Making our own paths

 Some rights reserved by glennia

One of the best things about this job is the ability to constantly (re)define my role.  So, it's pretty great for me, although I can understand that people who need clearly defined roles might not be as happy.

So, what I'm really going for this year is experimental iPad groups. I recently read this "Challenging Tweet" post.  It's been consuming a lot of my thoughts recently.  We are reinforcing this idea of hierarchy and traditional classroom values while using tools that could be used for student led learning.  I'm trying to get my teachers and students to see this, but I'm not sure about it myself. I just know it's something we have to start thinking about it. 

My first thought is, this is why we need to teach coding.  Students are taking part in a world they really don't have a lot of control over. Coding will give them some power. Actually teachers need to know more about this (and so do I for that matter). 

My second thought was, get them outside and start creating their own knowledge, they can do this inside too, but I really want them outdoors to reinforce this idea that learning has no boundaries, when you're in a class, the walls are already there. 

Anyway, trying to go down these new paths, some lead nowhere, but hopefully one or two will take me to some place pretty great.