I have been doing lots of wondering about how to best build confident, connected, life long learners. I believe there is a place to actively build a learners capacity to learn. This encompasses building self awareness and self efficacy in learners, it's about knowing when to persevere and when to stop. It's building mastery and competence in foundation areas to be able to access learning, problem solve and think critically across curriculum areas. Importantly I am coming to think that it is about seeking out and identifying learners strengths and talents and being quite deliberate at setting goals in these areas to self improve and achieve fulfillment, mastery, satisfaction and ultimately happiness. All too often we over emphasize setting goals in areas of need only. Mark Tredwell once said in a conversation some months back that the world is running out of experts. Are we schooling for generalists? Can it be too soon (primary years) to hone in on strengths. What do parents know about their child's strengths and character traits that we can learn from on enrolment in our schools. I am not sure that the parents voice and historic overview is valued as much as it might be. How might this be captured on enrolment?
I believe talents can be used to leverage success in areas that don't come to easily for learners.
2 comments:
As always, you have a gift for summarising ideas succinctly. I wish I had children to send to your school! Look forward to visiting in a year or two and seeing how you have put wheels on this :) Some great food for thought here. Thanks
Very interesting. Raises many questions.
I also thinking that this can perhaps be reversed and look at the Teachers too. What are our strengths? Are we being taught to be generalists?
How accepting of change are we?
Maybe there needs to be a coping with change screening process with teachers?
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