Recently, I heard a talk given using the childhood dance, "The Hokey Pokey" as a metaphor for many things in our lives. It occurred to me that this can also be used to describe our move toward transforming education into 21st century teaching and learning.
"Put your right hand in..."
If you have a familiar lesson that might lend itself to some updating, think about how you might tweak it to include engaging technology, higher order inquiry or new resources. You don't need to change much; you just need to be willing to "put your right hand in and shake it all about."
If you have a familiar lesson that might lend itself to some updating, think about how you might tweak it to include engaging technology, higher order inquiry or new resources. You don't need to change much; you just need to be willing to "put your right hand in and shake it all about."
"Put your left foot in..."
Decide how you can take a small step toward transforming how you approach your teaching. Are you doing most of the talking in your classroom? Is there a way you can turn some of the responsibility for learning over to your students? Perhaps by setting up a center and allowing students to explore a webquest, you can begin to empower them as learners even as they help each other.
Decide how you can take a small step toward transforming how you approach your teaching. Are you doing most of the talking in your classroom? Is there a way you can turn some of the responsibility for learning over to your students? Perhaps by setting up a center and allowing students to explore a webquest, you can begin to empower them as learners even as they help each other.
"Put your head in..."
Humans instinctively resist change; sometimes it seems we just get comfortable with how we are teaching and something new rears up and causes friction. As anxiety-producing as change can be, it also affords us the chance to be learners as well as teachers. And the satisfaction of being able to say "I did it!" is no less powerful at our age as it is at our students' age. Put your head in by finding someone to support you; tell yourself you won't give up; set small, attainable goals and pretty soon you will be ready to...
Humans instinctively resist change; sometimes it seems we just get comfortable with how we are teaching and something new rears up and causes friction. As anxiety-producing as change can be, it also affords us the chance to be learners as well as teachers. And the satisfaction of being able to say "I did it!" is no less powerful at our age as it is at our students' age. Put your head in by finding someone to support you; tell yourself you won't give up; set small, attainable goals and pretty soon you will be ready to...
"Put your whole self in!"
Allow yourself to become fully engaged, immersed in the possibilities, confident of finding the right resources and support, ready to be successful and turn yourself around, because...
Allow yourself to become fully engaged, immersed in the possibilities, confident of finding the right resources and support, ready to be successful and turn yourself around, because...
