Imagination is more important than knowledge.

Albert Einstein

Our Important Questions:

·         How can we effectively teach students to determine what’s important?

·         What’s important for teaching and learning in the 21st century? 

·         How can we engage students in what’s important? 

How can we teach students to determine importance?

Top Tools:

·         Magnet Words

·         Most Important Word

·         Tic-Tac-Toe

·         5-3-1

What’s important for teaching and learning in the 21^st century?

EPIC 2015:  Kerry Armstrong sent this video to help us ponder a possible future if we don’t think hard about what’s important. 

How to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20th Century

Linda McDonald sent me this article.  It’s an important reminder:  “This is a story about the big public conversation the nation is not having about education, the one that will ultimately determine not merely whether some fraction of our children get ‘left behind’ but also whether an entire generation of kids will fail to make the grade in the global economy because they can't think their way through abstract problems, work in teams, distinguish good information from bad or speak a language other than English.”

Partnership for 21^st Century Skills:  This group serves as a catalyst to position 21st century skills at the center of K-12 education by building collaborative partnerships among education, business, community and government leaders.  See what they think is important.  For a quick review, see their 21st Century Standards. 

How can we engage students in what’s important?

We observe the importance of engaging students imaginatively – through images, through conversation, through meaningful tasks.  To think further about the importance of imagination in schools, visit Sir Ken Robinson’s website: http://www.sirkenrobinson.com/