Too Much Information

Newsweek magazine published an article recently about the physical, mental, and emotional stress that we are experiencing due to the amount of information that is coming in nonstop. I think that you will be able to relate to this article from a personal standpoint. I also believe you will see the implications for elementary education as well as life-long learning. Click on the picture to access the article. I would like you to share your thoughts by commenting on the article.

The Importance of Memorization

We have all heard that we need to focus more and more on "higher Level" thinking skills and problem solving. We have also been inundated with 21st Century Learning, which implies using the 4 C's: Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, and Critical Thinking. All of these concepts can be found in the upper half of Bloom's Taxonomy (remember Bloom's from education 101)? If you believe in Bloom's concept of hierarchal learning (I totally believe it) then you have to consider that the real foundation of learning is simply knowledge. I don't think any of us would argue that higher level thinking skills are critical to success in life, but we can't start there. I sometimes wonder with all the emphasis on the top half of Bloom's if we have missed creating a strong enough foundation. I think you will find the accompanying article interesting. I dare say that everyone who reads it will have strong emotional response. Please take 5 or 10 minutes to read this article and respond. I can't wait to hear what you have to say. Click on Bloom's pyramid above to access the article.

The Flexible Teacher

Read the entire article "The Flexible Teacher." You can access the article by clicking on the picture below. Share your thoughts about any one of the sections in the article.

Scapegoats and Superstars

What Is Effective Teaching

Walking the Walk

Giving Teachers the Freedom to Put Students First