Whatisschool February 12 2015

#Whatisschool, Thursday February 12, 6PM EST

What kind of culture are you creating in your school?

What is shaping the culture at your school high states testing, standards and fear, or habits and values like curiosity, initiative, perseverance and creativity? Which are the real indicators of personal ability to achieve success and how is it affecting students, educators and parents?

Joshua Katz, a High School math teacher from Florida opened his TEDx talk with this message:

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by it’s ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing it is stupid…Right now the public narrative in education is all about school, teachers and curriculum. We need to start focusing on our students and who they are.”

So how can we create a school culture that focuses on students and who they are? This week #whatisschool challenges you to take a critical look at the culture at your school.  You may be surprised at what you find.

Questions #whatisschool February 12, 6PM EST

Q1) What kind of a school culture should you aim to build? What is needed for this to happen? 

Q2) How can school culture be co-held by students? Should it embrace technology used in their daily lives?

Q3) How will school culture need to change as digital natives enter the education work force?

Q4) What is needed to build an open active learning environment with room for questioning, thinking and growing together?

Q5) How are you integrating parent's values and culture into your school culture?

Q6) How can your culture change to make your school a fear free place of learning, acceptance and growth?

1. For more articles and archives on creating 21 century learning or to book a visit at your school visit whatisschool.org or contact Laura Hill @candylandcaper
   
   
   
   
   
   

Whatisschool February 5, 2014

WOW!

I've been traveling to NYC for weeks working on a marketing campaign with some friends from my past professional life.  While it was awesome to reconnect and play with all the toys the big apple has to offer, it felt even better to be back tonight.  I want to send a big shout out to our permanent alternate moderator Mark Weston @shiftparadigmn for bringing his expertise into play on my behalf theses last few weeks-I owe you big time!  And to my partner in #whatisschool Craig Kemp for holding down the fort in my absence. But most of all I want to send a big shout to you for bringing your great ideas and learning experiences each week. You are superstars!  Archives from tonight's chat are posted below.
Laura

Join the #whatisschool conversation

Thursday 5 February at 6pm EST 

(Friday 9am AEST, 12pm NZT, 7am Singapore) 

This week at #whatisschool we are moving into a more practical zone as we discuss Learning Management Systems. Learning Management Systems, or LMS, are a critical elementof all education environments and schools around the world are coming to grips with the best ones to suit their unique needs. Information about choosing the right LMS for your school is high on the list of MUST HAVE items and was one of the many suggested topics we received from passionate educators. 

Questions For #Whatisschool 

Thursday February 5, 6PM EST

1) What virtual learning management systems (LMS) are you using in your school?

2) In your opinion, why are LMS’s important in educational environments?

3) What makes a great LMS? What do you need?

4) How are virtual LMS’s enhancing teaching and learning?

5) What other software/apps are you using with LMS’s? Are you integrating Google Apps?

6) Share your favourite LMS readings, articles, experts, links or ideas …

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Laura Hill is an author best know for helping adults and children get their ideas into the world. Her past life as a TV producer and artist and her passion for education, fanned by experiences in her own daughter's education have led her to crusade for critical examination of skill sets and methodologies that can make today's school even better for students, teachers and parents.