Sometimes in his excitement at performing tricks, my little Chihuahua forgets how to speak. His mouth opens, but no sound comes out. The tension is just too great. I have to command him to “hush” so that he can find his bark.
Often I feel something similar in sitting down to write. Given the cacophony of voices competing for attention, the bookshelves already full of texts, and the explosion of words and images that is the Internet, what could any individual have to add of any worth? (more…)
In today’s world, 21st-century skills are all the talk. We heard it first from business leaders who apparently have been disappointed by the quality of recent graduates, not because they aren’t intelligent or eager to do a good job, but because they don’t take enough initiative or they don’t seem creative enough to meet the ever-changing demands of the new business world.
Now we are hearing the same from educators. We are told from all corners that our students need to be tech-savvy communicators, innovators, problem solvers, critical thinkers, and on and on. Numerous educational reports, studies, online chats, and conferences focus on this subject. Essentially, 21st-century skills have become the siren call in education. (more…)
Last week, I spoke for career day at my son’s intermediate school, telling about the life of a working writer. About fifty kids from the school had signed up to hear me. They were so bright, so attentive, their eyes wide, their brains bubbling. (more…)
Obviously, school is intended to prepare students for life. But what do we mean by that? On the one hand, we mean that it provides students with the necessary skills to gain a career after graduation and become productive members of society. On the other hand, the teachers most of us remember long after our own schooling are those who encouraged our individuality. (more…)
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