"Instead of a teacher-centered, textbook based Biology classroom, I shifted mine to a collaborative learning network. Instead of lectures, my students researched each unit. Sometimes individually. Sometimes in groups. Often they were responsible for teaching their peers. For in-class assignments, they often had to apply their knowledge to solve problems. Additionally, we created our own on-line textbook. How did it turn out? I’ll let you be the judge"

via plpnetwork.com

Take the time to read and think REALLY hard about the ideas being put forward over at Powerful Learning Practice Network by real teachers on the true cutting edge of education reform.

Then share it.

Writing at On the Shoulders of Giants, TLN blogger Ariel Sacks wonders about the promise of wireless classrooms, and some of the barriers as well:

My mind's been trying to imagine what a paperless classroom would look like and how it would run.  I found a great post on the blog, teachone2one.com, called The Changes, that explains some of the major ways the laptops have changed practice and learning in the classroom.

One of Ariel's wonderings has to do with the affordability of 1-to-1 laptop schools and classrooms. While this may not be a solution in Ariel's situation -- an urban charter school -- I recently interviewed the superintendent of a small city district in Alabama that has gone completely wireless and completely one-to-one.

What's most intriguing about the Piedmont City Schools story is how the move is being conceptualized by school and community leaders as both a way to prepare their rural students for the 21st Century and a potential investment in economic development for a community that's suffering from the job losses so epidemic in the South.

TLN blogger Bill Ferriter, a.k.a. The Tempered Radical, stirred up a sort of "Emperor has no clothes" debate with his Teacher Magazine article of January 27, titled "Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards." When we last peeked in the room (it's rowdy in there), there were over 40 comments, many of them long, some of them passionate. Several folks with a natural urge to mediate suggested that IWBs, in wise hands, can deepen lessons and increase student engagement. But Ferriter's not having any of it, as you'll see in the comments he's sprinkled throughout the dialogue. What about you?

With its September issue focused on 21st century
learning, ASCD’s Educational Leadership has reaffirmed its status as the
nation’s premiere professional magazine for educators and others interested in
issues of teaching and learning.

The issue is chockful of articles presenting a variety of
viewpoints about the “21st Century Skills” debate and its
implications for both students and teachers. The EL editors, as usual, also
provide more practitioner-oriented pieces, like Marilee Sprenger’s “Focusing on
the Digital Brain” and Susan Graseck’s “Teaching with Controversy.” Then
there’s “21st Century Scholars,” “The Students Have the Answers” and
“Why Educators Should Care about Teaching with Games.” And many more.

This fall, ASCD is also offering a digital version of the
magazine to members — it's a flip-thru interactive package with the graphics intact,
complemented by active hyperlinks. Alone, it’s worth the price of admission,
which can be as little as $29 a year for web-only membership.

Here’s the September Table of Contents. As always, a
generous handful of articles are made available to the general public
(something you won’t find at the sites of most other major education magazines) while
others can only be accessed online by members.

This month’s public articles include:

What Would Socrates Say?

Peter W.
Cookson Jr.

Do we need to craft a new model of education for the 21st century?
It's a question worthy of Socrates.

The 21st Century Skills Movement

Paige Johnson

The chair of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills spells
out goals.

21st Century Skills: The Challenges Ahead

Andrew J.
Rotherham and Daniel Willingham

Why the 21st century skills movement could falter and key
considerations that might strengthen it.

Why Creativity Now? A Conversation with Sir Ken
Robinson

Amy M. Azzam

Creativity is a crucial skill, Sir Ken tells us.

21st Century Scholars

Terrence Clark

A district extends its school day, and the students applaud.

The Art and
Science of Teaching / Six Steps to Better Vocabulary Instruction

Robert J.
Marzano

Advice from the
best practices guru.

Digitally Speaking / Taking the Digital Plunge

Bill Ferriter

New column by award-winning middle grades teacher

What Research Says About. . . / Encouraging Girls to
Pursue Math and Science

Tracy A. Huebner

Use high-mastery teaching strategies.

These free articles are not included in the print issue
but available on the Web:

Navigating the Cs of Change

J. Gregory
McVerry, Lisa Zawilinski and W. Ian O'Byrne

Do your digital natives need instruction in reading online?
Here's how to help. Includes a video of sample
lessons.

How to Learn in the 21st Century

Rita Haugh
Oates

Research tools have changed, necessitating new research
skills.

Managing Messy Learning

Suzie Boss

To deliver on the promise of project-based learning,
educators need project management strategies.

Leading for Global Competency

Fernando M.
Reimers

How can we prepare the next generation for international
understanding?

___________

ALSO: keep an eye on the ASCD Inservice blog during the month.
Sometimes they feature an article and provide free access via the blog.)

Thanks, ASCD, for balancing membership needs and the
organization’s public service mission and giving us all some thoughtful
material to contemplate as the new school year begins.

Our 100th contribution recently appeared at Teacher Magazine, where we’ve been publishing weekly essays, dialogues, and occasional book reviews since the fall of 2006, as part of a partnership with Education Week’s sister publication. Everything you see on Teacher’s TLN-branded...