At the kitchen table this week, my oldest was working on labeling the continents and oceans (side note: there is one more ocean since I went to school, which goes by the name Southern or Antarctic Ocean). My youngest was trying to cut out shapes by staying on the dashed line, which is hard if you are five years old. So, I suppose these are important skills to learn as they are building blocks for other, more complex tasks.
What if she forgets her geography, though? What if he really does never master his cutting? What other skills will they try to grasp that they may forget? What if they can't learn something- I mean, if it is simply out of their realm of understanding?
I think I could handle it if Audrey just is not a math whiz or if Wyatt does not enjoy the beauty of conjugating verbs, but there are five things I refuse to let slide. These are the five essentials to me that they need to learn in school.
#1- Collaboration
Kids are growing up in a digital age that has now blurred all barriers of continental lines, time zones, and languages. I insist that they learn to function as a part of a team- both as leaders and followers. Clear communication, integrity, respect, and sharing are all skills that are honed through learning how to collaborate on assignments, in the classroom, and in the real world.
#2- Digital Citizenship
Students need to learn the art of connecting with others appropriately on-line. In the scary, unmonitored, digital social environments, students can easily fall into sloppy, rude, unflattering, or even dangerous habits. We can model this at home, but it is more of a fabricated environment than when they are in school. Learning managements systems like My Big Campus provide a safe, monitored environment for students to develop skills like on-line communications, appropriate discussions, and proper netiquette.
#3- Synthesizing
Digital natives assimilate information very differently than the traditional linear methods from my own youth. Today's kids are hard-wired to grab snippets of information from a variety of sources, but they need assistance learning to weave together the information to create their own learning. This is a skill I feel critical to master while still in grade school. Whether students enter the workforce or go on to higher learning, they will need to be able to synthesize information to make meaning of the world.
#4- Love of Learning
As a classroom teacher in public education for fifteen years, there was little sadder to me than an unmotivated student. I understand not being interested in a certain subject or having preferences, but people have somewhat of an innate curiosity. I feel it is the job of K-12 educators to hone these curiosities and help the students find how to pursue their interests either for careers or hobbies as lifelong learners.
#5- Imagining
I want my kids to believe, even at the end of their formal grade-school education, that they can do anything. I don't want in-the-box, textbook answers- I want the ability to dream of anything. LMS's such as My Big Campus allow students and teachers to create, design, develop, and grow without the confines of a traditional classroom setting. With 24/7 access to a wealth of resources and supported on-line schoolwork, even assignments like book reports turn into interactive experiences with audio and video components. Kids should not be stifled into conformity, but rather should leave school with endless tools for imagining and creating.
I realize these are high demands, but it is a high-stakes world students are stepping into from high school. Imagine a world where everyone stepped from the hallways of their grade schools having mastered the skills above! I believe big results like finding the cure for cancer and ending world hunger would be inevitable! I can come to terms with my kids not mastering chemistry or forgetting how to diagram a sentence. I will only support, however, an educational experience that focuses on their gaining these essential skills.
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