Faculty+Council

Jason Cheek and Sarah Hanawald brought the following to the faculty council meeting.

Collaboration skills can be used for good (art, overthrow of a dictatorship) or evil (the attackers in Mumbai). However, those without them will be at a disadvantage.

Are we able to teach students these skills? Do we have them ourselves? What do we need to do to as a community of learners?

media type="custom" key="2910913" Video "Do Not Go Quietly Into the Classroom" This version is higher quality than the YouTube one.

media type="custom" key="2910947" Flashmob Video

Books we are reading. //[|Here Comes Everybody]// by Clay Shirky //[|Disrupting Class]// by Clayton Christensen, Curtis Johnson and Michael Horn. There's a [|great discussion]of this book among independent school educators going on on [|ISENET]. Also, [|Michael Horn] and [|Curtis Johnson] and [|Patrick Bassett] were interviewed on [|EdTechTalk] in different podcasts discussing the book.

Alan November said a while back that we are the first generation of educators who have to prepare all of our children to lose their careers, not just their jobs. Maybe more than once (I added this last bit). Are teachers equipped to do this? Could we re-invent ourselves if we needed to?

From the[| Partnership for 21st Century Skills website]. Disclaimer, I'm not crazy about their "we need American students to be competitive in business approach" to education. However, there's some valuable information on the site. Below are traits the partnership identifies as essential for students to have in the future. How many teachers have these traits as a part of their skill set? I would argue that, like students, we all display some variation. How then, do we teach these "skills" especially since none of them are tested until after graduation when students encounter the "real world."

How are teachers going to build that skill set? It sure isn't going to happen at an inservice. It will happen if teachers become part of building a learning community. The fact that ed tech jumped into the listserv, Ning, Wiki world first is just well, first. Techies don't necessarily "get" this stuff better than other teachers. It's just that technology enabled communication and collaboration at the current level.

The great artists, writers, and thinkers of the past gathered in cultural centers and met in salons. There was a reason Gertrude Stein and Alice Toklas went to Paris! Is it impossibly elitist to draw a parallel with educators? Aren't we supposed to be fighting [|the anti-intellectual trend that seems to be "All American?]"

Here's the "skill set" our students will need. Are we ready to learn it with them?

What do you think?

o Adapting to varied roles and responsibilities o Working effectively in a climate of ambiguity and changing priorities
 * Flexibility & Adaptability

o Monitoring one’s own understanding and learning needs o Going beyond basic mastery of skills and/or curriculum to explore and expand one’s own learning and opportunities to gain expertise o Demonstrating initiative to advance skill levels towards a professional level o Defining, prioritizing and completing tasks without direct oversight o Utilizing time efficiently and managing workload o Demonstrating commitment to learning as a lifelong process
 * Initiative & Self-Direction

o Working appropriately and productively with others o Leveraging the collective intelligence of groups when appropriate o Bridging cultural differences and using differing perspectives to increase innovation and the quality of work
 * Social & Cross-Cultural Skills

o Setting and meeting high standards and goals for delivering quality work on time o Demonstrating diligence and a positive work ethic (e.g., being punctual and reliable)
 * Productivity & Accountability

o Using interpersonal and problem-solving skills to influence and guide others toward a goal o Leveraging strengths of others to accomplish a common goal o Demonstrating integrity and ethical behavior o Acting responsibly with the interests of the larger community in mind
 * Leadership & Responsibility