Imagine a School without Walls
It was 1968, I had just graduated from college, and I was ready to shake up the world. I heard about this new approach to teaching being used in Britain called “Open Classroom.” The more I read about it, the more natural it seemed to me. It was kid centric--children actively involved in the learning process. Schools would take down walls between the classrooms and kids would be learning in hands-on small group instruction, instead of a teacher standing in front of room teaching all the kids the same thing at the same time. I embraced the Open Classroom approach and even had the opportunity to teach in the environment. The problem – teachers in my district were not properly trained and many resisted the change. It was considered another teaching “fad” and within a few years the walls went back up.
Today I hear the same thing that was said when we returned to our isolated classrooms in the early 70’s. We need to get back to basics. Our schools are failing. Kids aren’t learning. But today it is so different. Huge changes to education are possible--without physically taking down walls--so kids can learn at their own pace.
How? Technology!
Technology is not going away, and it isn’t a fad! We do face challenges when trying to change a mindset of educators who see themselves as the deliverers of all information and expect students to give back same information on a test and parents who think their kids are computer savvy just because they can play video games.
Let’s not lose a generation of kids! For years, I have seen the positive results of using technology with young children, and I keep imagining a tomorrow in which all children will have access to technology, the best learning tool we have.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Should a Test Detemine a Child's Future?
Our Kids Deserve Better!
I recently went to a local Education and Technology Conference in the NY area, hoping to hear about exciting new things going on in the field. But I was disappointed to find the latest things being discussed there were smart boards, and a program to track students' grades and their interests... Really!?
I recently went to a local Education and Technology Conference in the NY area, hoping to hear about exciting new things going on in the field. But I was disappointed to find the latest things being discussed there were smart boards, and a program to track students' grades and their interests... Really!?
I am OK with them discussing the pros of using smart boards, but this is not new or very exciting to me. The presenter then went on to describe this tracking system being used throughout this large district in the city. I couldn't believe what I was watching and hearing. She pulled up on the screen a profile of a 6th grade girl. She explained how the testing can identify the child's interest and how they would encourage the child to follow a particular path based on this test. Since this girl showed an interest in drawing, they would encourage her to take art classes and that she should follow a career path that had an art focus. Perhaps work at an Art Museum was one option.
First of all she is in 6th grade. Do you know how many 6th grade girls like to draw and doodle? Second, why wouldn’t they suggest a math or science career? We sure do need creative people in those fields. It is the people who can think outside the box who will come up with the new cure for diseases or new energy sources. Sadly, they are relying on testing to determine a child’s future without giving the child the proper guidance.
First of all she is in 6th grade. Do you know how many 6th grade girls like to draw and doodle? Second, why wouldn’t they suggest a math or science career? We sure do need creative people in those fields. It is the people who can think outside the box who will come up with the new cure for diseases or new energy sources. Sadly, they are relying on testing to determine a child’s future without giving the child the proper guidance.
This really hit home for me. Many, many years ago when I started high school, I was placed in a vocation track instead of the academic track, which would enable me to go to college. It was probably based on the entrance exam without ever looking to find that I had graduated at the top of the class. I was told that the classes I needed to be a teacher were too difficult for me. I didn’t believe them, and I made sure I took those “difficult” classes. I went on to college, finished in 3 years, but I often think about other kids who did believe what they were told, and as a result never achieved their full potential.
It is so crucial to have high expectations for every child and not to set limitations--based on a test, a label, or other judgement. They are our future-- Our kids deserve better!
It is so crucial to have high expectations for every child and not to set limitations--based on a test, a label, or other judgement. They are our future-- Our kids deserve better!
Monday, April 9, 2012
Standardized Testing
It's that time of year again...
Kids are spending precious school hours prepping for those dreadful standardized tests. Parents are anxiously waiting for the results. When I was a mom with school age children, I know centuries ago, we didn't have facebook, twitter... but we did have phones. As soon as we would receive the results, our phone would start ringing. Anxious moms would ask me how my daughters did. Their child either did horribly or was a genius--all based on that one test. My response was always the same, year after year. "My girls did exactly how I expected." Period.
My girls never even knew their test scores. I would take the results of the test, glance at them, and put them in a drawer. Really! One test and your child is a genius, the smartest kid in the school? Or the dumbest? It's only ONE TEST! I can tell you now, one of my girls did horribly on the math section of a standardized test. Had I told her or even mentioned it to anyone, or had she overheard me, she may have believed she wasn't good in math. She was so quick in math! There was no way that test was a reflection of what she knew. Kids believe what others say about them. Think about it: A standardized test is only one small snapshot of your child. Your child may have had a bad day, or skipped one of those silly little boxes which then screwed up all the answers.
My advice: Don't make a big deal when your child takes standardized tests, and especially do NOT post or discuss your child's scores on social media sites. If your child is doing well all year, then expect he/she will have good results on the tests. If your child has been struggling, then the teacher and you should have had a plan of action way before the standardized testing. Tell your child like I did when you get the results. "You did exactly how I expected and I'm proud of you for trying so hard!" Then, move on... There's so much more to really learn!
Kids are spending precious school hours prepping for those dreadful standardized tests. Parents are anxiously waiting for the results. When I was a mom with school age children, I know centuries ago, we didn't have facebook, twitter... but we did have phones. As soon as we would receive the results, our phone would start ringing. Anxious moms would ask me how my daughters did. Their child either did horribly or was a genius--all based on that one test. My response was always the same, year after year. "My girls did exactly how I expected." Period.
My girls never even knew their test scores. I would take the results of the test, glance at them, and put them in a drawer. Really! One test and your child is a genius, the smartest kid in the school? Or the dumbest? It's only ONE TEST! I can tell you now, one of my girls did horribly on the math section of a standardized test. Had I told her or even mentioned it to anyone, or had she overheard me, she may have believed she wasn't good in math. She was so quick in math! There was no way that test was a reflection of what she knew. Kids believe what others say about them. Think about it: A standardized test is only one small snapshot of your child. Your child may have had a bad day, or skipped one of those silly little boxes which then screwed up all the answers.
My advice: Don't make a big deal when your child takes standardized tests, and especially do NOT post or discuss your child's scores on social media sites. If your child is doing well all year, then expect he/she will have good results on the tests. If your child has been struggling, then the teacher and you should have had a plan of action way before the standardized testing. Tell your child like I did when you get the results. "You did exactly how I expected and I'm proud of you for trying so hard!" Then, move on... There's so much more to really learn!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Are Kids Today Learning Differently?
Nobody can deny that the tech revolution is more underway now than ever before. The world is changing so rapidly. Is it changing how children learn? Short answer – YES!
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It is the most exciting time to be a learner. The most successful children of tomorrow will be the ones who can use technology to FIND information, think creatively, assimilate it, and then self-express/communicate it. That’s why Imagine Tomorrow's program focuses on using technology as a tool for learning.
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It’s an interesting fact that the children we’re teaching today will have jobs tomorrow that have not even been created yet.
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I find it to be such an exciting time because learning is at your fingertips. I strongly believe, just as I did in 1991 when I founded Imagine Tomorrow, that technology is one of the coolest and most engaging learning tools. It incorporates the three main leaning senses. Children see the applications on the screen, hear the accompanying audio, and touch the keyboard or touchscreen... The more senses involved in this interactive experience, the better the retention of information learned during the process.
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One other reason I love technology is… It doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t know the age of the child, the sex, or the color of the skin. It doesn't attach a label to its user as gifted or learning disabled. Technology levels the playing field for all learners.
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So is the way kids learn changing? ABSOLUTELY...and Imagine Tomorrow has the program that is preparing children to use technology to be life-long learners.
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It is the most exciting time to be a learner. The most successful children of tomorrow will be the ones who can use technology to FIND information, think creatively, assimilate it, and then self-express/communicate it. That’s why Imagine Tomorrow's program focuses on using technology as a tool for learning.
-
It’s an interesting fact that the children we’re teaching today will have jobs tomorrow that have not even been created yet.
-
I find it to be such an exciting time because learning is at your fingertips. I strongly believe, just as I did in 1991 when I founded Imagine Tomorrow, that technology is one of the coolest and most engaging learning tools. It incorporates the three main leaning senses. Children see the applications on the screen, hear the accompanying audio, and touch the keyboard or touchscreen... The more senses involved in this interactive experience, the better the retention of information learned during the process.
-
One other reason I love technology is… It doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t know the age of the child, the sex, or the color of the skin. It doesn't attach a label to its user as gifted or learning disabled. Technology levels the playing field for all learners.
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So is the way kids learn changing? ABSOLUTELY...and Imagine Tomorrow has the program that is preparing children to use technology to be life-long learners.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Kids & Technology: 3 MYTHS!
MYTH: Kids who use technology miss out on 'good old fashioned' play.TRUTH: Kids who use technology still have ample time for tea parties, hide and seek, and tag. Parents must be the ones who encourage balance. Just as you would want an avid reader to sometimes put the book down and go out and play, the same applies to the child on the computer. Children need balance between independent activities and social activities, and between quiet activities and physical activities. Parents must help them manage their time and achieve that balance.
MYTH: Technology prevents children from having the social interactions they need.TRUTH: Technology connects us! Children see that at an early age. They see they can communicate with others by emailing, texting, skyping... If the concern is too much texting or screen time, then limits need to be set by parents to achieve the proper balance. Children can learn at an early age how to use technology as a tool to communicate and collaborate with others--anywhere in the world! That is something they will need to know to be successful in their future.
MYTH: Technology and multi-tasking hurt children's ability to focus.TRUTH: Technology is not what affects focus. Content and method of delivery affect focus. When content is made fun and interesting, children focus better. A child in a classroom might focus better on a hands-on experiment versus a boring lecture on the same topic. Technology creates a multimedia experience that reaches children through multiple senses - sound, touch, and sight. Studies have shown that engaging multiple senses can help children learn and better retain what they have learned. Multi-tasking is a great skill when performed effectively. Knowing how and when to give something more focus and attention over another distraction is a useful skill. Children are developing these higher capabilities at a younger age. What is described as "lack of focus" can simply be a sign of boredom and the failure to challenge their growing minds.
MYTH: Technology prevents children from having the social interactions they need.TRUTH: Technology connects us! Children see that at an early age. They see they can communicate with others by emailing, texting, skyping... If the concern is too much texting or screen time, then limits need to be set by parents to achieve the proper balance. Children can learn at an early age how to use technology as a tool to communicate and collaborate with others--anywhere in the world! That is something they will need to know to be successful in their future.
MYTH: Technology and multi-tasking hurt children's ability to focus.TRUTH: Technology is not what affects focus. Content and method of delivery affect focus. When content is made fun and interesting, children focus better. A child in a classroom might focus better on a hands-on experiment versus a boring lecture on the same topic. Technology creates a multimedia experience that reaches children through multiple senses - sound, touch, and sight. Studies have shown that engaging multiple senses can help children learn and better retain what they have learned. Multi-tasking is a great skill when performed effectively. Knowing how and when to give something more focus and attention over another distraction is a useful skill. Children are developing these higher capabilities at a younger age. What is described as "lack of focus" can simply be a sign of boredom and the failure to challenge their growing minds.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Imagine What's Ahead
"What an exciting time it is to be a kid!"
That is something I have said repeatedly over the years, starting back when I introduced "multimedia computers" to my first learning center for kids--in 1991. In that year, I had attended a multimedia technology show which was demonstrating the newest computers and software geared toward business uses--but I immediately knew this was "where it's at" for learning. As I set up my first computer learning center I thought, "What an exciting time it is to be a kid!"
The creative uses of technology for learning seemed endless to me. As I expected, the kids in my classes were fascinated with it, and fully engaged in the learning process as they collaborated to create projects using the latest computers and software. In the years that followed, as more and more children were given the opportunity to experience the Imagine Tomorrow program, we continued to adapt our content to constantly be at the cutting edge with the rapidly changing technology.
When I look around today, two decades later, I see kids tapping at apps on smartphones, texting and emailing each other, downloading music, playing games online, researching topics in an instant through searches, watching tutorials on YouTube, skyping with faraway friends, taking their own digital photos and videos, and sharing ALL OF IT with friends and family--with a few taps of the fingertips!
Looking at all of this today, and imagining what is ahead, I say the same thing: "What an exciting time it is to be a kid!"
That is something I have said repeatedly over the years, starting back when I introduced "multimedia computers" to my first learning center for kids--in 1991. In that year, I had attended a multimedia technology show which was demonstrating the newest computers and software geared toward business uses--but I immediately knew this was "where it's at" for learning. As I set up my first computer learning center I thought, "What an exciting time it is to be a kid!"
The creative uses of technology for learning seemed endless to me. As I expected, the kids in my classes were fascinated with it, and fully engaged in the learning process as they collaborated to create projects using the latest computers and software. In the years that followed, as more and more children were given the opportunity to experience the Imagine Tomorrow program, we continued to adapt our content to constantly be at the cutting edge with the rapidly changing technology.
When I look around today, two decades later, I see kids tapping at apps on smartphones, texting and emailing each other, downloading music, playing games online, researching topics in an instant through searches, watching tutorials on YouTube, skyping with faraway friends, taking their own digital photos and videos, and sharing ALL OF IT with friends and family--with a few taps of the fingertips!
Looking at all of this today, and imagining what is ahead, I say the same thing: "What an exciting time it is to be a kid!"
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Time's Up! Preventing Tech Tantrums
Parents often ask me how to limit their child's time on the computer. They usually wish to avoid "tech tantrums"--frustration and meltdowns--when they tell their child, "Time's up!"
What's the goal?
One of the most important things I stress to them is to fully understand what their child is trying to achieve, whether it is on a website, software, video game, or app. Is he or she creating something? Or trying to beat levels of a game? Attempting to finish a puzzle? Or just randomly surfing from one thing to another?
If you set a timer, or give a child an "end time", they might get frustrated if they haven't completed what they set out to do. Instead, understand your child's goal and set an approximate end time based on that goal. If the goal is too ambitious and could take much longer than you want, then help your child reset this goal to something that can be achieved in the time frame you prefer. Communicate, set expectations, and don't just say "Time's UP!" When time is ALMOST up, check in with your child and see what they have accomplished, and then you can transition to something else--without the tears!
What's the goal?
One of the most important things I stress to them is to fully understand what their child is trying to achieve, whether it is on a website, software, video game, or app. Is he or she creating something? Or trying to beat levels of a game? Attempting to finish a puzzle? Or just randomly surfing from one thing to another?
If you set a timer, or give a child an "end time", they might get frustrated if they haven't completed what they set out to do. Instead, understand your child's goal and set an approximate end time based on that goal. If the goal is too ambitious and could take much longer than you want, then help your child reset this goal to something that can be achieved in the time frame you prefer. Communicate, set expectations, and don't just say "Time's UP!" When time is ALMOST up, check in with your child and see what they have accomplished, and then you can transition to something else--without the tears!
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