Will Richardson's "Why School?" really resonated with me and I found myself nodding to myself as I read through the pages of his book on my computer. His argument that we need to rethink how and what we teach was presented extremely well. I thought his point about how schools will not disappear but how we "do" school will undergo drastic change was right on. As educators we should be thinking about how we can effectively prepare our students as effective learners and critical thinkers. We should also be thinking about how we ourselves learn and how we ourselves engage with the technology around us. If we want to help other learners we must be connected to the emerging technologies around us and find ways to participate or engage with them and thereby model them for students.
In this respect I think what Richardson says is very poignant. As educators we cannot use technology simply as a "textbook," or a tool solely for raising test scores. Rather, the true power of the technology at our fingertips must be harnessed to provide students with real world learning opportunities, and truly prepare them to navigate the world that will exist when they move into the workforce. Their creativity, their ability to problem solve, make connections and think critically must be harnessed. As teachers and facilitators we should be there to support their learning, steer them in the right direction when they waiver and encourage them to try new things.
Overall I found the pages to be thought-provoking , enriching and exciting and relevant. I'm so glad it was a must read!
In this respect I think what Richardson says is very poignant. As educators we cannot use technology simply as a "textbook," or a tool solely for raising test scores. Rather, the true power of the technology at our fingertips must be harnessed to provide students with real world learning opportunities, and truly prepare them to navigate the world that will exist when they move into the workforce. Their creativity, their ability to problem solve, make connections and think critically must be harnessed. As teachers and facilitators we should be there to support their learning, steer them in the right direction when they waiver and encourage them to try new things.
Overall I found the pages to be thought-provoking , enriching and exciting and relevant. I'm so glad it was a must read!