Last night we had our second #edplay Twitter chat. We had a great discussion on a variety of questions focused around the following
Topic: Play in the Scope and Sequence of Education
I had nine questions prepared for the chat focused around three articles that I had read in the few weeks prior.
Article #1: STEM and Authenticity: Success by Making Worlds Real (18 min)
This article is written by Eileen Malick and I think it speaks to all of us trying to figure out play and experimentation in the classroom.
Question #1: How do you teach lessons that have your students engaged & not rejecting your lesson as boring?
Question #2: What activities do we need to discard because they are meaningless or phony by Ss?
Question #3: How do we develop authenticity in how we teach?
Article #2: A very scary headline about kindergartners – The Washington Post (18 min)
Question #1: How do we distinguish “high quality programs” vs. “Academic programs”? Why are they always viewed as same?
Question #2: How can we develop “high quality” where it does not have to be “high intensity”?
Question #3: Kids like to play, yet we keep removing play from schools and kids are hating school earlier and earlier. How do we help others understand the power of play?
Article #3: Why I want to give up teaching: Common Core, Smarter Balance – Hartford Courant (18 min)
Question #1: What data is valuable to both Ts and Ss to demonstrate learning?
Question #2: Does anyone involved in the actual classroom really care about standardized tests?
Question #3: What are the key pieces to quality learning in the classroom for Ss and Ts?
I have included an archive of the chat in the Google Document. As stated in the document you will have to read from the bottom up to read chronologically. Many great ideas were shared and expressed.
The major goal I have with the chats and Google Hangout Panel discussions is that we start to develop real talk. Many love to share all the great things, but I want to take things to the next level and have real talk about the issues in education. I don’t want a complain fest, but let us get to the truth of the matter and create solutions that work.
If you have any follow up thoughts, questions, or concerns let me know.
Next week we move back to Google Hangouts for panel chat with students and educators to discuss group work in the classroom. I hope you join us. If interested on being on the panel just add your name. You can also just follow along in the chat stream as well.
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