north star
This is a blog for teachers at Lab who are using the World Language Lab–an ongoing record of what seems to be working, which experiments were maybe not so successful, and a platform for me and my colleagues to muse a bit about the intersection between language acquisition, technology, and independent schools.
I’ve just started looking around for blogs on this topic, so I’m sure my horizons will be practically exploding during the next few months. For now, here’s a mash-up of Ivan Krstic’s (OLPC) Google TechTalk two months ago:
Technology wants to change how kids learn. Learning is curiosity-driven, all-day, peer-based, happens everywhere. Our learning model: authority-driven, select hours, unidirectional, happens in a particular place. Works great with a great teacher; works badly without one. Less-effective long term. Biggest lack is opportunity for independent learning, not ability. Technology does not have to wait for ground-up rethinking of how schools work. We can bring peer learning back into the picture now. Trust kids to find out about things whenever and however they want. Treasure the moment of curious questioning. Return accountability to the students for asking their own questions and getting their own answers. This is how it works before formal education begins and after it has ended. This should be the natural state of affairs toward which educators are constantly aiming. The teacher’s role is to defend students from the system itself, keeping at bay and avoiding where possible any practice, habit, or curriculum that would stifle, hinder, or stunt the growth of independent learners.
This seems to resonate nicely with the Lab School’s history and mission statement. But we all know that ideals and reality have a funny way of meeting each other — if they ever do. What was that about the journey.. huh?
