the Slow Education movement
This is an old post, updated.
I had no idea what to blog about today and wasn't even planning to until I started surfing and discovered links on my Facebook page (by following Sir Ken Robinson's page) to UK blogs about slow education.
First of all, I want to say that when I stumbled on this, I realized just how global we already are. I mean, think about it, Pearson is a British company that is taking over the standardized testing world. We all have to deal with that. The UK is just as interested -- a better word would be concerned -- about standardized testing as we are. We are all facing the same villain.
Second, here I was thinking I had thought up all these new ideas when I hadn't. In fact, I'm pretty slow. It is good, though, to find confirmation that my ideas are worth discussion, and maybe I didn't start all this but I can certainly be an advocate and an activist in New Mexico, promoting a return to true learning in a changing world. And I can form alliances with others of like mind.
Third, although we are becoming a global community, we are also starting to appreciate the power of grassroots, small community, efforts in educating our children. Technology that allows us to create bridges between nations also allows us to build close learning relationships between teachers, students, and parents.
If teachers have the resources they need, they can determine what is best for their students. Give them tools so they can do their jobs better and then let them do it! Globally, teachers can share best practices and learn from each other so that locally, they can provide the kind of learning experience their communities need.
I will end with the mission statement of the Slow Education movement:
I had no idea what to blog about today and wasn't even planning to until I started surfing and discovered links on my Facebook page (by following Sir Ken Robinson's page) to UK blogs about slow education.
First of all, I want to say that when I stumbled on this, I realized just how global we already are. I mean, think about it, Pearson is a British company that is taking over the standardized testing world. We all have to deal with that. The UK is just as interested -- a better word would be concerned -- about standardized testing as we are. We are all facing the same villain.
Second, here I was thinking I had thought up all these new ideas when I hadn't. In fact, I'm pretty slow. It is good, though, to find confirmation that my ideas are worth discussion, and maybe I didn't start all this but I can certainly be an advocate and an activist in New Mexico, promoting a return to true learning in a changing world. And I can form alliances with others of like mind.
Third, although we are becoming a global community, we are also starting to appreciate the power of grassroots, small community, efforts in educating our children. Technology that allows us to create bridges between nations also allows us to build close learning relationships between teachers, students, and parents.
If teachers have the resources they need, they can determine what is best for their students. Give them tools so they can do their jobs better and then let them do it! Globally, teachers can share best practices and learn from each other so that locally, they can provide the kind of learning experience their communities need.
I will end with the mission statement of the Slow Education movement:
The Slow Education movement believes in ...
Promoting deep learning in the context of a broad curriculum that recognises the talents of all students.
We believe the quality of the educational engagement between teacher and learner is more important than judging student ability by standardised tests.
We support investment in education and in teaching as a profession as the essential moral foundation of society.
Go Slow!
Go Slow!
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