We can all learn from Zach.  We can all learn from his attitude towards life and death.  Sadly he passed away, but his message to the world will live on.  Zach presents some good discussion points for young people today ... and those not so young.  This is 22 minutes and well worth the watch. 

Boosting brain power
A nutritionist reminded me recently that we are what we eat.  A lot can be said of the effects on our mood and thinking from our diet alone.  Malnourish the brain and we get grumpy and irritable children – the reason why Maslow placed food as a priority for the learner as an essential foundation to learning.  We simply cannot think efficiently without the right nutrients to feed our brain. Your child simply cannot even begin to think about learning if they haven’t had the correct nourishment.  Today we are seeing more and more children coming to school without even having had breakfast – a key indicator of our fast paced lifestyles and fast food mentality, but does this have to be the way of the 21st Century?

Have a well balanced diet and supplement
I’m suggesting that besides ensuring your child has a well balanced diet, including breakfast, that you provide your child with supplements to ensure that they are getting everything they need to perform in a long day of learning, tests and modern day pressures. 

Omega-3 oils and myelin
Usana Health Sciences suggests that our brains are wired just like electric wires.  In order for messages to flow freely, these nerve fibres need to be insulated like electric cables.  The insulation in our brains is made up of a fatty substance called, myelin. 

Omega-3 oils improve thinking
Omega-3 fats are essential towards building and maintaining myelin.  This will improve student’s ability to think more deeply and critically about their learning.  There has been much discussion over the benefits of Omega-3 oils for its calming affect on children with ADHD and learning benefits.

Supplement with Omega-3 or risk mercury intake
Oily fish contain high levels of good, healthy Omega-3 oils, but fish contains mercury and too much mercury can increase toxicity levels in our body.  An Omega-3 supplement can eliminate contaminants such as mercury.

Omega-3 oils reduce the risk of heart disease
With heart disease being a number one killer amongst adults, the Australian Heart Foundation (AHF) urges us to consume about 500 milligrams of Omega-3 (marine source) every day (100mg is recommended if you already have heart disease).  Eat two to three serves (150 gram each) of oily fish like salmon and fresh tuna per week.  The AHF also recommends that you supplement your diet with Omega-3 enriched foods and fish oil supplements.

Who gets to set the health trends for the 21st Century Learner?  I’m suggesting that we do, not the fast food industry.  Eat well – learn well!

This makes for some great holiday viewing - a must see!

How do schools educate the next generation of leaders?


The article by Henry Doss, in Forbes highlights, Innovation: Five keys to educating the next generation of leaders.  He points out that the focus of future leaders needs to be innovation, problem solving and opportunity.  One of Henry Doss’ concerns is the lack of leadership development in education. 

The question is, does leadership need to change, to meet the needs of innovation in the future, within an ever fast-paced environment?   

Over history, we have been able to note the same key principles and attributes of leaders, when compared over time.  It is not the leadership principals that need to be changed, but rather the way in which that leadership is administered.  For example, good communication has always been key to good leadership, however the difference today is not whether or not we value communication, it is simply how we choose to communicate in the future.  It may have been acceptable to use pigeon post in the past, while we might have the expectation of our leaders to be more available by way of their smartphones in the future.  The core leadership principles still remain the same.

Should the way we lead stay the same in the future?

While the leadership principles remain the same, there are many different leadership models on how to lead.   The most common leadership structure has always been hierarchical, where directors instruct and give orders from the top down.  Successful leadership models in the future will need to generate ideas collaboratively from their team and empower others to implement their ideas on a more even playing field.  Teamwork is key and dictatorships are being challenged by a new generation of leaders.

How do we educate for change and innovation?

Encourage children to develop deeper thinking skills through problem solving and invention.  We want children to overcome the fear of failure and have the curiosity to seek out new opportunities.  This idea of seeking out new ideas, without pre-qualifying them is a liberating experience that can be the catalyst for invention.  One can always analyse and qualify an idea later at the drawing board.  The emphasis on invention and creativity will become imperative, for the longevity of an organization in the future. 

How will we teach the next generation these skills of the future?

Dialogue together as a community.  Discuss and decide on what these leadership principles and skills might be.  Place these leadership principles and skills in the heart of shared social values in the community.  Create context within learning experiences that are meaningful to students, teaching children how to connect appropriately with each other and with the world around them.  Be a good role model of good leadership qualities and character.  Be a good team player - roll up your sleeves and working alongside your students.

In this way you will foster heartfelt leadership that is democratic and values based; leadership that respects and serves others towards the common good; leaders that can be innovative and creative.  These are the leaders of the future.

 

The “E” in front of E-learning has been the cause for much debate recently.  It started off meaning anything electronic, technology used for the purposes of learning in education.  We saw the Powerpoint presentations and the use of the computer to type up student’s written work as authors, editors and publishers.

This is all still very worthwhile, but E-learning has become so much more.  David Kinane of Dakinane.com describes E-learning as blended learning.  David is an education consultant and leader in E-learning, working with a number of school leadership teams to empower teachers towards providing incredibly engaging 21st Century learning.  My immediate thought was, that doesn’t start with “E”!  Well, no it doesn’t!  The “E” in front of E-learning is confusing everyone, according to David.  It is widely agreed amongst E-learning professionals that one day the “E” will simply drop off and we will just call it, “learning”.

Well, isn’t that just going back to what we had before?  The short answer is, definitely not!  There is nothing inferior about what was being taught before, however we need to acknowledge that times are changing and the way that students are interacting with technology and within their learning environment is changing, too!  I have seen many 3 year old children handling their parent’s smartphones with ease and intense concentration.  We can’t stop it, its already happening and the question is, do we need to?  There is much debate around these issues and we’re not advocating that one should throw out the importance of young children interacting with the world around them through play and investigation – inquiry being a very necessary skill to develop for later on in their learning journey.  We sometimes tend to think in absolutes and I don’t think it is this or that – I think that in this situation it is like a two-sided coined, both this and that!

The way children engage in learning today is different today.  What grabbed their attention ten years ago, simply does not grab their attention today.  If a teacher thinks they are going to put on a video for an hour and call that E-learning, they are mistaken.  While it may involve using video clips and internet URL links, students need to also engage in their own research, in collaboration with their peers.  They should be working on topics of interest to them, being free to be innovative and creative, using technological tools in a blended learning environment.

E-learning is not an end in and of itself and should never become that way.  It is simply a tool, just like the pencil and paper that can be used to aid and assist learning to take place.  One of my old senior teachers would always say, “Is learning taking place?  That’s all that matters!”  Children learn when they are interested in the learning process that is taking place.  If they are screaming, “Save me, I’m bored!” then we are in trouble!  E-learning should be more concerned with the process and skill development than being placed in the, “Look at me, look at me, look at me!” category.  E-learning is a means not an end in itself.

E-learning will eventually become a non-focus and the blended learning processes that are used in conjunction with technology and student collaboration, should become the emphasis.

The most important question is, “Is learning taking place that is authentic and engaging for students?”

1.  What should I buy?
Last week, we saw the release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mobile phone, while everyone watched and waited for something futuristic and revolutionary to appear.   One week the craze is Blackberry, the next Samsung and on yet another given week it will no doubt be Apple.  It seems as though we are watching technology in education with similar anticipation.  As educators and parents, we want to make the best possible decisions when purchasing technology to meet our student’s future educational needs.  This can be challenging for both parents and educators. 

2.  Think of buying those new school shoes
As with purchasing school shoes, one must come to terms with the fact that we will endeavour to purchase the best fit, balanced between the best price and level of comfort. We make the best possible purchase with all the information we currently hold. 

3.  Has it been invented yet?
We may not be able to prepare for those future technological needs yet, if futuristic technology has not yet been invented. 

4.  You may need to upgrade again …
The secret is getting comfortable with change and innovation.  That is not to say we change for the sake of change itself.  If those educational needs require a combination of pencil, paper and technology, then so be it.  

5.  Why fix what isn’t broken?
Last week, the TED Talk Conference brought leaders and top future thinkers together.  Out of all of these technological enthusiasts, the simple business card was still the most common transaction between attendees.  It was surprising that they did not use digital business cards or bump smart phones together to swap details.  There is no need to change what is already working well!

6.  BYOD - Bring your own device
However, there is now evidence showing that 90% of consumers are using the tablet over the PC at home.  Students are starting to bring their own devices to school.  The question is, “Are tablets mobile?”  Apple seem to think so and Mark Zuckerberg, apparently not, according to TechCrunch.com. 

7.  Economize
Smartphones are getting bigger and tablets are getting smaller.  Will they meet somewhere in the middle?  Since many students now carry mobile phones with them to school, it makes sense for parents to combine these two gadgets into a more cost effective tool.  This tool can either be as an oversized mobile phone or a much smaller mobile tablet, if also doubled as a mobile phone. 

8.  How big does a mobile need to be?
A mobile device can be screened onto an HDTV, or classroom computer, or data projector.  Online accessibility and mobile technology are fast becoming more of a desirable feature than a large screen size.

9.  It’s “their world”
Children are so submersed with these modern technologies today that we will need to learn to “speak their language” in order to connect with them in the future.  Students are already learning to code, through a new free website, promoted by Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg called, code.org.

10.  Regardless of the screen size …
To engage the future generation in learning, one must not only find the means to connect, but also teach them about social responsibility, citizenship and democracy, through their digital world.        

Should social media be allowed in class?  The Welsh government has asked councils to provide more access to social websites, according to an article by the BBC, "Pupils to get more advice about Facebook and social media sites."  School students in Wales will get advice on the pitfalls of using social media websites and help prevent them from making the mistake of damaging their future careers online.

The need for educators to teach Digital Citizenship is essential.  School students need to know that they leave digital footprints.  There are five points below to consider when teaching Digital Citizenship.

1.  Future employers
Data that you publish online, will be archived on the internet for years and will be accessible to future employers, even after it has been deleted.  Those seeking job opportunities have been turned down as a result of something they wrote on Facebook or presented on the internet, according to the BBC.  Once something goes up on Youtube, it can potentially go viral, meaning that it can be shared many times and there is no possible way to retrieve it again.  These are serious implications that need to be considered with regards to future employment.

2.  Future relationships
Yes, you may have broken up with your boyfriend, but are you going to work with him in a critical work relationship one day?  Burning bridges within a public forum, may not serve you well in the future. 

3.  Keep yourself and other safe
Just like getting a driver's license, students need to be educated on how to roam the internet safely, to protect themselves and others.  There is nothing wrong with sharing a good video clip on Youtube, provided you will still be happy with people viewing it in ten or twenty years time. 

4.  Facebook photos are never private
Even when you list a photo as private it may be shared between your friends and from there it can easily fall into the public domain.  Nothing stops your friends from downloading the images and using it against you as a joke later on.  Also watch the photos that others are taking of you at social gatherings that will no doubt appear on Facebook and possibly even be taken out of context.  It is always good manners to ask, "May I take a photo of you?" and "May I put this photo of you up on Facebook?"

5.  Ask yourself good questions
A good way to decide on whether or not one should share something online is the use of questions before publishing like,  "Will this affect me positively or negatively in the future?" or  "Does it show respect towards others and for myself?" or " Would I be happy if my teachers, parents and friends read this?" 

What would you do as a teacher or parent when your student or child starts a social media hate trail?  Do you start censoring them or using it for a teachable moment?  C/Net reports a story about a student who used a twitter hashtag to complain about his teacher, "Teacher projects student's antiteacher tweets in class".  The teacher finds out and decides to give a bit of "tit-for-tat" by posting the tweets up in front of the whole class.  How does one respond to these outbursts from students and how do educators and parents teach children to be responsible with their social media freedoms?

Teachers, parents and students need to work together collaboratively in critical dialogue to discuss the implications of social media within their school communities in the future.  Educators will need to think about how they will educate students towards responding appropriately in these forums and how they, as responsible educators and parents, might respond to the challenges and benefits of social media in the future. 

A recent survey has shown that New Zealand children, aged 9 years of age, tied for last place compared to other developed countries, according to the NZ Herald.  Teachers were trained and required to teach the Numeracy Project program by the Ministry of Education.  The research on the effects of the Numeracy Project shows that it needed to improve in the teaching of mathematical knowledge and contextual learning.  Strategy was heavily weighted within the Numeracy Project.

This is where 21st Century learning comes to the rescue!  Through the use of technology, teachers and parents can provide students with the mathematics practice of basic facts that they need and provide accurate feedback through digital reporting to assist students with self-corrections.  There are numerous apps and websites to achieve this.  Here are just a few different ways assist your child in their knowledge of basic facts:

1.  Mathletics
Whilst one does need to pay for this website, either individually or through your school, I can honestly say that I have seen the results of student's basic fact knowledge improve within a few weeks of consistent, daily practice.  The important point when using tools like this, is to ensure that students are working on their correct level.  All too often, I have seen older students playing on Level one because they want to beat another junior in another country and win!  The administrator can set these default settings to a more age appropriate level. 

2.  Get involved in World Education Games
The Prime Minister of Australia has welcomed the World Education Games in Sydney, due to begin in just a few hours!  Your school can get a free World Education Games trial with Mathletics. 

3.  World Maths Day
This is coming up really soon and is taking place on the 6 March 2013.  Will your child be on the World Maths Day Hall of Fame?

4.  Free Resources
The internet is full of free resources.  I have uploaded a few examples on our website's free resource page.

5.  Contextualised learning
Make sure that you talk to your child about everyday mathematical examples and ask them questions about everyday mathematical problems.  "How much is that doggy in the window?  How much have you got?  How much change should you get?  How much will you have to save up in order to buy that dog?"

6.  NZ Maths for Families Website
There is some good information that one can learn from here, including a video on how to help your child work on their Mathematics at home.

7.  Khan Academy
This will help high school students plug those gaps for homework.  Khan Academy also has lessons for junior students.

8.  Play a Game
Turn the learning of basic facts, like times tables into a game.  I like to throw and catch a ball, so playing a game of hot potato and answering a times table question can be a lot of fun for a more active student.  The last one still in is the winner!  Turn it into a memory card game, snap game or any other creative game that you can think of.  Again, there are numerous games on the NZ Maths website.

9.  Create a Project using Mathematics
Think about a meaningful experience to you and your child, like cooking, woodwork, building or playing shop.  There are so many real life activities that one can do to create real and authentic mathematical experiences, in which to include your child in.  This will help them to become an enthusiastic learner.

10.  Have Fun!
Of course you don't nag at your child to do their homework, but give them a break first and a snack before getting into the homework phase.  Children are often hungry and tired after a long day at school.  Dangle the carrot and give them an incentive to work towards.  Some use chocolate, although I personally don't really like to use food associations too much.  One can use time on the computer or a special outing as a reward, after the work is done.  Whatever you decide to do, have fun learning together and your child will thank you in years to come!

This week I have had to face another one of those, “life’s big challenging moments”.  I found myself going back in time to my roots, to everything that I had previously learned in order to cope with the situation.  It’s not even something that I had to think about.  The reaction was automatic!  Our values are so deeply engrained in our sub-conscious mind that that when we are faced with life’s challenges, we immediately recall everything we know to either make split second decisions or choices that could change how we respond to any and every situation in life.

It’s the same in my sporting endeavours.  I now rely on those shots that I’ve played for years in a split second whilst on court.  Even when I try to change the shots to suite my opponent when coaching, I find myself hitting the same good shots that I had practiced for years and now find it difficult to play more loose shots! 

Do we know why we are teaching what we are teaching?  More importantly, do the students know what they are learning and why they are learning it?  Do they even want to be learning what they are learning about?  I remember being encouraged to reflect on lessons as a teacher and analyse what worked well and what didn’t, but how often do we consider what we are educating for?  Of course students need to know how to read, write and do mathematics, but what life skills and values are they developing in the process? 

Taking ownership with a good attitude towards learning is the glue that makes the learning stick!  Students no longer need to “download” masses of information and knowledge by rote learning as they have computers that can now do that for them.  Instead, they need to be able to process information, analyse it and use deeper critical thinking and creative processes of innovation.  Learning something out of a sense curiosity or inquiry will be learning that lasts for a lifetime.

I heard Pink Floyd’s song on the radio this week, “We don’t need no education!” and “We don’t need no thought control!”  I’d like to think that education has changed over the last few decades, but found myself considering how much of it is really thought control?  Interestingly enough, there is a lot of academic research on this as well!  Pink Floyd probably has a very cynical viewpoint, but I know that many students found themselves singing along as they related to these lyrics.

As I think about what really helped me the most through my challenging week, it was supportive people and all my previous, positive learning experiences.  That doesn’t mean to say that I have had no negative learning experiences.  It means that I have chosen, by way of my attitude, to use all my learning experiences for good.  This is a proactive step in education, rather than a passive step.  We don’t need to be victims of our circumstances, as Pink Floyd suggests. 

Encourage students to embrace the attitudes and life skills of a life long learner and innovator.  Help them to develop perseverance and character to go the distance, leaning on everything that they have learnt in the past to help them in the future!

The “E” in front of E-learning has been the cause for much debate recently.  It started off meaning anything electronic, technology used for the purposes of learning in education.  We saw the Powerpoint presentations and the use of the computer to type up student’s written work as authors, editors and publishers.   

This is all still very worthwhile, but E-learning has become so much more.  David Kinane of Dakinane.com describes E-learning as blended learning.  David is an education consultant and leader in E-learning, working with a number of school leadership teams to empower teachers towards providing incredibly engaging 21st Century learning.  My immediate thought was, that doesn’t start with “E”!  Well, no it doesn’t!  The “E” in front of E-learning is confusing everyone, according to David.  It is widely agreed amongst E-learning professionals that one day the “E” will simply drop off and we will just call it, “learning”.

Well, isn’t that just going back to what we had before?  The short answer is, definitely not!  There is nothing inferior about what was being taught before, however we need to acknowledge that times are changing and the way that students are interacting with technology and within their learning environment is changing, too!  I have seen many 3 year old children handling their parent’s smartphones with ease and intense concentration.  We can’t stop it, its already happening and the question is, do we need to?  There is much debate around these issues and we're not advocating that one should throw out the importance of young children interacting with the world around them through play and investigation – inquiry being a very necessary skill to develop for later on in their learning journey.  We sometimes tend to think in absolutes and I don’t think it is this or that – I think that in this situation it is like a two-sided coined, both this and that!

The way children engage in learning today is different today.  What grabbed their attention ten years ago, simply does not grab their attention today.  If a teacher thinks they are going to put on a video for an hour and call that E-learning, they are mistaken.  While it may involve using video clips and internet URL links, students need to also engage in their own research, in collaboration with their peers.  They should be working on topics of interest to them, being free to be innovative and creative, using technological tools in a blended learning environment.

E-learning is not an end in and of itself and should never become that way.  It is simply a tool, just like the pencil and paper that can be used to aid and assist learning to take place.  One of my old senior teachers would always say, “Is learning taking place?  That’s all that matters!”  Children learn when they are interested in the learning process that is taking place.  If they are screaming, “Save me, I’m bored!” then we are in trouble!  E-learning should be more concerned with the process and skill development than being placed in the, “Look at me, look at me, look at me!” category.  E-learning is a means not an end in itself.

E-learning will eventually become a non-focus and the blended learning processes that are used in conjunction with technology and student collaboration, should become the emphasis. 

The most important question is, “Is learning taking place that is authentic and engaging for students?”