Will Richardson

Speaker, consultant, writer, learner, parent

  • About
    • About Will
    • Contact Will
    • BIG Questions Institute
  • Blog
  • Speaking
  • Coaching
  • News
  • Books

Reflecting on #ISTE2016

June 30, 2016 By Will Richardson 6 Comments

“Common sense” is an interesting term, isn’t it?

What’s “common”?

What is “sense”?

Just because something makes sense to me, doesn’t mean it makes sense to you. I get that.

But some things just seem so obvious to me:

Schools should be about learning, not teaching.

Technology should be about helping kids become better learners, not helping the adults become better teachers. (Someday, the learners will be on their own, right?)

School should be fun. It should be “genius” all the time, not just an hour a week. It should be about discovery and wonder and passion and good deeds in the world.

Learning is not centered in curriculum; it’s centered in creation. In composition. In questions and missions.

And we adults should do what we believe when it comes to creating the conditions for kids to learn deeply and powerfully with us, not from us.

Why we would do anything else?

If that’s not “common sense,” what is?

Filed Under: learning, On My Mind

Comments

  1. Theresa says

    June 30, 2016 at 12:51 am

    Yes, and curriculum must be designed to meet students’ needs. Many voices must be included in designing frameworks for learning with supports for teachers to adjust, re-design and respond to student curiosity and learning needs.

    Reply
  2. Brian Kelley says

    June 30, 2016 at 1:21 am

    Our profession (vocation) has steadily grown more neurotic of itself, hasn’t it? It would be quite a revealing study if every educator asked himself “Why did you make the decisions you made today?” Everyday. Your post nudges us in that direction.

    Reply
    • Will Richardson says

      June 30, 2016 at 10:52 am

      That would be interesting, wouldn’t it?

      Reply
  3. Patrick Larkin says

    June 30, 2016 at 2:03 pm

    I think it was Will Rogers who said “Common sense ain’t common.” We prove that in schools every day…

    Reply
  4. Rob says

    June 30, 2016 at 11:09 pm

    Will.. Can you give some examples of what this might look like at elementary level?

    Reply
  5. Grace Kim says

    July 8, 2016 at 2:37 am

    “Schools should be about learning, not teaching.”
    Our current educational model places too much of an emphasis on teaching that we lose focus on what is important, learning. I learn everyday from my students and hopefully my students something from me as well. But I love your point about how students should learn “with” us, not from us.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • “Never”
  • My 2023 “Tech Cleanse” Has Begun
  • Five Themes for Educators in 2023
  • Schools in a Time of Chaos
  • Has This Crisis Really Changed Schools?

Search My Blog

Archived Posts

Copyright © 2023 Will Richardson · All Rights Reserved

Follow me on Twitter @willrich45