21st Century Learning-Why Change?

21^st Century Learning – Why Change??

Why teaching needs to change?

Here's why-- you change for the same reason you went into teaching in the first place. You change because, as a teacher, what you do for a living was never just a job- but more of a mission. You change because you are willing to do whatever it takes to make a significant difference in the lives of the students you teach.

Why change? You change because of all the people in the world- teachers really do understand the value of being a lifelong learner.

Why change? Because you made the decision when you first became a teacher to do something that was larger than life and more meaningful than money, recognition, and status. You became a teacher because of change-- the changes in the world you wanted to make one kid at a time. You change because teachers always want to do what is right-- simply because it *is* the right thing to do and you understand the need to model for others so they can do what is right as well.

You change because the world has changed and you know that not challenging the status quo is the riskiest thing you can do at this point. You change because you love learning and you love children and you know they need you to lead the way in this fast paced changing world and to do that you have to find your own way first. That is why you and they should change.

Pedagogy - is the art or science of being a teacher. The term generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction.

DCA must continue to recognize and embrace the need for using different teaching pedagogy. The tools that we have placed in our students hands will require us to think differently and incorporate different methods in some of our classes. Requiring students to take responsibility for their own learning is our goal and we must guide them in this process. Many of them will resist this change in style, the thinking that they must bring to the classroom will be different than previously used. I anticipate some parent resistance to this change in style. They are only familiar with what they experienced. Continuing with our old pedagogy will be a disservice to our students.

Feb 26, 2009