| News for the Education Profession |  |
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ASCD Special Report:
Giving Students Ownership of Learning (Part I) |
Too many students treat learning passively, educators say, working only for good grades or to get by. But passive learning often engenders boredom and rote memorization that does not prepare students well for the 21st-century.
This two-part ASCD SmartBrief Special Report, "Giving Students Ownership of Learning," explores how educators can shift some of the responsibility for learning to their students. Part I looks at some of the successful techniques used by other educators and the technology that may help. Part II, to be published Thursday, examines instructional methods and techniques to engage disadvantaged students and those with disabilities in active learning.
If you don't receive ASCD SmartBrief on a daily basis and find our report on positive classrooms useful, we urge you to sign up for our timely e-newsletter. ASCD SmartBrief delivers the stories making news in your profession directly to your inbox -- for FREE. |
| At a Glance |  | |
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- Modern students need to learn how to learn
Today's 21st-century students have a universe of facts at their fingertips, so perhaps it isn't surprising that traditional teaching is fostering boredom among many students. In her editorial introducing a theme issue on ownership, Marge Scherer describes some of the things schools are doing to better engage students and teach them how to drive their own learning. Educational Leadership
(11/2008)
    
- What do students want from teachers?
In their own words, kids note what they like and don't like about school. They don't want to learn dry facts, they say, and they do want to better understand big-picture concepts. They want guidance and help setting goals to motivate themselves, but they also want the freedom to work on their own, go at their own pace, and do projects based on their own interests. Educational Leadership
(11/2008)
, Educational Leadership
(11/2008)
- Offer choices to engage students
Instead of dictating assignments, National Board-certified teacher Mary Tedrow always gives her students choices. The method gives students more ownership over their education and allows them to choose topics that may make the learning more relevant to their own lives. Teacher Magazine (free registration)
(5/28)
 | A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades by Ken O'Connor, explains the importance of sound grading practices and provides practical strategies to improve the way students are graded. Review the Table of Contents and order here. |
| Best Practices | | |
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- Consider school from students' perspective
Teachers who make learning interactive, tell stories about their own youth or proudly display children's work tend to quickly win over students, writes nationally certified special-needs teacher Laurie Wasserman. Those teachers who show up unprepared for class or who make harsh comments that cast aspersions on students' intelligence win few young fans. Teacher Magazine (free registration)
(9/17)
- Transform students into active learners
Many students hold common misunderstandings about learning -- for example, that learning means just doing what the teacher says or that the only point of an assignment is to get it done, writes Connecticut educational consultant Allison Zmuda. Educational Leadership
(11/2008)
- Choose activities that prepare students to learn
Connecting learning to personal experiences or classroom activities that spark student interest shifts them into a learning mode, writes veteran language-arts teacher Kathie Marshall. Working in pairs not only gives students the benefits of group work, but the practice also is a good classroom-management technique for new teachers. Teacher Magazine (free registration)
(10/8)
| Policy and Leadership | | |
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- Substitutes reintroduce disadvantaged children to arts, music
When teachers at California's La Puente High School are out sick, professional artists and musicians teach their classes in an effort to reintroduce the arts into the K-12 curriculum. "It brings in different voices, showing them that other professions are available to them," said English teacher Noel Martinez. "It's not coming from their regular teachers, and it's not from their parents, so maybe they'll listen." Edutopia magazine
(7/2008)
 | Assessment Manifesto a new whitepaper by Rick Stiggins of ETS Assessment Training Institute, advocates for local and state assessment systems built on balance, quality, and student involvement. Download this complimentary paper here. |
| Technology Solutions | | |
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- Teach technology skills, ethics across the curriculum
Social Web technologies are having a huge influence on students, even the youngest ones. Yet adults are failing to help them explore the safety and ethics of the "digital footprint" that they are leaving behind, writes Will Richardson, author of "Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Tools for Classrooms." Not only should students be encouraged to explore topics that interest them, but they must also learn to use technology wisely in the general curriculum, he writes. A short lesson on Internet safety is not enough. Educational Leadership
(11/2008)
- Online remediation lets students catch up at their own pace
As more high school graduates require remediation in math, some colleges are using online programs that allow students to focus on weak areas without taking up the time of full-time faculty. Some educators fear, however, that many students may lack the motivation to do the work without greater supervision. eSchool News (free registration)
(9/22)
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