Class # 6 - What is the "Adjustable Seat" in My Classroom?

We started class with a Ted Talk Video by Todd Rose, "The Myth of Average"

The discussion surrounding this video was focused on the mistake of "designing for the average". Todd talks about the critical error that we make by designing our classrooms for the AVERAGE student because no one person tends to be "average" in every area of their person or intellect. He suggests "BANNING THE AVERAGE" and instead, he strongly encourages us to design our education system for the "jagged learner", in other words, for the learner that has some talents as well as some weaknesses. He says the real way to reach & teach to the most students, is to "DESIGN TO THE EDGES". a powerful statement made by Todd Rose during this video was the startling statistic of the number of students per year who drop out of High School in the US....1.2 million students drop out every year & at least 4% (that is a staggering 50 000 students) are of hich intellectual ability. We blame students for this, even parents...BUT...wonders Todd Rose...is it just POOR DESIGN????

Todd Rose introduces the concept of the JAGGED pilot and related this to JAGGED LEARNERS. A student is NOT one dimensional - they are jagged Sizes, they have jagged learning styles, they do not possess the same amount of competence in every aspect...so

IF WE DESIGN FOR THE AVERAGE, THEN WE DESIGN FOR NO ONE AND WE HURT EVERYONE

Average destroys talent
1. It makes your talent a liability (you are not challenged so you drop out)
2. Your weakness makes it hard sometimes for us to see your talent because it is hidden by your weakness (for example, a struggling reader in Science class will probably not be successful using an AVERAGE textbook)

The Solutions:

• GO DIGITAL
• Create learning environments that are so flexible that they nurture the learning needs of ALL!
• it doesn't need to be complicated or fancy - just don't assume all are at the same level

WE CANNOT REACH ENOUGH KIDS WITH SO MUCH TALENT BY DESIGNING TO THE AVERAGE...INSTEAD WE NEED TO

"DESIGN TO THE EDGES"

We can't afford to lose these kids - we need to reimagine how to nurture potential of all in an effort to expand our talent pool.

This is the COOL Word Splash we created using PollEV when asked to input 2 words of how we felt during & then after the Todd Rose Video.

We talked extensively about the multiple skills involved in reading

The Secret Life of the Brain: Episode 2: The Child's Brain

Above is a diagram outlining the processes in the brain while reading. Of course the number of skills involved and necessary to these processes is practically unending and, for students that struggling with any one or number of these multiple skills, reading can be frustrating!

Here are 2 links that have information on The Reading Process & Reading Task Analysis:

How Do Children Learn to Read?

The Reading Process

Mary made a great analogy of the many steps and skills involved in reading  being instruments in an orchestra and without any 1 piece or pieces, the orchestra will fail to play correctly.

So then, we must, as educators, ask ourselves...how can we keep these kids in school and engaged...what is the adjustable seat in our classroom??