Problem Based Learning - Alan November TED

Alan November at TEDxNYED

A fifteen minute presentation format is a very short time to try to build a case for a big idea. My Ted Talk is about how the current culture of school typically underestimates the contribution that many students would make to solve real problems and to make a contribution to help classmates learn. Of course, a model of teaching to the test does not promote the kind of higher order problem solving that I try to outline in the talk. I am hopeful that authentic work and a culture of student contribution can support the current obsession with test scores.

http://novemberlearning.com/alan-november-at-tedxnyed-2/

How do assess Problem Based Learning

ASCD Blog by Suzie Boss:

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/assessing-project-based-learning-how-to-suzie-boss

Maintaining Motivation

Good reflections @ how we get better at dance and at school...

http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2011/03/16/tln_rigsbee_dance.html?tkn=UNCCuZrksDcNlFyQl8u4xnY2sHTJMVsmvCvy&cmp=clp-sb-ascd

David Brooks on TED

David Brooks: “People learn from those people they love.”

Here's Brooks' TED link. Thanks, Jan, for sending this along!

I had a friend in college – wise for his age – who defined love (we were cynical young bucks at the time, wearing all black and smoking clove cigarettes) as “time spent well together”. This was in response to some transcendental notion of love… “soul mates”, etc.

And I think of that now when I think of good teaching – you really do need to have “caritas” for your students to make an impact. Learning can happen in other ways, but the learning that happens when a teacher DRAWS OUT a student, there is that kind of love.

Top 10 Web Resources for Teachers - Harvard Educational Letter

http://www.hepg.org/hel/article/495

UK education chief says "Kids should read 50 books a year!""

United Kingdom Education chief says kids should read 50 books every year:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8395784/Children-should-read-50-books-a-year-says-Gove.html

PISA says: Raise Teacher Status

Here’s an article that will make you happy: PISA head says that US must raise the status of the teacher profession. Obama says that teachers should be considered “nation builders.” And the irony of Wisconsin… All in one article!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/education/16teachers.html?_r=1