our students must graduate with the skills and dispositions sought after by the 21^st century economy. Students need to be able to think critically about information and make judgments based upon evidence. They need to be able to answer their own questions through research, and they must be able to effectively communicate across a variety of platforms and networks. This is what the Common Core requires and why I support the standards.

Unfortunately, not everyone believes the Common Core standards will raise student achievement in Nevada, and there has been movement within the state to repeal them. Last week Citizens for Sound Academic Standards presented a forum to debate the Common Core Standards. Speaking against the standards was Sandra Stotsky, a professor emerita of English at the University of Arkansas and James Milgram, a professor emeritus of math at Stanford University. Supporting the standards was the Nevada Deputy Superintendent of Education Steve Canavero. The “debate,” unfortunately, was little more than the professors making spurious attacks against the standards, oftentimes making statements that have been proven to be untrue such as the claim that the Common Core was not a state led effort, but was the creation of the federal government. The highlight of the evening came when Aaron Grossman, a curriculum specialist with the Washoe County School District, gave his articulate and passionate support for the standards. Despite Mr. Canavero’s, Citizens for Sound Academic Standards forbade other teachers, from giving their opinions. According to the Nevada Appeal "One point of order that caused controversy in the meeting was the eventual decision not to allow teachers to talk about their experience with Common Core. Stotsky and Milgram said that wasn't appropriate for the forum, with Stotsky saying the Department of Education could hold its own forum. But Nevada Deputy Superintendent Steve Canavero disagreed.” and went on to say that "This is the only time I've had teachers silenced," he said. "I find that appalling, personally." It defies common sense that the “experts” would not want to engage with, and hear teacher’s points of view, I found it to be insulting and condescending. As a National Board Certified Teacher, teacher leader and Nevada’s 2014 Teacher of the Year my experience and knowledge of the Common Core and the positive impacts it has had on my teaching and my student’s learning should have been part of the conversation. Dale Erquiaga, Nevada’s Superintendent of Education, released the following statement “I consider our educators to be the most credible and knowledgeable speakers about Nevada’s standards.” At least our Superintendent has the sense to know that teacher’s voices matter. I sincerely hope that in the future any conversation involving Nevada’s academic standards involve the people who know them best our teachers.