“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?
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.
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.
That would be interesting, wouldn’t it?
I think it was Will Rogers who said “Common sense ain’t common.” We prove that in schools every day…
Will.. Can you give some examples of what this might look like at elementary level?
“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.