Born to Learn

This 5 minute video from the 21st Century Initiative shows what recent research tells us about the capacity to learn through play and inquiry which we are born with. This capacity must be nurtured so that children can learn. It goes on to show the physiological need for adolescents to rebel and that, once again, this should be nurtured. Rebellion as an adolescent is a normal stage in the development of the brain, but rebelling within a safe and nurturing environment is crucial.

How can we nurture the curiosity and normal brain development of our children? 

Things That Are Becoming Obsolete in 21st Century Schools

There are several articles and blog posts our there which address the changing face of education and how the current schools need to catch up to 21 st century learning. The focus of education needs to be on the LEARNING not the knowledge, the classes, the coursework....
This article from The Daily Riff (click here) shares 21 things which will be (or already are) obsolete in schools by 2020.

An Icelandic Elementary teacher, Ingvi Hammar, recently wrote about 14 things that are obsolete (or are becoming obsolete) in a 21st century classroom (click here). He says that schools are being innovative and looking at education; the way students learn, the way teachers teach, the classroom environment, professional development and  testing....hoping to spark a discussion in educational circles.

We are living in a transition period in education. Fourteen years into the 21st century, how are we addressing the 21st century skills that prepare students to be productive citizens in the world?