C4Ta #4

In the first post I read by Shelley Wright, she tells us how we are preparing students for a like that we do not even know is going to exist years from now. We are trying to teach them about technology that is not even invented yet and we are preparing them for job that do not exist. Wright says that they only way we can do this is by focusing on skills, not content. The most important skill, according to Wright, is the ability to learn. Wright says that if our students make it though school without ever failing, then we have actually failed them. In the real world, failure is almost inevitable and she believes that we need to prepare our students for this. We need to teach our students how to get through situations when something does not go the way it was planned.

In the second post, Wright gives a step by step process on how to shift a classroom.
1. Start with one unit: by starting with one unit, you will be able to see what worked and what did not in order to make the necessary changes.
2. Talk about learning: Wright is straight forward with her students and tells them that she is preparing them for jobs that do not exist. She also talks to them about how their brains work. She thinks that using big words when talking to her students makes them feel smart and understand more.
3. Make teach work for you: Wright first teaches her students how to use Google Docs, and I now see why. She also uses the social media tools in her classroom.
4. Expect to hit the wall: at some point, your students will become overwhelmed with some of the emotional subjects being taught. Be prepared.