Welcome to #saskedchat! Tonight we'll be exploring Re-Imagining Education - Where do we go from here? Thanks to @LannySaretsky for suggesting this timely topic!
Hi #saskedchat! I'm Kara, an early years (Pre-K and Gr 1) teacher in Hudson Bay, SK. It has been a LONG time since I've made it to this chat! Glad to be back :)
Hi! I'm Danny, a 4th year ed student at the University of Regina, set to (re)start my internship in January. I am curious to see everyone's thoughts on re-imaging education. #saskedchat
Hi #saskedchat ! Aubrey here to hang out with some creative idea sharin' happy people! (and because @kellywchris and @HeculuckDave keep tagging me in their tweets! 😂)
Welcome to #saskedchat everyone. I’d like to thank @LannySaretsky for suggesting this topic and encourage anyone interested in suggesting a topic to add their ideas to our document - https://t.co/Os9sflyJAA
A1 - I believe that education needs to be re-imagined to include Ss voices to a greater degree. They have great insights into ways to support their learning which can help schools and Ts. #saskedchat
A1: I think it would be great for students if we could re-imagine education to group students by the ability of where they are at, rather than their chronological age. #saskedchat
A1: I would like to eventually get to a point where education is naturally meeting all teacher and students needs/desires. Preparing students for their lives, helping students overcome challenges and find success. #saskedchat
A1: I believe there needs to be more opportunities for students to pursue what they are passionate about. Have teachers provide the tools for students to build their own product, rather than teachers give students a finished product. #saskedchat
Getting good access to tech/internet is challenging in so many locations and school. Hard to stay current when your best resources are a decade old and you can't teach students how to utilize tech as a tool. #saskedchat
A2: feeling confident in the school system and teachers that are responsible for your child's education. But also providing parents with some opportunity to learn and grow with their children. #saskedchat
A2: Rather than just trying to keep parents informed, I think they need more opportunities to be meaningfully involved and engaged in education. It is so powerful when parents can come in and be teachers and share their skillsets and knowledge! #saskedchat
A2: I really enjoy student led conferences. I think there needs to be more opportunities for students to share what they have learned have learned, and show what they are passionate about. This will let parents rest easy knowing their kids are in good hands. #saskedchat
A1: more S voice-yes; more S choice-yes; I would like to see is a place where expertise (whether a T, S, or Comm. member) is utilized to the fullest extent. Learning is not about the place one goes to; it is the place that changes/gives depth to one’s perspective. #saskedchat
A2 - I believe parents need to be part of the learning as active participants supporting their children’s learning through engaging them in the processes, helping them to see learning isn’t about a grade but it is a continuous process. #saskedchat
A3: the saying "it takes a village to raise a child" comes to mind. People from the community have so much to offer youth and allowing them to be part of the education, to be engaged with different learning opportunities would be a good start. #saskedchat
A3: Community engagement, having the community participate and contribute and give back to the school. (however - realize this works both ways) #saskedchat
A3: I believe it is important to have community nights, or opportunities for members of the community to come in and share their experiences with Ss. #saskedchat
Maybe it’s not all the time but for different learning - instead of all or nothing a blend where multi-age students could work together say on Passion Projects or Genius Hour. #saskedchat
A2 Parents who have been given opportunity to understand the power of technology in learning and help their child fully embrace the responsibility that comes with this power... there is, at times, digital citizenship requires familial partnership. #saskedchat
A3: Place-based education comes to mind. Giving students real-life learning opportunities to work with and learn in local businesses and locations. Check out David Sobel's work. https://t.co/8tUJOw8ERo#saskedchat
If things become more flexible it could go that way. Ss could have time both to be with peers of similar ability but also time with Ss of similar age would be good too #saskedchat
A3 - the community and school have a social contract about the education of children that is very important and needs to be supported and, in some cases, re-imagined to include sharing of knowledge. #saskedchat
A mix I think would be the best way to start. Eventually I think ed is going to be more blended than we are currently seeing. More topic/outcome based rather than grades. #saskedchat
Totally agree - including parents in the learning, especially about the digital world, is a great way to build connections and develop deeper levels of trust. #saskedchat
A2: different than anything that they experienced. Education taking place in environments that look nothing like the classrooms of five years ago. Content that is not the center of the class. S that learn and teach along side the T. #saskedchat
There is such a place for all sorts of place-based opportunities but, I believe, it means re-imaging how schools to be more flexible in terms of curricula and what is deemed as ‘learning’. #saskedchat
Cause this fantastic idea is way too obvious and therefore will not work. I'm sure there are studies done to prove that this method will benefit us all, just need to get there. #saskedchat
In reply to
@MrBourassaED, @kfidelack, @kellywchris
A4: Teachers' roles would be redefined. They would become guides, helping students find the tools they need to learn what they what they are passionate about. Direct instruction would slowly fade away, and student led learning would take over. #saskedchat
A4: Having more resources to do our job effectively and equitably (more EA support, more funding, smaller class sizes, fair amount of prep time, I could go on and on - haha). #saskedchat
That requires a re-imagining of the way that teachers interact and the role of teachers. UDL has many possibilities but is limited by resources, especially human. #saskedchat
In reply to
@kfidelack, @MrBourassaED, @BKorchinski
A4: Moving away from the idea that teachers the gatekeepers of knowledge. We need to move towards facilitating learning, challanging students, teaching how to question, and how to find answers. #saskedchat
A4. Reimagined for teachers must continue to push for balance ....maintaining structures that work historically and pushing their comfort zone to create structure and new opportunities for Ss’ learning. It starts with divisions willing to take risks #lcsdprolearning#saskedchat
A4: Teachers will undoubtedly continue moving toward being a wonderful "tour guides", taking the kids to places they can safely learn, guiding but still allowing room for discovery. #saskedchat
A4: I'd like to see Ts be considered the one of most knowledgeable people in a room when discussing education rather than thought of as work horses. Politics are creating too many complications in ed. Letting Ts teach and showing them respect would be a good start #saskedchat
There are so called international experts who say class size doesn't matter and they use S Korea as an example (big classes, do great on tests). They fail to mention the after school small class size private schooling, 1 on 1 tutoring they do...#saskedchat
A5: I think for reconciliation to really be supported it needs to come consistently from all levels of education. Primary, secondary, and post-secondary. #saskedchat
I like the phrase 'familial partnership.' Education entails positive partnerships between school and families. When such a partnership is built on a solid foundation, digital citizenship will be relatively easy to acquire #edtechchat#saskedchat
A5: Indigenous ways of knowing become commonplace, and teachers encourage students to explore topics that pertain to them. Honouring other ways of knowing. #saskedchat
A5: Change the way it is presented so it is seen as important and worthwhile, not a second thought. Treaty Ed outcomes are found at the bottom of the curriculum page and are not considered "core curricula" that should be taught. #saskedchat
I think it’s important to refocus on honouring other ways of knowing of which Indigenous is an important component. Acknowledging knowing as being multi-faceted and multi-cultural. #saskedchat
The way treaty ed is approach in Sask is like a second or even third thought, It is rarely at the forefront of teaching and thought of as a do it once, it is done. No need to repeat. #saskedchat
A5: Promoting empathy within our students. Have other ways of knowing embedded into all of teaching. Sharing literature that features our FNMI students. #saskedchat
A5 - Re-imagine education as a process of understanding where reconciliation is a key component, integrated with multiple ways of knowing and understanding. It does mean re-imagining curricula also! #saskedchat
A6: Once ed is no longer viewed as an expense but as an investment being inclusive will be easier because the resources and supports will all be there for the students and teachers when needed and as needed. #saskedchat
Co-creating and sharing knowledge - by both schools and communities is important. When the relationship ('social contract') is honoured, the risk of one side viewing the other as 'ignorant' with respect to what's in the best interest of students is minimized #saskedchat
When 'learning' has relevance to the reality of learners, the teaching-learning process becomes relevant and what is learned can be applied to real-life situations #saskedchat
I agree. If the community sees the awesome things going on in our schools/classrooms they'd be more willing to invest monetarily and emotionally. #saskedchat
A7 - there are so many opportunities to build connections around the globe and just around the corner - re-imagining learning to support these connections is important. #saskedchat
That is a good point. When students are encouraged to pursue what they are passionate about, they become active participants in the learning process as knowledge-creators rather than just consumers. The learning process is important (that is why #Montessori is cool) #saskedchat
Totally! Communities sometimes don’t know what’s going on in the school except for the occasional concert and open house. Building connections is so important. #saskedchat
A7: Technology. We live in a world where we can connect with people across the globe with the click of a button. Have Twitter chats with a classroom in China, share thoughts with students in Australia. There are no more geographical limits. #saskedchat
A7: we live in a generation that the world can be explored with technology. Close the gaps. Allow for explorations and interactions between students. Have students ask questions and investigate. Let them lead their own journeys for global learning #saskedchat
There may not be geographical limits but time zones do cause some issues! And connectivity isn’a always that easy, right @HeculuckDave - but there are ways to overcome these! #saskedchat
A3a: businesses are actively engaged in what is learned. They are not just bank accounts to be accessed when the school wants to do something. #saskedchat
A7: Of course, in most schools, there is more and more successful global connectivity every year. As this great learning increases and improves, we need to ensure we educate students and teachers in cultural competency.
https://t.co/GseFUUwwBT#saskedchat
A7 currently there are lots of global learning connections that are going on but we can continue to deepen those connections and innovate on current ideas in the future #saskedchat
A7: The mindset of global ed must first b instilled in the culture of the school...and more than just the theme for 2019...rather, part of the school’s mission statement. Once THAT happens...Global Teacher Leader Task Force to research curric 2embed in present curric #saskedchat
As Ts become more guides where habits and routines of learning are developed, Ts will need to spend less time planning for each Ss and more time supporting Ss as they develop the skills to become independent learners. #saskedchat
A3b: fully engage all parts of the community by going to different organizations and groups to learn and share. Like going to assistive living or retirement homes to learn about the past and engage in empathy and understanding. #saskedchat
I'm trying to be better about this myself. I've been creating guided notes, videos and projects for each major topic so that each type of learner can make the connections they need. The students have responded pretty positively so far. #saskedchat
A7: cont’d : then... reach out to global educators like @mrs_smoke@zelfstudie and organizations such as @empatico whilst looking right in the community: our #ELLs for example can be the start of Global ed at a local access: let THEM lead & bring new worlds 2 r kids! #saskedchat
A7. 'Global connections' is a key aspect of re-imagined education. For almost the past 3-4 years, there has been news items every September about how the number of students from outside Canada (who are often multilingual) is increasing in #Saskatchewan classrooms #saskedchat
TA: Be open minded to new ideas, and use my voice to recommend different ways to re-imagine ed that could start to be implemented. And since I am way less busy as a sub than as a teacher use my new free time to start researching different ideologies and methods #saskedchat
TA: Connecting with others, getting involved with teacher communities regarding the TRC, and teaching Ts how to use technology effectively in their classrooms. #saskedchat
Especially when so many in the community had negative experiences when they were in school. Those parents expect the schools to be unpleasant and of course the students pick up the same negative feelings. We need to help everyone to feel comfortable in the classroom. #saskedchat
TA. A great reflection/challenge tonight might be to ask how many students in your room you could say you recognize have a passion you could “hook” them with? Could I spend more time considering what will “hook” their learning and reimagine their world at school? #saskedchat
TA I'm continuing to find ways to connect computational thinking/coding into various subjects. Ss love it and it is a great skill to develop #saskedchat
That is so true - schools are not what they were when the parents were there - or many aren’t. There are some schools that haven’t changed but many have and the changes are significant #saskedchat
That’s also an important point to remember when connecting with parents - to help them to re-imagine what school is like - it’s not your parents school anymore! #saskedchat
A7: I also think there needs 2b a set definition or at least understanding of the meaning of Global Ed for staff. Is it international relations? Awareness?Better geographyOpeneness 2other cultures or simply openness 2the vastness of the world&the possibilities within? #saskedchat
