Category: Academics

Learners Inspiring Learners

 

The first three words of the American School of Brasilia’s (EAB) new mission statement – Learners inspiring learners to be inquisitive in life, principled in character, and bold in vision – were on full display this week. In the Lower School, approximately 300 parents participated in workshops focusing on several different aspects of the learning process. Through the act of working in the classrooms with teachers, parents were modeling the learning process for students and inspiring our students to make the most of their own learning.  To further highlight this ideal, students, parents, and teachers were also meeting and working together during the Welcome Back BBQ and the Middle School trips planning meetings.

IMG_5509Looking ahead to the coming weeks, parents and teachers are invited to attend the Family Education Workshop with Dr. Gini Rojas, the Upper School Open House , and the Environmental Stewards Sábado Legal at Brasilia’s Botanical Gardens.

Teachers have also been modeling the ideal associated with “learners inspiring learners” in several different ways. In addition to engaging in professional development opportunities during the school break and Professional Wednesdays, EAB’s teachers have been working together during professional days to collaboratively improve their practices. Teachers will also be spending several days next week, including Saturday and Sunday, working with Dr. Gini Rojas, who is a specialist in differentiation. Looking ahead to the following week, several faculty and staff members will be taking CPR and First Aid classes as part of EAB’s ongoing effort to ensure the highest levels of safety and wellbeing at the school. Other teachers will be working with another external consultant, Erma Anderson, with a focus on assessment using Common Core math. Teachers will also be attending a retreat with IB students to collectively continue to learn about the International Baccalaureate diploma program and plan for the year ahead.

These are a few of the examples from the month of August in which teachers are bringing to life the idea of “learners inspiring learners”. EAB is committed to working as partners towards to education of our students, which includes an expectation that all members of our community are active and continuous learners. Given the rate of change in today’s society, in conjunction with technological advancements, we all havean obligation to be active and continuous learners, inspiring and inspired by other learners.

EAB’s new Technology Director, Mr. Rod Narayan, shared a quote from a former student that provides for a thoughtful summary of these ideas and the expectations for adults in support of student learning:

“Educate me for my future, not your past.”

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Featured image: cc licensed (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) flickr photo by Mark Brannan https://www.flickr.com/photos/heycoach/1197947341

Culture and Learning

Imagine being part of a large family whose members are from fifty different countries and with each member’s unique experiences, norms, and value systems contributing to form a rich cultural tapestry. While there is no doubt that this family will likely face some significant challenges and conflicts due to their inherent differences, a diverse family of this nature also represents a special opportunity to learn from other cultures and expand our understanding of ourselves, our communities, and the world around us. How fortunate we are then to be part of an extended family like the American School of Brasilia where this hypothetical family structure is a reality.

In the landmark book, Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind, culture is defined as the, “collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another” (Hofstede, Hofstede, & Minkov, 2010, p. 6). A less academic definition may be to view culture as consisting of the, “unwritten rules of the social game” (Hofstede, Hofstede, & Minkov, 2010, p. 6). In what is arguably one of the most comprehensive studies of culture ever conducted, the authors go on to highlight the statistical analysis of responses to questions in the GLOBE project about values, which revealed how countries used different solutions to address similar problems. Specifically, the data revealed differences in the areas of social inequality and authority (power distance), the relationship between the individual and the group (individualism vs. collectivism), the social implications of having been born as a boy or a girl (femininity and masculinity), and how people deal with uncertainty (uncertainty avoidance) (Hofstede, Hofstede, & Minkov, 2010).
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The statistical data from the study resulted in a set of indices for each country linking the focus areas mentioned above. This data has since been proven to be statistically valid and, perhaps more importantly, to be very helpful in understanding differences among cultures. By way of example, we can examine Uncertainty Avoidance in more detail. The authors of Cultures and Organization define Uncertainty Avoidance as, “the extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by uncertain or unknown situations and try to avoid such situations. This feeling is, among other things, expressed through nervous stress and in a need for predictability: a need for written and unwritten rules” (Hofstede, Hofstede, & Minkov, 2010, p. 191). The indices associated with Uncertainty Avoidance range from a rating of 112 for Greece, where uncertainty is more of an accepted part of life, to a rating of 8 for Singapore, where uncertainty is a cause of stress and subjective feelings of anxiety. The rating for Brazil is 76 while the USA received a rating of 46, representing a fairly significant difference in how the two countries view uncertainty. Translating this into education, the study implies that teachers in countries with a high uncertainty rating are more likely to feel comfortable saying, “I don’t know,” in response to student questions, as compared to a low uncertainty rating country where teachers are expected to have all of the answers.

The data for individualism and collectivism was particularly interesting. Again, the authors define Individualism as pertaining to, “societies in which the ties between individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after himself or herself and his or her immediate family. Collectivism as its opposite pertains to societies in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, which throughout people’s lifetime continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty” (Hofstede, Hofstede, & Minkov, 2010, p. 92).

On the scale of indices associated with individualism ranging from a high of 91 to a low of 6, Brazil has a rating of 38, while the USA has the highest rating of all participating countries at 91. Translating this data back to schools, the authors state that students in a collectivist tend to learn to think more in terms of “we”, as compared to students in an individualist society who tend to learn to think more in terms of “I”. This may be a little contentious but is, nevertheless, an important focus for debate and reflection.

So, what should parents and educators take away from this research? If culture is learned from our social environment and is not inherited, then what is the impact on the cultural development of students who are raised in an American-international school environment? Values, which are directly linked to culture, are among the first things children implicitly learn. If it is true that most children have their value systems firmly in place by the age of ten, as is the belief of development psychologists, then how does living in a multicultural environment influence the values of children (recognizing that values are usually primarily established in the home)? While these are, undoubtedly, difficult questions to answer, though there does seem to be agreement that living in an international, multicultural setting offers students substantial and important developmental benefits.

As we reflect on the American School of Brasilia’s Character Counts week and this Saturday’s culminating Sábado Legal event, it is important to consider EAB’s core values. Specifically, it is essential to remind ourselves of how we – students, faculty, staff, and parents – are all responsible for doing our best to live up to the ideals associated with EAB’s core values of caring, citizenship, fairness, respect, responsibility, and trustworthiness. It is also important to remember how cultural norms, such as individualism and uncertainty avoidance, represent important factors, which are connected to these values, and that it is normal to experience some level of culture shock when encountering other cultures. The authors of Cultures and Organizations state that, “studying culture without experiencing culture shock is like practicing swimming without water” (Hofstede, Hofstede, & Minkov, 2010, p. XIV).

There are indeed challenging but important issues for schools and communities. While clear answers may not be readily available, Dr. Michael Thompson once shared some helpful advice. During a professional development session, Dr. Thompson was asked to define a “moral school”. He responded by quoting another author (whose name I cannot recall) who stated something to the effect of, “a moral school is a school that is always talking about what it means to be a moral school.” It is an accepted fact that we do not have all of the answers all of the time but what we do have is the opportunity to always engage in deep and meaningful conversations about key issues that will hopefully make a difference in the lives of our students, our families, and our communities.

Please join us for tomorrow’s Character Counts Sábado Legal event, from 10:00-12:00.

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Cultura e Aprendizagem

Imagine fazer parte de uma grande família cujos membros são de cinquenta países diferentes, com experiências exclusivas, normas e sistemas de valores que contribuem para formar um rico mosaico cultural. Enquanto não há dúvida de que essa família provavelmente enfrentará alguns desafios e conflitos significativos devido às suas diferenças inerentes, uma família diversa, desta natureza, também representa uma oportunidade especial para aprender com outras culturas e expandir a nossa compreensão sobre nós mesmos, nossas comunidades e do mundo que nos rodeia. Quão felizes nós somos ao fazermos parte de uma família extensa como a Escola Americana de Brasília, onde esta estrutura hipotética de família é uma realidade.

No livro, Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mindque, a cultura é definida como: “programação coletiva da mente, que distingue os membros de um grupo ou categoria de pessoas das outras.” Uma definição menos acadêmica pode ver a cultura como a consistência das “regras não escritas em um jogo social”. Sem dúvida, um dos estudos mais abrangentes da cultura já realizados, os autores passam a destacar a análise estatística das respostas às perguntas sobre valores, que revelaram como os países utilizaram soluções diferentes para resolver problemas semelhantes. Especificamente, os dados revelaram uma diferença significativa nas áreas de desigualdade social e autoridade (distância do poder) da relação entre o indivíduo e o grupo (individualismo vs. coletivismo), das implicações sociais de terem nascido menino ou menina (feminilidade e masculinidade) e, como as pessoas lidam com a incerteza (aversão à incerteza).

Os dados estatísticos do estudo resultaram em um conjunto de índices associados a cada país e as áreas de foco mencionadas acima. Esses dados já foram provados serem estatisticamente válidos e o mais importante, são muito úteis para compreender as diferenças entre as culturas. Por exemplo, podemos examinar a Aversão à Incerteza de forma mais detalhada. Os autores de Cultures and Organizations definem Aversão à Incerteza como “a intensidade em que os membros de uma cultura se sentem ameaçados por situações incertas ou desconhecidas e tentam evitar essas situações. Essa sensação é, entre outras, expressa por situações de estresse e em necessidade de previsibilidade: necessidade de regras por escrito ou não.” Os índices associados a Aversão à Incerteza variam sua classificação de acordo com o local, de 112 para a Grécia, onde a incerteza é mais aceita como parte da vida, para 8 em Singapura, onde a incerteza é uma causa de estresse, sentimentos de subjetividade e ansiedade. A classificação no Brasil é de 76, enquanto que nos Estados Unidos a nota é 46, o que representa uma diferença bastante significativa na forma em que os dois países lidam com a incerteza. Traduzindo isso para a educação, o estudo constata que os professores em países com um alto índice de incerteza, têm uma probabilidade maior de se sentir confortável em usar “Eu não sei” como resposta aos questionamentos dos alunos, comparado com países que têm um baixo nível de incertezas, no qual existe a expectativa dos professores terem todas as respostas.

Os dados para o individualismo e coletivismo foram, particularmente, interessantes. Mais uma vez, os autores definem individualismo como pertencentes às sociedades em que os laços entre os indivíduos são mais soltos: espera-se que todos cuidem de si mesmos e de suas famílias imediatas. O coletivismo, por outro lado, pertence a sociedades onde as pessoas, desde o seu nascimento, estão integradas em grupos coesos, fortes, onde ao longo da vida das pessoas, estes continuam a protegê-las em troca de lealdade inquestionável.

Em uma escala de índices associados ao individualismo, que varia entre um máximo de 91 e um mínimo de 6, o Brasil tem uma classificação de 38, enquanto os EUA tem a mais alta classificação de todos os países participantes, 91. Traduzindo esses dados de volta para as escolas, os autores afirmam que os alunos em uma sociedade coletivista tendem a aprender a pensar mais como “nós”, se comparados com os alunos em uma sociedade individualista, que tendem a aprender a pensar mais como “Eu”.

Então, o que os pais e educadores devem tirar dessa pesquisa? Se a cultura é aprendida no nosso ambiente social e não herdada, qual é o impacto no desenvolvimento cultural dos alunos que foram educados na Escola Americana de Brasília? Os valores que estão diretamente ligados à cultura estão entre as primeiras coisas que as crianças aprendem implicitamente. Se considerarmos verdade que a maioria das crianças tem os seus valores definidos até os 10 anos de idade, conforme a crença de psicólogos especialistas em desenvolvimento, então, como viver em um ambiente multicultural influencia nos valores de crianças (levando em consideração que valores são, geralmente, primariamente estabelecidos em casa)? Essas são, sem dúvida, perguntas difíceis de serem respondidas, no entanto, parece haver um consenso de que viver em um ambiente internacional e multicultural oferece aos alunos benefícios substanciais e importantes para o desenvolvimento.

Ao refletirmos sobre a semana do Character Counts, na Escola Americana de Brasília, culminando com o Sábado Legal dessa semana, é importante considerarmos os valores fundamentais da EAB. Especificamente, é essencial lembrarmos que – alunos, corpo docente, funcionários e pais – somos todos responsáveis por dar o nosso melhor para vivermos de acordo com os ideais associados aos valores da EAB de: confiança, respeito, responsabilidade, justiça, cuidado e cidadania. Para isso, também é importante lembramos como as normas culturais, assim como individualismo e aversão à incerteza, representam fatores importantes que estão conectados a esses valores e que é normal haverem choques culturais quando nos deparamos com outras culturas. Os autores de Cultures and Organizations, afirmam que “o estudo da cultura sem a experiência do choque cultural é como uma aula de natação sem água”.

De fato, existem questões difíceis, mas importantes para escolas e comunidades. Enquanto ainda não temos respostas claras disponíveis, o Dr. Michael Thompson uma vez compartilhou alguns conselhos úteis. Durante uma sessão de desenvolvimento profissional, o Dr. Thompson foi convidado a definir uma “escola moral”. Ele respondeu citando outro autor (cujo nome não me lembro), que declarou: “uma escola moral é uma escola que está sempre falando sobre o que significa ser uma escola moral”. É um fato aceitável que nós não temos todas as respostas em todos os momentos, mas o que temos é a oportunidade de estarmos sempre envolvidos em conversas significativas sobre pontos-chave que venham a fazer diferença na vida dos nossos alunos, nossas famílias e nossas comunidades.

Bibliography:
Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind : Intercultural Cooperation and its Importance for Survival (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Featured image: cc licensed (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) flickr photo by Fredrik Alpstedt https://www.flickr.com/photos/alpstedt/13339786034

Digital Fluency Project

“It is in changing that things find purpose.” ~Heraclitus

During a recent school governance conference, the attendees, who include school directors and board members, reflected on how schools of the future will be different from what we know today. Our facilitator, Lee Crockett, invoked the often used but, at times, little understood concept of a “21st Century School” to challenge our current thinking (If you are interested in learning more about these concepts, Lee Crockett overviews his book, “Literacy is not Enough,” in an informative video interview).

While I was interested in the substance of the discussion, I was also intrigued by our collective reactions and discomfort as we struggled to predict the future of education. Given the rate of technological change, few people, if any, are likely able to accurately predict how technology will ultimately influence the traditional nature of schools. What we do know is that schools and learning will look very different from what we experienced as children.

So, how do we move forward? Fortunately, educational and technological theorists are thinking deeply about the future of education and the result is the emergence of several frameworks. The Global Digital Citizen Foundation and its 21st Century Fluency Project represent one such framework that articulates an educational focus on ensuring that learning continues to be meaningful. While there are indeed other helpful models, the 21st Century Fluency Project presents a framework that will challenge all of us to reflect on the role technology plays in the learning process, both at home and at school. In summary, the model complements traditional learning with a concentration on attaining five related digital fluencies: creativity, collaboration, solution, media, and information.

EAB is strategically addressing these changes in several different manners, ranging from the implementation of a 1-to-1 program, to a shift from one traditional library to three iCommons (Information Commons), to weekly technology training workshops for teachers, to a change in instructional practices and collaboration expectations. On a personal note, I am teaching a high school Leadership class this year, which includes experimenting with a blended learning model, meaning that learning is taking place both in person and through an online setting. We are using an infrastructure called Haiku, which is a digital K-12 online platform. An exciting element of the course is that this platform enables us to learn, in collaboration, with students from two other international schools, one in the U.S.A, and one in Mumbai. Through the power of the Internet and technology, our class has been expanded and enriched through the inclusion of students from other parts of the world. This has taken the learning experience of our students to a higher level of interest, diversity, and engagement.

A question: If you were asked to highlight the most important skills students will need for future success, what skills would you list? How does your list compare with the following list of the most important skills generated by professional educators and researchers?

• Problem Solving

• Creativity

• Analytical Thinking

• Collaboration

• Communication

• Ethics, Action, Accountability

Now, let’s examine these skills in the context of Bloom’s taxonomy:

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The list of skills generated by professional educators and researchers correspond directly with the higher level thinking skills of Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating associated with Bloom’s taxonomy, rather than the lower level skills of Remembering, Understanding, and Applying. It is these higher-level thinking skills that guide the ongoing development of EAB’s educational program.

As EAB continues its work towards the continued implementiation of effective and relevant teaching and learning practices, we will also continue to be guided by the approaches presented above in conjunction with Lee Crockett’s guiding concepts of relevance, creativity, and real-world application.

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“É na mudança que as coisas encontram o seu propósito.” – Heraclitus

Nesse momento eu estou na Conferência da Associação das Escolas Americanas do Brasil (AASB). Os participantes, que incluem diretores e membros do conselho, refletiram sobre como a escola do futuro será diferente da escola que conhecemos hoje. O nosso facilitador, Lee Crockett, abordou um conceito muito usado, mas mal compreendido, sobre as escolas do Século XXI, para desafiar o nosso atual pensamento (Caso tenha interesse em aprender mais sobre esses conceitos, Lee Crocket dá uma visião panorâmica do seu livro, “Literacy is not Enough”, em uma entrevista). Enquanto eu estava interessado no assunto, eu também fiquei intrigado com a reação coletiva e desconforto enquanto nos esforçávamos para previr o futuro da educação. Devido à taxa de mudança tecnológica significativa, poucas pessoas, se é que existe alguma, são capazes de prever com precisão como a tecnologia irá influenciar a natureza tradicional das escolas. O que sabemos é que as escolas e o aprendizado serão muito diferentes do que experimentamos quando éramos crianças.

Então como evoluirmos? Felizmente, os teóricos em educação e tecnologia estão muito focados no futuro da educação e o resultado é o aparecimento de vários frameworks. A Global Digital Citizen Foundation e o seu projeto 21st Century Fluency Project representam um marco no foco educacional para garantir que o aprendizado continue a ser significativo. Enquanto existem outros modelos, o 21st Century Fluency Project apresenta um framework que irá desafiar a todos nós para refletirmos no papel que a tecnologia tem no processo de aprendizado, tanto em casa, como na escola. Resumindo, o modelo complementa o aprendizado tradicional com a concentração em alcançar cinco fluências digitais relacionadas: criatividade, colaboração, solução, mídia e informação.

A EAB está, estrategicamente, abordando estas mudanças em diversas maneiras que, vão desde a implementação de um programa individual, até a mudança da biblioteca incluindo 03 I-commons para oficinas de treinamentos semanais de tecnologia para os professores. Eu estou dando aula para uma turma de Liderança esse ano que inclui um modelo de aprendizado experimental que, significa que o aprendizado tem sido presencial ou online. Nós estamos usando uma infra-estrutura chamada Haiku, que é uma plataforma on-line digital K-12. Um elemento interessante do curso é que esta plataforma permite-nos aprender em parceria com os alunos de outras duas escolas internacionais, uma nos EUA e outra em Bombaim. Através do poder da Internet e da tecnologia, a nossa aula tem se ampliado e se expandido para incluir alunos de outras partes do mundo, levando a experiência de aprendizagem dos nossos alunos para um maior nível de interesse, diversidade e engajamento.

Pergunta: Se lhe pedissem para destacar as habilidades mais importantes que os alunos precisam para o sucesso no futuro, quais habilidades você colocaria? Como é que a sua lista de habilidades se compara com a seguinte lista das habilidades mais importantes geradas por educadores e pesquisadores profissionais?

Solução de Problemas

Criatividade

Pensamento Analítico

Colaboração

Comunicação

Ética, Ação, Prestação de Contas

Agora, vamos examinar essas habilidades no contexto da taxonomia de Bloom:

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As habilidades listadas acima correspondem diretamente com o alto nível de pensamento como: analisar, avaliar e criar, associados à taxonomia de Bloom, ao invés do uso de técnicas de baixo nível como: memorização, entendimento e aplicação. São esses altos níveis de conhecimento que nos guiam ao programa de desenvolvimento educacional da EAB.

A EAB continua a trabalhar para implementar práticas de ensino e aprendizado efetivo e relevante. Nós também continuaremos a nos orientar através das abordagens apresentadas acima juntamente com os conceitos do Lee Crockett sobre relevância, criatividade e mundo real.

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Featured image: cc licensed (CC BY-ND 2.0) flickr photo by Johan Larsson: https://www.flickr.com/photos/johanl/6966883093

Teachers’ Day

“One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.” ~ Carl Jung

In Brasilia, Teachers’ Day is commemorated each with year with a designated holiday on October 15. In the spirit of this special day on conjunction with the October 5 World Teachers’ Day, it is fitting to celebrate and recognize the inspiring work of those passionate individuals who have chosen education as not only a career, but also a calling. A sincere thank you to all teachers for their efforts, day in and day out, to continuously seek ways to make a difference in the lives of students through deep levels of care, professionalism, commitment, and hope.

Teaching, at its essence, is about the ideals intrinsically associated with developmental relationships, which are, in turn, based on a profound belief and optimism for the future. It is the moral imperative of an educator to commit to an unwavering belief that all students are capable of reaching their potential and to an insuppressible hope for a better future. While these are indeed lofty goals, an educator’s prerogative is to accept nothing less than these ideals. Borrowing from Robert Browning, a student’s reach should exceed his or her grasp, or what’s education for?

Special Recognition of Teachers at the American School of Brasilia: Photo Essay
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Thank you, once again, to all teachers for inspiring students to reach beyond their grasp and for making a difference in the lives of others, recognizing it make take years, or even decades, for these differences to be fully realized. Is it too much to conclude that the ideals of teaching and learning, embodied through a hope for the future and belief in others, contribute to defining the very essence of our humanity?

“Education is the point at which we decide whether we love the world enough to assume responsibility for it and by the same token to save it from that ruin, which, except for renewal, except for the coming of the new and the young, would be inevitable. An education, too, is where we decide whether we love our children enough not to expel them from our world and leave them to their own devices, nor to strike from their hands their choice of undertaking something new, something unforeseen by us, but to prepare them in advance for the task of renewing a common world.” ~ Hannah Arendt

Featured image: cc licensed (CC BY-ND 2.0) flickr photo by Philippe Put: https://www.flickr.com/photos/34547181@N00/7035269431/in/photostream/

Mission-Driven Learning

“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.”
~ Friedrich Nietzsche.

The ‘why’ highlighted by Nietzsche is equated, in schools, to foundational documents, such as mission statements. These essential documents act as guiding principles for all facets of education, ranging from day-to-day instructional approaches, to business office and human resource decisions, to the building of new facilities, to educational program implementation, to co-curricular and extracurricular activities, and to long-term, strategic planning.

By way of example, I had the privilege of receiving an invitation to work with our Grade 3 classes on the development of a class mission statement. Once my introduction was completed, the outstanding Grade 3 teaching team led the students through a process to create a unique mission statement for their class. Through an effective and collaborative process, the students worked diligently to arrive at a consensus, which resulted in the following mission statement:

In third grade, it is our mission to explore new things, to make new friends, and improve ourselves so that we can solve problems and become responsible citizens of the world.

This statement will guide the learning and development of all Grade 3 students throughout the remainder of the year. Furthermore, it is no coincidence that the student mission statement expands on the tenets of our school’s overall mission. By design, everything at the American School of Brasilia (EAB) is framed and guided by the school’s key foundational documents.

EAB’s ability to provide our students with the best holistic education possible will be achieved through a partnership between students, parents, and the school, towards the realization of the ideals presented in the mission, vision, core values, and motto.

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EAB’s Foundational Documents

MISSION
The American School of Brasilia serves the International and Brazilian communities by providing a U.S. and Brazilian accredited pre-K through 12th grade program and International Baccalaureate Diploma in a culturally diverse atmosphere. Our English-language school develops and supports the whole child in achieving his or her own potential. Through a differentiated, innovative learning experience, we cultivate responsible and contributing citizens, leaders, and environmental stewards with a strong foundation of academic excellence.

VISION
At the American School of Brasilia, each student pursues an excellent academic program in a supportive and nurturing learning environment, whose rigor and relevance is evident through the five pillars of academics, arts, leadership, service learning, and activities. In an EAB education, our students are:
…provided a differentiated education, that optimizes academic potential;
…exposed to the arts, achieving proficiency in at least one area;
…provided the opportunity and support to develop as citizen-leaders;
…engaged in meaningful and sustainable service learning experiences;
…involved in co-curricular activities or sports.

CORE VALUES
Trustworthiness – Respect – Responsibility – Fairness – Caring – Citizenship

MOTTO
Celebrating Diversity and Cultivating Citizenship

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Documentos Chaves

O propósito do Bull-It dessa semana é destacar os documentos chaves da fundação da EAB que incluem declarações da missão e visão da escola, os valores fundamentais e, o nosso lema. Estes documentos essenciais funcionam como princípios orientadores para todas as facetas da EAB, que variam a cada dia, desde as abordagens institucionais, como no escritório de negócios, nas decisões do recursos humanos, com a construção das novas instalações, a implementação de programas educacionais, para as atividades co-curriculares e extracurriculares, e a longo prazo, o planejamento estratégico.
Por exemplo, eu tive o privilégio de receber um convite esta semana para trabalhar com os alunos da 3ª série sobre o desenvolvimento de uma declaração de missão. Uma vez que a minha introdução foi concluída, a excelente equipe de professores da 3ª série levaram os alunos através de um processo de criação a fazer uma declaração de missão única para a sua classe. Através de um processo eficaz e colaborativo, os alunos trabalharam diligentemente para chegarem a um consenso, o que resultou na seguinte declaração de missão:

Na terceira série é a nossa missão é explorar novas coisas, fazer novos amigos e melhorarmos a cada dia para que possamos resolver osproblemas e tornarmos cidadãos do mundo responsáveis.

Esta declaração vai orientar a aprendizagem e desenvolvimento de todos os alunos da 3ª série durante todo o restante do ano. Além disso, não é por acaso que a declaração de missão dos alunos amplia os princípios da missão geral da EAB. Desde a sua concepção, tudo na EAB é moldado e guiado pelos documentos fundamentais da escola.
A capacidade da EAB para oferecer aos nossos alunos a melhor educação holística possível será alcançada através de uma parceria entre os alunos, pais e escola, e através da realização dos ideais apresentados na missão da EAB, visão, valores e o lema.

MISSÃO
A Escola Americana de Brasília atua nas comunidades internacional e brasileira, transmitindo uma educação credenciada pelos dois sistemas de ensino, o americano e o brasileiro, atendendo da Eduacação Infantil ao Ensino Médio. Além disso, oferece o International Baccalaureate – IB, expandindo uma atmosfera culturalmente diversa. Nosso sistema educacional, transmitido em língua inglesa, visa desenvolver as habilidades dos alunos como um todo, objetivando alcançar seu potencial. Por meio de experiências de aprendizagens diferenciadas e inovadoras, formamos cidadãos responsáveis e solidários, líderes ativos e defensores do meio ambiente, buscando atingir uma sólida base de excelência acadêmica.

VISÃO
Na Escola Americana de Brasília, cada aluno almeja um programa acadêmico de excelência, em um ambiente de aprendizado acolhedor e solidário, cuja seriedade e relevância se sustentam nos cinco pilares: formação acadêmica, artes, liderança, serviço comunitário e atividades esportivas e extracurriculares.
Na educação da EAB, os alunos:
• recebem uma educação diferenciada, que otimiza o potencial acadêmico;
• são incentivados às artes, atingindo proficiência em pelo ao menos uma área;
• têm oportunidade e apoio para se tornarem cidadãos líderes;
• envolvem-se em experiências significativas, sustentáveis e comunitárias;
• participam de atividades esportivas e co-curriculares.

VALORES ESSENCIAIS
Confiabilidade – Respeito – Responsabilidade – Senso de Justiça – Solidariedade – Cidadania

LEMA
Celebrando a Diversidade e Cultivando a Cidadania
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Photo Credits: Caira Franklin and Matt Hajdun, Grade 3 Teachers at the American School of Brasilia

Relationships and Learning

One of my highlights each week is the eighty-minute Leadership Class I teach to high school students every second day. A pedagogical foundation that I always hope to include in the class is the application of theoretical constructs to practical situations through experiential learning opportunities. It was during a meeting with students this week, to follow up on their collaborative project work, when they concluded that the key to the success of their project was their focus on relationships. The students were referring to their decision to structure and lead learning activities for the lower school students who arrive at school at 08:00 during the Professional Wednesday late starts. During their first classes, the Leadership Class students struggled to run effective activities. However, after some coaching and reflections, the classes gradually became more effective and engaging. I asked the Leadership Class students about the reason for their success. The students’ eyes lit up when reflecting on the question and quickly recognized that their newfound success was based primarily on the fact that they had established deeper relationships with the lower school students.

Fundamentally, effective teaching is dependent on the ability to build strong relationships that are based on trust, mutual support, and understanding. In fact, it can be argued that relationships are the single most important factor associated with effective teaching and learning. Extending this concept, it can also be claimed that a school community is only able to collectively support student learning at the highest level through the relationships that evolve in terms of a partnership among parents, students, and the school. It was, therefore, encouraging to see so many parents participating in this week’s parent-teacher coffees and the lower school assembly (an estimated 100 parents were in attendance!), in addition to the gracious and generous efforts of the PTO and the U.S. Embassy to host a teacher appreciation event.

The week of May 5-9 is designated as Teacher Appreciation Week at EAB, representing an important moment in the school year when we recognize the outstanding work of our teachers. EAB is fortunate to work with a talented and committed group of teachers who make a difference every day in the lives of our students. Recognizing that my opinion is obviously biased, I do see the work of teachers as a “calling” for those who have a passion for working with students. In Parker Palmer’s book, The Courage to Teach, he corroborates the concept of teaching as a “calling” through his statement, “good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.” The focus of this week has been to celebrate the identity and integrity of each teacher at EAB and the passion, talents, and professionalism they correspondingly commit to EAB’s students. Please join me in celebrating and thanking our wonderful teachers.

Among EAB’s greatest strengths are the relationships that are developed throughout the school community, which is representative of one of the most important factors contributing to student learning.

Relacionamentos e Aprendizagem

Um dos meus destaques a cada semana é a aula de oitenta minutos que eu dou para os alunos de Liderança do High School a cada 2 dias. A base pedagógica que sempre esperamos usar na aula é a aplicação de conceitos teóricos em situações práticas, através de oportunidades de aprendizagem experimental . Foi durante uma reunião com os alunos , esta semana, para acompanhar o trabalho deles de um projeto colaborativo, que chegamos a conclusão de que a chave para o sucesso do projeto era o foco nos relacionamentos. Os alunos estavam se referindo a sua decisão de estruturar e conduzir atividades de aprendizagem para os alunos do Lower School, que chegam na escola às 08:00 nas quartas-feiras quando ocorrem o desenvolvimento profissional. Durante suas primeiras aulas , os alunos da Classe de Liderança, se esforçaram para executar as atividades de forma eficaz. No entanto, após algum tempo de treinamento e reflexões, a turma tornou-se gradualmente mais eficaz e envolvente. Perguntei aos alunos da Classe de Liderança sobre a razão para o seu sucesso. Os olhos dos alunos se iluminaram como se refletindo sobre a pergunta e, rapidamente reconheceram que o seu sucesso recente foi baseado principalmente no fato de que eles tinham estabelecido relacionamentos mais profundos com os alunos do Lower School.

Fundamentalmente, um ensino eficaz depende da capacidade de construir relacionamentos fortes, que são baseados em confiança, apoio mútuo e compreensão. Na verdade, muito se tem discutido sobre os relacionamentos serem o fator mais importante associado a um ensino e aprendizado eficazes. Estendendo este conceito, também se pode afirmar que a comunidade escolar é capaz de garantir coletivamente um aprendizado no mais alto nível, a partir das relações de parceria que se desenvolvem entre os pais, alunos e escola. Por isso, foi tão encorajador ver tantos pais participando nos Cafés para Pais e Professores, desta semana, e na assembleia da Educação Infantil e Ensino Fundamental (aproximadamente, mais de 100 pais estiveram presentes!), além dos esforços graciosos e generosos do PTO e da Embaixada Americana em sediar um evento de valorização do professor.

A semana de 5 a 9 de maio é designada como a Semana da Apreciação aos Professores na EAB, que representa um momento importante no ano letivo quando reconhecemos o excelente trabalho dos nossos professores. A EAB tem sorte em trabalhar com um grupo talentoso e comprometido, que faz a diferença a cada dia na vida dos nossos alunos. Reconhecendo que a minha opinião é obviamente tendenciosa, eu vejo o trabalho dos professores como um”chamado” para aqueles que têm paixão por trabalhar com os alunos. No livro de Parker Palmer, “A coragem de Ensinar”, ele confirma o conceito de ensino como um “chamado”. Por meio de sua declaração, “um bom ensino não pode ser reduzido à técnica; o bom ensino vem da identidade e integridade do professor”. O foco desta semana foi celebrar a identidade e integridade de cada professor na EAB e a paixão, talento e profissionalismo com as quais eles se comprometem com os alunos.

Vamos celebrar e agradecer aos nossos professores maravilhosos.

Entre os pontos mais fortes da EAB, estão as relações que são desenvolvidas em toda a comunidade escolar, que são a representação de um dos mais importantes fatores de contribuição para a aprendizagem dos alunos.

Featured image: cc licensed (CC BY-ND 2.0) flickr photo by Hamed Parham: https://www.flickr.com/photos/hamedparham/3328144733

Creating Innovators

What does it mean to be an innovative school?  This is a question we have been wrestling with in relation to both EAB’s mission statement reference to innovation and our responsibility to offer a consequential educational program that keeps pace with societal changes.

The answer to this question will depend on the context of the discussion.  In a local context, many would consider EAB’s implementation, for example, of home learning and standards-based reporting in the Lower School, the move to one-to-one and BYOD devices in the Upper School, and the introduction of late-start Wednesdays to support professional development to be innovative.  While these are all very important and forward thinking initiatives in our local context, it can be argued from a macro perspective that these initiatives are not necessarily new and innovative.

To further address our question about innovation, EAB’s Leadership Team is currently engaging in a book study using Tony Wagner’s, Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World. The Team’s readings and reflections have led to a reframing of our question, from seeking to define what it means to be an innovative school to the question of, “How do we create the next generation of innovators?”  Through Wagner’s extensive study of high profile innovators who have achieved noteworthy success in our current society, he identified one key common theme among all of these individuals.  In every case, it was during the childhoods of the future innovators that the, “adults in their lives nurtured their creativity and sparked their imaginations, while teaching them to learn from failures and persevere.”

Creating-InnovatorsThrough his research, Wagner goes on to identify a fundamental pattern: “A childhood of creative play leads to deep-seated interests, which in adolescence and adulthood blossom into a deeper purpose for career and life goals.  Play, passion, and purpose: These are the forces that drive young innovators.”  Wagner’s emphasis on the three mainstays of play, passion, and purpose leads us, in turn, to the ideals associated with intrinsic motivation, which is really the crux of this conversation.

Creating Innovators Video Summary

Therefore, how can an educational program lead students to become driven by intrinsic motivation rather than external rewards?  Examining this question from a systems perspective, Wagner highlights the three main stages in the evolution of learning: (1) memorization-based, multiple-choice approach, (2) project-based learning where the problem is already determined, (3) design-based learning, where students learn how to define and frame problems.  The process of defining a problem and then working through innovative and creative solutions has a significantly more profound impact on student learning than the expectation to recall and repeat answers.

Though it was not by my intentional design, it as during one of the recent high school leadership classes I teach at EAB that students naturally exhibited the power of design-based learning. While using the issue of homework to develop debate and communication skills, the students far exceeded the original scope of the project as they decided to extend the activity, formally challenge the school’s current homework policy, and draft their own policy statements.  The prominent feature of the activity was how the students’ discussions evolved from one of entertaining and engaging exchanges (play), to a heated debate over the value of homework (passion), to a determination to influence the school’s current policy to better meet the needs of students and teachers (purpose).  The resulting policy statements, which were researched and debated, were innovative, creative, insightful, and clearly illustrated how students, when presented with the opportunity to define a problem, can demonstrate the ideals of intrinsic motivation, self-direction, and lifelong learning.

To be clear, the students’ initial policy statements failed to address several key homework issues, but this was okay.  It was the process of learning from their mistakes and the perseverance to improve that was most important.  Wagner’s research stresses that the companies recognized as innovative leaders are also the same companies that celebrate failure.  He goes on the emphasis that the word failure should be replaced with iteration, as the key to innovation is to continuously learn from experimentation and mistakes through several iterations.

Returning to the question of “How do we create the next generation of innovators?” education must move away from the false dichotomy that an instructional approach is based on either telling students or letting students learn on their own.  Instead, there must be a balanced approach where students are exposed to new ideas and have some freedom to choose their learning focus while also receiving guidance and support from teachers. To achieve this goal, Wagner suggests the following three steps: (1) Convert most classroom experiences into collaborative problem-solving events led by facilitators (vs. instructors) who engage learners to think and understand the relevance and context of what they learn.  (2) Tailor learning to the individual learner’s experience and competence level based on the results of a pre-test and/or assessment.  (3) Dramatically reduce or eliminate instructor-led slide presentation lectures and begin using a blended learning approach that incorporates virtual and constructive simulations.

It is through these focus areas that the American School of Brasilia will ensure that the evolution of our educational program continues to evolve and embody the ideals associated with an innovative school.

Featured image: cc licensed ( CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 ) flickr photo by Orwell Kowalyshyn: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79414198@N02/7313476952/in/photolist-c9gtUd-fuF1BJ

Book Cover Credit: Tony Wagner and Scribner

 

Professional Learning Community

EAB’s mission statement ends with the phrase, “we cultivate … a strong foundation of academic excellence,“ which serves as a mantra to guide all programmatic decisions, pedagogical approaches, and professional development strategies. Arguably, the professional development component has the strongest correlation with academic excellence and student achievement. To that end, EAB has made a commitment to embracing professional development ideals within the context of a learning community. Since the start of school in January, EAB’s teachers have dedicated themselves to trainings, meetings, and workshops, including a full day of internal professional workshops, where more than 50 teachers shared their expertise, to committing 16 hours one weekend to mathematics professional development, to Professional Wednesdays, to after school and evening trainings, among others.

?????????????????????????In last week’s Bull-It, I referred to the work of John Hattie, whose book Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement, which has provided educators with a deeper understanding of what works in education. In the article Know Thy Impact: Teaching, Learning, and Leading, which summarizes the main ideas of Hattie’s work, the author presents eight mind frames that should underpin every decision made by the school. One of the most important outcomes of this research is a summary of the meta-analysis of teaching effects  that includes the influences and effect sizes related to student achievement. To say the least, the list has provided for rich conversations among educators.

Returning to our discussion about professional development at EAB, the focus of the faculty’s work has been on a continuous improvement approach to effectively address the key items in Hattie’s list. By way of example, one of EAB’s school-wide goals for the next two years is assessment, which is also one of the foci of today’s professional half day. One of the reasons for EAB’s focus on assessment is due to Hattie’s meta-analysis, which lists formative evaluation, a key component of assessment, as having the most significant effect related to student achievement.

Based on current research in education, professional development at EAB is designed such that the focus is on the areas that represent the greatest potential to positively impact student learning.

Comunidade de Capacitação Profissional

A missão da EAB termina com a seguinte frase, “nós cultivamos … uma base sólida de excelência acadêmica”, que serve como um mantra para orientar todas as decisões programáticas, abordagens pedagógicas e estratégias de capacitação profissional.Indiscutivelmente, o componente da capacitação profissional tem maior correlação com a excelência acadêmica e o desempenho do aluno.

Com essa finalidade, a EAB assumiu um compromisso significativo de abraçar os ideais da capacitação profissional no contexto de uma comunidade de aprendizagem. Desde o início das aulas em janeiro, os professores da EAB tem se dedicado aostreinamentos, reuniões e oficinas, incluindo um dia inteiro de workshop profissional interno, onde mais de 50 professores compartilharam a sua experiência durante 16 horas em um fim de semana para seu desenvolvimento profissional em matemática,além dos treinamentos às quartas-feiras , depois da escola e os treinamentos que acontecem  à noite, entre outros.

No Bull-It da semana passada, eu falei sobre o trabalho de John Hattie, cujo o livro: A Visible Learning: A????????????????????????? Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement , forneceu aos educadores um grande entendimento sobre o que funciona na educação. No artigo Know Thy Impact: Teaching, Learning, and Leading, que resume as principais ideias do trabalho de Hattie, o autor apresenta oito convicções que deveriam basear todas as decisões tomadas pela escola. Um dos resultados mais importantes dessa pesquisa é um resumo da meta-análise dos efeitos do ensino, que inclui as influências e tamanhos dos efeitos relacionados com o desempenho do aluno. No mínimo, a lista previu conversas valiosas entre os educadores.

Voltando à nossa discussão sobre a capacitação profissional na EAB, o foco do trabalho do nosso  corpo docente foi em uma abordagem de melhoria contínua para enfrentar de forma eficaz, os principais itens na lista de Hattie. A título de exemplo, um dos objetivos da EAB para os próximos dois anos é o tema avaliação, que foi também um dos focos da nossa capacitação de hoje.Uma das razões para o foco da EAB nesse tema deve-se à meta-análise de Hattie, que lista a avaliação formativa, um componente-chave de avaliação, como tendo um efeito mais significativo relacionado ao desempenho do aluno.

Com base em uma pesquisa atual em educação, a capacitação profissional na EAB é projetada de tal forma que o foco está sobreas áreas que representam o maior potencial para impactar positivamente a aprendizagem do aluno.

Opportunities and Challenges

It is not hyperbole to state that educational systems and pedagogical approaches are in the throes of a revolution.  While most of us accept the premise that we are in the midst of a historical transformation in education, the challenge is to make sense of these changes while also seeking to find our own footing in the constantly shifting technological and societal sands.  I have no doubt that historians will look back at this time as a watermark moment in the evolution of schools, pedagogy, and learning.

These reflections were sparked by an article about education that I recently reread called, 21 Things that Will be Obsolete by 2020. The common theme linking the 21 declarations is the pervasive influence of technology, not as an extension to support learning but as a foundational platform and tool that will be as common as working with paper and a pencil.

In a typical 21st century learning fashion, I casually clicked on a seemingly interesting link that took me to another essay called, Three Trends That Define the Future of Teaching and Learning. This author argues that three key trends – collaborative, tech-powered, and blended – will frame the transformation of education.  There are compelling arguments in support of this claim, especially the concept of blended learning, where teachers embrace students’ online and connected proclivity towards the learning process.

While writing this article, I clicked on yet another link with the title, How Does Multitasking Change the Way Kids Learn?  I read the article, somewhat self-consciously, acknowledging that my multitasking at that moment may not have been the most efficient use of my time. You see, the article seeks to answer the question of whether or not our brains are able to effectively multitask.  As with all similar research, the article is unequivocal in concluding that we are not capable of effectively multitasking beyond the simplest activities.  The research has also clearly concluded that multitasking leads to a series of negative outcomes while doing schoolwork.

So, what does this all mean?  As with any large-scale transformative experience, there are currently more questions than answers in the field of education.  While this is an exciting time, there is also a degree of trepidation among educators and parents alike.  The elements of education that will become obsolete by 2020 are the same elements that were the foundations of the education of today’s adults.  To say the least, it is a challenge to manage current changes while also overcoming our past to establish educational programs for an unknown future.

EAB is committed to embracing this time of change through innovative and creative approaches to teaching and learning.  The focus on the implementation of collaborative, tech-powered, and blended teaching trends is central to our professional development discussions.  The impact of technology on student learning, including issues related to multitasking, is an area that continues to influence our instructional practices and curriculum development.  Likewise, it is within these new paradigms that we seek ways to continue to successfully work with students in the areas of service and leadership, while also developing skills associated with conflict resolution, decision making, empathy, communication, and character building, among others.

If parents and teachers are to model the ideal of life-long learners, then there is no better time to do so than now, especially in the context of a transformative moment in the history of education.  Our students count on the continued partnership and commitment among parents and teachers to embrace new challenges and focus on a continuous learning model that seeks to provide the best educational program possible.  It is these challenges that make our collective work so important and exciting.

Oportunidades e Desafíos

Não é exagero afirmar que os sistemas de ensino e abordagens pedagógicas estão no meio de uma revolução. Enquanto a maioria de nós aceita a premissa de que estamos no meio de uma transformação histórica na educação, o desafio é dar sentido a essas mudanças e ao mesmo tempo tentar encontrar o nosso próprio pé nas areias tecnológicas e sociais em constante mudança. Não tenho dúvidas de que os historiadores olharão para trás neste momento como um momento marcante na evolução das escolas, pedagogia e ensino.

Estas reflexões foram desencadeadas por um artigo sobre educação que eu reli recentemente chamado, 21 coisas que estarão obsoletas em 2020. O tema comum que liga as 21 declarações é a ampla influência da tecnologia, não como uma extensão para apoiar a aprendizagem, mas como uma plataforma fundamental e uma ferramenta que será tão comum como trabalhar com papel e lápis.

Em uma forma de aprendizado típico do século 21, eu cliquei casualmente em um link, aparentemente interessante, que me levou para outro ensaio chamado: Três Tendências que Definem o Futuro do Ensino e Aprendizagem. Este autor argumenta que as três tendências principais – colaboração, tech-powered, e harmonização, vão enquadrar a transformação da educação. Existem argumentos convincentes em apoio desta afirmação, especialmente os conceitos de ensino harmonizado, em que os professores adotam o processo de aprendizagem dos alunos, online e conectando as tendências.

Enquanto escrevia este artigo para o Bull-It, eu cliquei em mais um link com o título: Como a Multitarefa Muda a Maneira Como as Crianças Aprendem? Eu li o artigo, um pouco autoconsciente, reconhecendo que a minha maneira de realizar várias tarefas, naquele momento, não foi o uso mais eficiente do meu tempo. O artigo procura responder se o nosso cérebro é ou não é capaz de realizar várias tarefas de forma eficaz. Tal como acontece com todas as pesquisas semelhantes, o artigo é inequívoco, mostra a conclusão de que não somos capazes de, efetivamente, desempenhar várias tarefas, além das atividades mais simples. A pesquisa também conclui claramente que a multitarefa leva a uma série de resultados negativos, em relação a fazer um trabalho escolar.

Então, o que isso tudo significa? Como acontece com qualquer experiência transformadora em larga escala, atualmente existem mais perguntas do que respostas no campo da educação. Enquanto este é um momento emocionante, há também um certo grau de ansiedade entre os educadores e pais. Os elementos da educação que se tornarão obsoletos em 2020 são os mesmos elementos que foram os alicerces da educação dos adultos de hoje. Para dizer o mínimo, é um desafio gerenciar as mudanças atuais e ao mesmo tempo superar nosso passado para estabelecer programas de educação para um futuro desconhecido.

A EAB está empenhada em abraçar este momento de mudança por meio de abordagens inovadoras e criativas para o ensino e aprendizagem. O foco sobre a implementação das tendências pedagógicas colaborativas, “tech-powered”, e ensino harmonizado são fundamentais para as nossas discussões de desenvolvimento profissional. O impacto da tecnologia no aprendizado dos alunos, incluindo questões relacionadas à multitarefa, é uma área que continua influenciando as nossas práticas de ensino e de desenvolvimento curricular. Da mesma forma, é dentro desses novos paradigmas que buscamos formas de continuar a trabalhar com sucesso dos alunos nas áreas de serviço e liderança, além de desenvolver competências associadas à resolução de conflitos, tomada de decisão, empatia, comunicação e construção de personagem, entre outros.

Se os pais e professores querem moldar o ideal de alunos aprendizes ao longo da vida, então não há momento melhor para fazer isso do que agora, especialmente no contexto de um momento de transformação na história da educação. Nossos alunos contam com a parceria contínua e compromisso entre os pais e professores para abraçar novos desafios e se concentrar em um modelo de aprendizagem contínua, que visa proporcionar o melhor programa educacional possível. São estes os desafios que tornam o nosso trabalho coletivo tão importante e emocionante.

Featured image: cc licensed ( CC BY NC SND 2.0 ) flickr photo by Dean Terry: http://www.flickr.com/photos/therefore/4101567511/

Learning Mathematics

Erma Anderson’s professional development work with our faculty this week left me with three reflections about the learning of mathematics and the Common Core.

Number Sense

Let us start with a quick math quiz.  Quickly answer the following question relying only on your sense of numbers (i.e. do not calculate the exact value):

If you are “one billion seconds “old, then you have lived for approximately 31 years.  How long have you lived if you are “one million seconds” old?

Many people find the answer to be shocking, highlighting some of the challenges we face associated with number sense.  When we speak of budgets, populations, and exponential growth in the billions, do we really have a sense of what the numbers mean?

To answer the question above, “one million seconds” equates to 11 days, as compared to a billion seconds equating to 31 years.  Extending this example, “one trillion seconds” is approximately equal to 32,000 years!  These numbers hopefully put the concept of a trillion dollar debt into a different perspective.

Students usually do not develop a strong sense of numbers by blindly following algorithmic procedures or memorizing formulas without developing a deeper sense of the numbers they work with during their studies.  While algorithmic procedures the memorization of formulas have their place in mathematics, it is only through a deeper conceptual knowledge of mathematics that an enduring understanding of mathematics will be achieved. If more people learned mathematics this way, perhaps there would be less of a negative stigma highlighted by adults and students and their learning of mathematics.

Ways of Knowing

To achieve enduring understandings, mathematics must be taught in a manner that requires students to interact with concepts in a variety of manners, including visual, contextual, algorithmic, procedural, and theoretical, among others. The common theme, however, is that the learning must ensure a strong conceptual understanding.  By way of example, if you ask adults to state the quadratic formula, few of us will be able to do so correctly.  However, if these same adults understood where the quadratic formula comes from and how to derive it from first principles, then the likelihood of being able to correctly state the quadratic formula is very high.  We must move from memorization, as the focus, to strong conceptual understandings.

Teaching of Mathematics

During a conversation with Erma Anderson, we discovered that we both experienced a similar “learning” moment at the start of our respective teaching careers. We both majored in mathematics at university and graduated as mathematicians before choosing a career in education.  While teaching our first calculus classes, we, like so many other teachers, came to a stark realization. While we could always “do” mathematics very well, our deeper conceptual understanding of the subject was questioned, for the first time in our careers, through the challenge of teaching the conceptual understanding of calculus.  Whether teachers admit it or not, most educators go through a similar experience as it is one thing to be able to “do” mathematics but quite another to be able to explain your understanding of these same concepts. Our responsibility as teachers is to continuously seek ways to better understand our subjects while also finding ways to effectively work with students so that they develop their own deep and meaningful conceptual understandings.

This is an exciting time at EAB as our teachers are dedicating a significant amount of time and energy towards the ongoing development of a strong mathematics curriculum and, in parallel, the ongoing development of our collective teaching practices.

Featured image: cc licensed ( BY NC SA 2.0 ) flickr photo by Tom Magliery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mag3737/6266477735/