Beyond grateful for the past six weeks with #IMMOOC. I’ve been reflecting upon the courageous words of many thoughtful professionals. In doing so, I’ve found myself pondering some of the following blog posts:
Carolyn Cormier: The “Not So” Secret Ingredient
Over the last year or so, I’ve been studying empathy and it’s profound impact on learning and the world. I would argue that empathy is the greatest education of all. I’ve enjoyed connecting with Carolyn throughout this #IMMOOC experience; her passion for empathy and relationships is evident in her writing. She explains, “Let’s make building empathy in ourselves and others the focus of our work here on Earth.” Yes, let’s do. I’m with her.
Jeff Nelson: Whose Job Is It Exactly?
Enjoyed Jeff’s insightful post about professional learning versus professional development. We’ve all been in death by PD. This post peaked my interest for a couple of reasons. First, I love his honest proclamation that our learning is our responsibility. “It’s up to you to become your personal best…if nothing changes, nothing changes.” Also, I’ve been thinking about personalized learning (and professional development.) This post challenges all of us who plan PD to consider how to offer experiences that ignite personal passion and curiosity. As Todd Whitaker has said, “The minimum goal of professional development is that teachers need to be more excited about teaching tomorrow than they were today.” So, let’s stop modeling bad pedagogy in PD. Period.
Katie Martin: Why Are We Still Assigning Homework?
There’s been an ongoing national conversation about homework. In this post, Katie investigates the very question posed in the title. Why are we still assigning homework? Not only did I find this post incredibly thought-provoking, but it also had me wondering, “How many other things do we do in education without asking why?” And without asking, “Is this having the impact we hoped it would have?” Lately, I’ve been thinking about how kids need more time for purposeful play, friends, family, and pleasure reading, so anything that gets in the way of that better be MEANINGFUL.