I think that by using relevant and updated sources, a greater connection can be made, to illustrate that Native Stories are not just historical but are also current.

something I think adults should also be encouraged to do

I also think it would be a benefit to use literature that more accurately explains who Columbus was.

I agree that there needs to be a change in how American students are educated regarding the history of Indigenous peoples.

So true! We must push out of our comfort zones and experience some degree of stress in order for substantial growth to occur. These are the experiences that shape who we become.

Situations like this is where the most authentic learning can take place. Students can view the problem as something tangible since they have a personal experience or vested interest. A dialogue that explores possible solutions or compromises often creates positive takeaways for adolescents. This helps build confidence for when they encounter similar problems late in life.

The realness of this statement is refreshing. Honestly, no matter what you do sometimes, you cannot avoid tensions. Take a deep breath, be honest about it, and do what you need to do to make peace.

I honestly wrote this down on a sticky note to look at during the week because I knew it would be a hard week. Assessing why and where our tensions are in life is the first step to embracing the wobble in my opinion. I think it makes us take a step back and reevaluate.

More about dialogical classrooms from Bob Fecho:

NWP Radio episode interviewing Bob and teachers from the book Teaching for the Students: https://www.nwp.org/audio/nwpradio/051012_habits_of_heart.mp3

Some related resources: https://www.tcpress.com/teaching-outside-the-box-but-inside-the-standards-9780807757482

https://www.amazon.com/Dialoguing-Cultures-Identities-Learning-Language/dp/1138998591/ref=pd_sim_14_1/180-5766803-6647356

https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Dialogical-Classroom-Students-Responding/dp/0814113575

I found this part interesting because I know many school counselors who would hope that students speak up about their "fires within" so they can learn to cope with and/or overcome them in a supportive environment.

I was a child who was very nervous about any type of public speaking, especially in front of my peers. I can relate to this feeling of flight. I was eventually able to overcome it when I became a teacher and gained confidence, but I'll never forget that feeling of flight.

Without some sort of challenge like the one tension creates, there wouldn't be a sense of motivation to explore solutions which facilitates learning.

In this day and age I don't think it is possible to have a completely threat-free class either. However I believe a teacher can build an environment to at least feel safe even if there are some things that nobody can anticipate. That false sense of security could make all the difference even though there is only so much a teacher can control.

I love this sentence. I wished that all educators would address problems head on so that growth can occur.

This is a great example of identifying the problem at hand and working it out as a group to come to a universal understanding. This will allow everybody in the classroom to be on the same page and build a better learning environment in the process.

I try to call back to previous learning, discussions, and activities as often as possible with my students. This helps them to see the connections between class periods, texts, and assignments. It also helps to build investment in the material that we are learning because they can see how it affects them.

I began to think critically about how to make connections to students' experiences and to previous learning after studying the SIOP method.

Exercises like this are real-life pathways to teaching writing skills that are useful to students. Because these students had an emotional investment in the topic they were asked to write about and discuss, they were likely more able to express their opinions and see how they compared to the opinions of their peers. This is similar to what students are asked to do when writing essays for tests like the ACT or SAT.

An example of how the practice of yoga can be used to help explain how teaching through tense situations has its benefits. This reminds me of the PWL introduction by Garcia and Allen.

Tension does not have to be feared but can be used to facilitate learning in other ways.

I like this framework idea because it validates an educators desire to continuously evolve their own methods.

Additional indication that teaching practices are constantly evolving so the conversation should continue to evolve as well.

As educators I think it is important to understand that there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to teaching. I like that this addressed within the introduction.

As teachers, we should always be mindful. Everything we teach should be thought out and intentional. This is part of being mindful

This is something I can relate to. There have been many times I've felt I had to follow a certain rule as a teacher that I do not necessarily agree with. This would be my own personal "wobble"

I enjoy this analogy. It helps us to realize we need to embrace the challenges we face when teaching and that only then can we be fully satisfied after reaching our end goal

The math circles give freedom to play, explore, and make mistakes for teachers and mathematicians at all levels.

When students are asked to work together and "play" with each other, they take ownership of their own learning. This makes me think of the ways in which kids teach each other tricks in video games, make video tutorials, etc.

What a high and motivating standard to hold for educators.

Is this reaching cultural proficiency? Students practicing empathy and connecting cross-culturally, and really breaking down the barriers that divide culture into cookie cutter categories?

This one paragraph rings so true to my own personal experience in my field. As a social studies teacher in a super diverse community, I am striving for perfect cultural proficiency.

This is very powerful. Students should be able to feel they have a voice and that their opinion matters. Especially in their education

This concept of seeing students as disadvantage instead of seeing their brilliance reminds me of the great quote by Albert Einstein, "Everybody is genius but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing it is stupid."

I appreciate that Linda realized the mistake that she made, and I am glad that her other students in the classroom were able to speak on their own behalf so that they could have more representation.

Understand that students can be "disadvantaged" and "brilliant" at the same time. It does not have to be one or the other.

I want to know why is this word negative? Why are we as a society so afraid to acknowledge that there exist students who are disadvantaged?

The whole concept of perception is so important to our students. Are the perceptions we've been fed for years an actual Truth? Gentrification always describes making places "better" but challenging our students to think "better for who?" is important.

This article rings so true for many white educators, especially us ELA teachers. For many years I would consistently correct my student's grammar or insist on using "proper" English as we were in school. I then was educated on how alienating it is to students whom you want to feel included in your classroom.

The read-around is such a great way to create a classroom community where students feel heard and are comfortable sharing their own personal stories that may evoke strong emotions. I'm wondering if Linda had any students who were reluctant to share at first and how she encouraged them to do so in the future.

Making connections is such an important part of learning and retaining knowledge while reading. I also agree with Linda when she expressed that you should find books about life situations your students may currently be facing, such as a parent having trouble finding work, instead of only focusing books that match different races.

I find it surprising that an award for Outstanding Teacher was given without an observation taking place. Linda's thinking is correct about how answering questions the right way and applying is how to receive the award. Although I'm sure the award was well-deserved, and she is being modest about her teaching ability and the difference she makes in children's lives every day.

As a teacher in the inner city I try to expand my students' view about how housing and wealth are directly tied to Civil Rights. My students are well aware that their educational resources are not equitable to the Philadelphia suburban districts, but they may not be well versed in the history of housing segregation in America. As Christensen points out, it is important to look at our history in order to develop solutions.

You can view redlining maps of US cities here: https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/redlining/#loc=4/36.71/-96.93&opacity=0.8

The read-around sounds like it would serve a purpose similar to the advisory strategy of using a "Circle of Power and Respect". https://originsonline.org/bookstore/advisory-book-revised-edition-0

This makes me think about strategies that Stephen Cary suggests in his bookWorking with English Language Learners https://www.amazon.com/Working-English-Language-Learners-Second/dp/0325009856

Choosing texts that provide mirrors of students' own lives and windows into the lives of others is the most effective way for us to help our youth connect to each other and the world around them.

The idea that students are "disadvantaged" creates a deficit-based learning environment, rather than one that is asset-based. https://www.memphis.edu/ess/module4/page3.php

Simple questions that challenge students as readers and thinkers, often leading to complex and difficult answers.

I think this is the struggle for so many teachers. Figuring out how to move beyond this idea of being the "one who knows" requires a lot of work on the part of the teacher. And yet are we actually allowing this kind of work and reflection to take place in our schools? How can we better support our teachers?

Connecting with students, listening to them, attempting to understand their lives and outlook it at the heart of what we do as teachers, and yet for many administrators the focus is still solely on test scores.

This is an inspiring ending to the article, however, I believe that teachers have their hands tied when it comes to curriculum design for the most part. I believe for things to change it will take more than just the hard work and support of the teachers. It will take those in power positions within education to change which will in turn cause a "ripple affect" of change down the ranks.

I think creative writing, like the one the author is mentioning, can play a huge role in classrooms. It is perfect for students to practice their writing but more importantly, it gives students a platform to have fun while still relating the story to the content material. Students always seem to enjoy these kind of assignments from what I have seen in my classroom.

I feel that relating to each individual class like the author's example is one of they keys for learning to take place. The teacher must make connections through relatable course work to build student interest on the topic.

I love her humble attitude here. I feel like most teachers are this way. I believe most teachers work as a team and learn from each other so they can always support one another.

Difference between simply using technology for the sake of saying you did, and using technology to increase equity in the classroom.

What about this method got the students to share their thoughts? Did they feel more comfortable with this method? Were they simply attracted to it being "different"? Does it reflect their own social interactions more closely?

Reminds me of Matt Kay's approach to teaching. https://www.stenhouse.com/content/not-light-fire

We don't have to travel very far back in time to where the household was similar to the one room school house. In the early, 1900s the parents instructed their children while learning from the grandparents. Meanwhile, the children learned while teaching each other the essential tasks of the house. Today, families are often divided. Both parents must work to make ends meet, while the children are occupied by technology that is most likely foreign to the family "elders." This family model that I described is now considered the norm.

One of the most difficult tasks a teacher has is "hooking" students that are not interested in education to find a purpose in the classroom- playing off their interests is a great way to align their goals with yours

I think that in today's society there are so many more things that can be a factor in distracting students from their education. This can include technology, since many students have easy access to their phones. It could be something that is affecting them in their home life. It is important to change the way information is presented to the students in way that reflects their current interests and needs.

From experience, even today I will notice students comparing their capabilities to other students. I think that it is important to measure their own individual progress over time separate from their classmates. Each student develops differently at their own pace, but that does not mean that they aren't learning. I think that peer learning is also an important tool as different lessons and perspectives can be taught to the student through a classmate.

I kept reading this quote over and over. Learning with a purpose. Connecting learning to real life situations. Authentic learning experiences. Why do I need to know this? How is this going to help me in real life? This is an everyday question for me. We teach to a sate curriculum. We teach to a test. But yet our administration can not understand why our students are not retaning certain information.. Student will learn if their is a purpose/interest. If they know that what they are learning means something and that they can use it some way somehow.

I agree with Dewey on this quote. If students are engaged and collaborating with fellow students a classroom should not be silent. If students are working together they are talking to one another and getting ideas off of each other and being engaged in the assignment. Isn't this what we as educators thrive for. Student engagement. To me a quiet classroom is a classroom full of students who are not actively participating in their work.

I think it is extremely important for schools to be a place where students are able to use what they learn and direct it to real life. Being a high school math teacher I am constantly asked why do I need this? when am I ever going to use it? Sometimes I actually get stuck because some of the stuff they are never going to use. Do not get me wrong there is many things that you learn in algebra and especially geometry that you can apply to real life, but why not add a class to teach students the importance to balance a check book, or budget to buy a house, or how to invest in stocks. Many district schools do not have these classes to offer because of funding. Many kids come out of high school and have no idea of the importance with some of these things.

I love this! I make such a personal connection to this sentence along with the paragraph that follows it. At my job, I teach lessons to 15-20 children who are under 3 years old. Sometimes (actually most times) things are a bit chaotic and disorderly. Some of the children's parents think its too chaotic, but in my eyes I think those are the situations in which the most learning is happening. When each child is engaged in different activities in different ways, I think that can be an environment in which the most impactful learning is happening. Embrace a little chaos!

Students shouldn't just be passive recipients of knowledge. Although the context in which Dewey wrote this is very different than the way the world is now, I still completely agree with this point. Students should be given opportunities to do hands-on and meaningful work in order to make them active participants in their learning. By doing so, they will become more active members of society in the future.

This is so true! A lot of my work in undergrad has been focused around building meaningful communities to promote engagement in the classroom. Schools/institutions of learning and society should go hand-in-hand, not be separate entities. It's interesting to think that Dewey wrote about this so long ago, yet there still seems to be a disconnect over 100 years later.

How different would this American society be if these words of John Dewey were realized? Would there be less violence, less prejudice, less poverty, less drug dependency?

It is this construct in our society that contributes to systematic poverty. We need to change our mindset and focus. We need to provide an equitable education for all.

What a relatable paragraph to our world today! This speaks to the pointlessness of high stakes testing. With all of the energy and funding poured into the process of standardized testing, we have little to no energy left to teach students the value of their social community and skills they can use to be lifelong learners.

Dewey paints a picture of what we call “simpler times,” when the household was its own producer and consumer, every member serving a purpose and coming together like the gears in a machine. This particular statement, seen in isolation, sounds like the best kind of education one can have. When one is in charge of their learning, their inquiry is organic and holds personal value.

This is an important question we need to ask ourselves as educators and policy makers: Are we taking the social view? Do our decisions help the greater good? Will our decisions help create social justice? Or are they an arbitrary fix for the good of “data”?

This is a statement I feel strongly towards. I see schools as an opportunity to end systematic poverty, as a place to provide students with a chance to change the world and better themselves. But in today’s world, over 100 years after Dewey wrote these words, we see a self-proclaimed democratic society that still segregates its schools by not allocating funding where it is needed most.

I find it interesting hearing "the unity of all the sciences is found in geography" this makes sense to me as geography includes our whole world however ironically I feel this is a subject I learned the least about in the classrooms as a young student.

My understanding of this quote is that teachers and everyone in the community should treat each child as if they are their own in order to give them the best education possible.

I am a full supporter of an inclusive environment where children learn to work with others who have different personalities and ability levels. I also love that a new focus on STEM education is giving students from all ability levels the opportunities to create and become innovators as they learn to be social beings and work together to solve problems.

I agree that we need to focus more on how science has been used by great inventors. Great inventors of the past can inspire children to connect science to the world around them and think critically about innovative ways to change the future.

I am so happy that discipline and character-building were mentioned here. This is an important social aspect that children need exposure to at a young age. It is also important to note that "immediate personal concern" helps children make real-world connections and have empathy about solving problems in the world today.

The reference about schools being "active with types of occupations that reflect the life of the larger society" resonates with me. This will help children look beyond just being an individual being and see that they are part of a larger society. It will also help them realize that they can actively contribute to making it a better place for everyone.

Hands-on experiences, exploring curiosities, developing questions that will drive their explorations while the teacher supports and coaches this is what I am trying to do with PBL in my classroom.

This made me reflect on the work that we did in my school last year. The question posed to us by our principal was this, "If we are not a school, what are we?" This question stemmed from the children's book, Not a Box. How can we as teachers work not just with our students but collaboratively with one another to create an environment of student driven learning?

Authentic learning experiences!

I read and reread these sentences several times. How often are children actually connected and participating in their own learning to this extent? How can we get there in education?

This is the challenge that presents itself to teachers. How do expand our outlook beyond the traditional confines of the classroom, curriculum, standardized testing?

Even back in the early 1900s it sounded like hands-on experiences could be one of they keys to learning.....very interesting ;) ;)

I think this sentence demonstrates exactly what the concept of connected learning is trying to accomplish in education. Interest-driven education with the focus on a related career or occupation is essential to quality learning. This, in turn, can improve our society by the education system providing qualified individuals with skills that will allow them to contribute happily in today's society. Skills that might not have been learned if interest was not present first. Daily learning is always stronger when people can relate and find interest in the subject matter, whether in a conventional education setting or not.

Just like everything in society, education must evolve to keep up with how the world today functions. It should not be a completely separate entity from all the changes that occur in society. Education must continually change to match the demands of society. Leaders in education should also have the task of anticipating what will be important to learn in future societies. The coveted skills that make people successful change over time as the world evolves. It is the education system's priority to roll with the changes in a positive direction for the betterment of the students and society itself. Easier said than done, of course.

It is funny to read these few sentences and realize how this has not changed in over 100 years. Education is at the point now that so many new concepts, strategies, interventions, etc, are being introduced into schools, and at such a rapid pace, that I feel many teachers find it hard to decipher what will work and what is just a "transitory fad" as Dewey mentions. I completely understand where Dewey is coming from in this regard and I don't blame modern day teachers for being hesitant to change or accept new inventions or theories that are abruptly thrown at them most times.

This phrase sticks out to me because I have felt this shock before. I like to have my students up out of their seats or getting into debates about texts that we are reading. Unfortunately, I have had administrators walk into my room and believe that my carefully planned lessons were "chaotic". How can we work within the constraints of a prescribed curriculum or rigid administration while still invigorating students in the way Dewey describes?

The word "intimacy" brings Dewey's argument to life. How can we expect students to develop a level of intimacy with school content if it is disconnected from their interests and from their home life?

Many, if not all of my students are minorities. They come to me often with questions regarding their race or where they were born. I fee that the talk of diverse cultures and backgrounds, minorities, and inequality must be addressed in school much more than it is currently.

I know personally, I do not feel that I learned enough in school about civic responsibilities and knowledge. I wish that this type of education started at a younger age, instead of middle and high school.

Depending on various factors such as race, class, money, etc., there are inequalities that present different types of opportunities to everyone. This inequality is something that needs to be recognized, so that people know it exists and can start work on changing it.

This is a goal that I have/want my students to understand. I want them to learn about civics, and also realize that civics is constantly changing and they must keep up with the change and advocate for change.

It is important to not only show how civics is thought of in our community now, but also how there is room for change in relation to civics.

This statement is important to me because it shows that students not only need to gain civic knowledge, but they also have to realize that there is room for growth and change relating to civics.

The media often only shows "one side" of the story. For kids, when they only see this one kind of information, they grow up hearing these stereotypes and judgments, and typically then grow up thinking this way themselves.

As I stated previously, my ESL students recognize that sometimes, there are not fair opportunities for all. I feel that this is a topic that is rarely discussed in school, and is a topic that my students question often.

Many of my English language learners do not have equal opportunities, even compared to other students in their school, and they know this at a young age. This is why this must be a topic that is talked about in the classroom setting.

Our students learn about the United States and the government all from the United States' point of view. Therefore, the way that the United States is run is seen as correct. There is rarely a time for students to ask questions or have a differing opinion. #ED677

I'm just noticing now this mention that it was a math class where this happened. I'm not sure what to make if it really, and I don't want to over-make ... but/and I can't help but wonder about the connection.

My thinking about math education and the relationship to oppression/liberation is prompted by looking recently at the resources of the Youth People's Project (such as the Flagway Game) started by Bob Moses vis a vis the Algebra Project.

http://www.typp.org/

Mission YPP uses Math Literacy Work to develop the abilities of elementary through high school students to succeed in school and in life, and in doing so involves them in efforts to eliminate institutional obstacles to their success.

Vision YPP envisions a day when every young person — regardless of ethnicity, gender, or class — has access to a high quality education and the skills, attributes, and community support s/he needs to successfully meet the challenges of their generation.

Notice the authors here naming who they are in relation to this work.

This is connected learning

Teachers are very much artists in the sense that the work is infinite and never complete. There is always room to improve.

The fear of failure can certainly deter some from even trying to wobble.

This is SO helpful and validating.

It truly does feel this way sometimes! A lot of things are great in theory, but in practice things change... For example, things that take 10 minutes in theory take 20+ in practice.

I've heard something like this before... If what we want doesn't exist, we can make it happen!

This is my wobble. I teach ESL where my students are in different grades and at different levels of English language proficiency. I want to get better at differentiating for my lower level students.

It is important to see and realize the accomplishments you are making as a teacher. Data is important to help show student and teacher growth.

This week for the first time, I allowed my students to be the "teachers" and they loved it. It was hard for me to give up some control, but it ended up paying off and benefiting the students!

Wobble is unpreventable and is part of the job. Working through the "wobble" is difficult, but must be done to reach all students.

Including ESL standards into my teaching plans. Using hands on games and learning strategies. Each class is different, depending on the students. Something that works for one child may not work for another one.

About the process

Every teacher "wobbles" even if it does not seem like it. Do not be hard on yourself if things aren't working "perfectly." That is part of the job, and things can improve.

Differentiation I differentiate all of my lessons due to my ELs' varying levels.

Do not view challenges as defeat, but as areas to grow.

I hear teachers questioning themselves on a weekly basis. Teachers without experience or with experience still question their practices. Collaboration and discussion can help with this.

Teachers must welcome difficulties and not see them as failures. Trying new strategies should be welcomed and encouraged.

There is not one perfect method for teaching. Some strategies work for some students, and other strategies do not. Teaching may change day-to-day or year-to-year. One must be flexible and willing to differentiate instruction.

We must teach our students how to be active citizens who participate in our government and continue to learn about our world, not just academics.

If you want to see a change, you need to be the one to go get it/make the change. You cannot wait around for it.

I love the positive spin that this places on "wobbling". Just as we encourage our students to learn from their mistakes... it is important for educators to follow their own advice. The emphasis should be on professional growth when individuals wobble, and I think that this quote really hits it home...

TRUTH!

While this is important to us as teachers, this equally is just as important to our students.

Teachers all are different and have a variety of teaching styles. The same can be said of our students. They all are different and learn very differently. Therefore, it is important to be flexible in a classroom because what works for one student might not work for another student, especially when working with special education students!

Constant. Working with autistic kids, I constantly question myself. Why is this behavior occurring? What can I do to prevent the behavior from occurring again? Am I actually helping at all? Who, in their right mind, thought it would be a good idea to have me teach and be in charge of children? Am I in the right profession? Am I doing enough? What can I do to be a better teacher?

I am so lucky and so blessed to have such awesome colleagues. Not only am I able to go to them for advice, but I also continuously am able to bounce ideas off of them and grow with them. I would not be able to survive work, were it not for my colleagues.

Many teachers at the high school, where I work, attempt to utilize mindfulness techniques to help the students do exactly that --> focus on their breathing or some other activity to get them in a learning mindset.

I remember this so well. I always was so focused on creating "perfect" lesson plans and projects, making sure that I correctly wrote objectives and incorporated the standards. It wasn't until I was in the field that I realized how much more there was to the art of teaching. There's so much that occurs that never is taught in an undergraduate classroom.

As I mentioned earlier, I love the yoga metaphor. Specifically, from own experience, the concept of growth process is integral for educators. Recognizing one's limitations but always striving for self-improvement is important to maximize the impact for students. While I do not necessarily place complete credence "in the flow" of the metaphor, but I think that for educators when one has the self-awareness of one's inherent limitations, an individual becomes so much more effective within the classroom.

Perhaps I have been preoccupied myself into viewing education through through the same biased context. Especially, with the apt yoga metaphor (which I will mention in a subsequent annotation), I forget that while policymakers and educators preach about the changing K12 demography-we forget that experienced educators evolve as well...? Not only do students change-but educators grow as well... We need to remember that since educators have such an important role...

This to me is an expression of life-long learning but also speaks to the fact that learning is not a destination but a never-ending process through which we journey together. In my experience, wobbling and deeper understandings rarely come on their own but rather are initiated by outside forces such as colleagues, teachers, and world events.

In many ways, this is what Paulo Freire's pedagogy is telling us. Equally, considering Maslow's hierarchy of needs, if a student is in constant fear of being deported or family being deported, their sense of safety is threatened and if basic needs, of which safety is one, are not met, then students will struggle more with learning.

Of course what goes on outside the classroom inevitably impacts what occurs in it.

This still seems to be the case. Why is it that the pursuit of knowledge in itself is no longer valued. In order to find new applications, often times, exploration with no specific purpose is needed. The practical application is often discovered afterwards. How can we know that a new drug on mars will cure cancer unless we go to Mars to explore?

Yes we still see this today. Dewey's ideas are certainly still relevant in the 21st century.

The value of the earth certainly seems to be a politicized topic in the 21st century. The earth is invaluable yet some do not see it as having any value.

The word "certain" struck me here. It is not true disorder, rather a type of organized chaos. To the unfamiliar eye though it may appear as disorder. The working classroom can be a great learning environment for students!

We can learn much from our failures, often times more so than success. It is equally important to share failures and examine them carefully so as to improve.

"Advance...growth...improvement" These words all show that it is increasing knowledge, as opposed to the amount of knowledge which is important to Dewey. I agree with this sentiment that the goal of teaching is to increase knowledge and understanding. Not all pupils will gain the same amount at the same time, but we should strive for the increase.

Many parents rely on schools to be the sole teacher of the pupil. It is important for schools to engage parents to support the pupils learning at home as well. When schools and families can work together to support good learning habits and values, the student is more likely to be successful.

This quote caught my attention and interested me because it greatly relates to my EL students. Since my students typically move to the Unites States from other countries, they do not grow up having similar experiences to their peers, teachers, and their new community members. This can be difficult, especially when background knowledge is needed to understand content and to form comprehension. By having real, hands-on experiences at school, this would help close the gap for not only EL students, but for all types of students.

This quote opened my eyes to the fact that our school system is teaching to students, who a majority of the time, do not move on to receive a higher education. This is why it is so important (as Dewey states) to implement "skill/community" classes into our schools.The following link will show you a video I watched in one of my other connected learning courses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U. The video explains how the education system needs to change to reach students who do not always follow the path of achieving a higher education, just as Dewey states in this article.

I get to see this a little at my technical school because everybody has a hands-on class for two hours a day. Whether it's learning about healthcare or designing robots, every student has to have a 'thing' that they contribute to.

It's a little microcosm of what is possible, although it's frustrating as an academic teacher. That aforementioned community doesn't always translate to what I'm doing, and I wish it did. I don't have many students caring about what the math curriculum demands of them, and I'm willing to find any way possible to increase the interest level.

What does this mean? We have so many differing communities within a much larger community?

People push for a national standard of learning, but I always thought that where you lived - even within the United States - should determine at least some aspect of what is important in schools. Not all Americans need the same education, and it's best for educators to tailor education for each individual student as much as possible.

Dewey's entire work seems current in the 21st century. Has nothing changed? Why not!? Even from my short (6 years) of teaching I have been frustrated by educational fads. I can imagine how 30 year veteran educators feel - numb and resistant to change. Every year it seems administrations in every school building troll for new exercises to increase the learning of students by completely disrupting the progress and work lives of many educators. It's a constant state of working for arbitrary inventions of other educators that detract from everything an educator might be doing right in their classroom. Why can't the focus be finding and reflecting on our own practices in the classroom?

I find this to be related to what I have been learning through STEM lessons. Much of the push requires students to learn through their own experimenting and hands on activities. It is much more student centered than teacher centered. Students are able to find solutions and defend their work rather than simply follow steps to produce results.

This really makes me reflect upon the maker movement. I am a tinkerer and a builder by nature, yet I've struggled to find value in a makerspace. I always build for purpose; to construct something. I learn in order to do and I do (tinker) in order to learn. Even I can't help but see some tasks as menial and materialistic in a school unless they are tied to an exploration of knowledge or a way to innovate rather than reconstruct and needlessly reinvent. Could constructing a pen holder out of PVC in a makerspace without a plan or greater purpose be more than materialistic and menial? Could instead of making just one, why couldn't we donate these creations to a school in our community that has a need? That would not only bring in purpose, but also community.

Students like many adults today need to find a reason to do something. Learning does not happen fully if a person does not see the value in what they are learning. There has to be a motive.

I find this more of a triangle in today's education system. It is not only teacher and pupil or teacher and child, but rather all three in constant communication and contact. It truly is a team effort when it comes to learning.

It seems to me that in our current age there is an active effort to bring practice back into the classroom. In STEM education, in particular, the basis of this teaching practice is to solve problems. The problem is there, and real, and students know this. The solution has cultural, personal, and societal indications that can't be ignored. The path to the solution is found through a gain in knowledge. To understand the problem is to gain knowledge about it.

Perhaps with my background within Higher Education Administration-I see this type of discussion occur quite frequently with the discussion of the value of a liberal arts education. This is interesting to me to see that close to one hundred years later, this debate of the extrinsic vs instrinsic value of a liberal arts education still rages on within educational policy making...

I think this quote serves as counterpoint to the Connected Learning and Research Agenda quote on Page 14 (Connected learning recognizes a tension... ... competition for scarce opportunities.) The tension that the Agenda describes is an incomplete implementation of connected learning that some may consider as a fad in the eyes of Dewey. Again, to make sure that the Agenda policy makers can implement the alternative connected learning pathways, policymakers must take on Dewey's broader social view that we must undertake the learning paradigms that enhance student learning...

I think there is alot to unpack with this quote... A lot of what Dewey was discussing was the transition in the industrial revolution with students from home learning to external community based learning. The reminds of me the mirra quote-describing the fact that teachers are "conditioned to avoid messiness..." For me, I do not think it is that the teacher is conditioned to avoid messiness, I think rather society (community) is conditioning educational processes so it can better determined what did it wants for all of its children. (Outcomes such as graduation rates or test scores...) I think if we really want to implement connected learning to individualistic outcomes-we need to be prepared to implement it across the board...

Hands on experience can open the mind. Peek interest along with storing knowledge.

What is should be!

This is great way that schools should be! The children should not be going to school to just read stories and write about them. They need to go to be educated not only in reading and writing but to be an active member in society!

I feel like we lose this now a days. Everything is done for us. Just the basic sewing something together or even using a sewing needle is foreign to these children. It is sad to see that society is not making as much as it use to but relying on technology and machine made.

While in my undergraduate studies, I was "taught" how to be a teacher. It wasn't until I was in the profession that I really learned how to be teacher. Now, five years later, I can say that, while I have learned quite a bit from being in the profession, I still have an immense amount of learning to do yet. My experiences and my learning from experiences is far from over!

I completely am onboard with the emphasis of personal growth in students; however, there gets to be a point of exhaustion when we, as teachers, try and try so hard at school only to get no feedback on the home-front, thereby perpetuating this "I don't care" mentality from the students. We often reiterate to our students the importance of being accountable and responsible, thus enabling their work truly to show who they are; yet, this doesn't ever seem to sink in. It does not seem to matter how innovative we try to be with our lessons or how often we attempt to incorporate technology in the classroom. That "I don't care" mentality still exists. Is this because of years of being passed through? Now that these students are at the high school, there's no turning back? I especially agree that "each member of the household should do his own part faithfully and in cooperation with others", but how do we best service our students when even this does not seem to work?

This is powerful. What are we doing to ensure that our students won't "slip through the cracks"? How can we provide individualized opportunities for growth?

This describes the premise behind design thinking and the importance of students understanding their purpose and to share what they have created with authentic audiences.

I'm wondering if project-based learning is one way to accomplish this.

Dewey is describing 21st century skills (in the 20th century...how progressive!).

I read this and all I can picture is an assembly line of students going from class to class, being provided with vital information, until they've attained all of the requirements necessary to be considered "complete" as they continue through their last march through the high school, which we fondly call graduation.

Students innately want to make, do, create and produce and find success when they have opportunities to do so. There's no "right" answer when they create.

This sentence sparked, for me, notions of the inter-connectedness of globalization, which many argue had its start at the turn of the century with the industrial revolution.

Thanks to globalization, knowledge and information is more readily available to us today. For example. before sending my student on their international experience, I am able to work with them to research the destination in terms of culture, health, safety, and other practical topics.

Ideally, access to this information results in the 'compensations that Dewey states here such as an increases tolerance. It has been my experience that mere availability of information is not, on its own, enough to be rewarded by those compensations that Dewey lists. However, as Dewey states in his next sentence, when we are able to couple this information before departure and continue instruction/reflection during a student's international experience, students do begin to demonstrate those 'compensations.' The key being, to mix theory with experience.

In the article Transitioning from Conventional to Connected Teaching, this mix of theory and practice and the ultimate result of "authentic, civically engaged projects" is defined as Connected Learning. (Perhaps Dewey was on to something...)

See: http://thecurrent.educatorinnovator.org/collection/what-does-it-take-teach-connected-learning

With the digital age, I agree with jhartman and ccantrill that this statement is even more true today. I also believe that, thanks to the digital age, we can take Dewey's statement a step further and rather than just sharing information (liquefied knowledge), we can work together in the creation of new or further development of knowledge. John Seely Brown, in his Global One-Room Schoohouse lecture, said that unlike generations before, we are able to not only access knowledge but 'engage in active conversations in real time.'

I believe Dewey would see the digital age as a real opportunity for access to information and collaboration, while acknowledging that education is still divided, perhaps more than ever, by class due to the simple fact that not all schools have access to funds necessary for the most up-to-date technology. Private schools will continue to have 3-D printers and laser cutters, while inner-city schools will continue to creatively problem-solve with antiquated computers.

"They shouldn't be forced to learn them [derivatives] unless they are part of the solution to the problems they are faced or challenged with." This statement by ndsteinmetz made previously resonated with me.

I am currently teaching a course to first-year college students that is designed to introduce them to a new culture and essentially "teach" students how to travel. I have made an intentional effort to "create context" (John Seely Brown) in which what we discuss in class has demonstrated real-world connects, consequences, etc.

The issue I am having is that students are not able to see these connects, but rather expect me, as their instructor, to make the connections for them. My struggle is to begin to help them learn how to learn, instead of to teach them how to recall what I say.

See: http://dmlcentral.net/the-global-one-room-schoolhouse-john-seely-brown/

I agree that schools are not trying to have students learn material that is not benefical for them. I feel like schools need to redo there cirriclum and understand the background from where the pupils are coming from. I feel like there should not be a universal program, rather a cirrclum that benefits students in the school/ district.#Ed 677

As a educator, I agree that our cirriclum is outdated. We are teaching skills that are revelant from years ago. A lot of the skills that educators teach in school today, do not apply to the children of the future. Do you feel your schools cirrclum will be revelant for the future of your students?#ed677

This quote connects to Mirra's article because she describes connected learning as a way to develop real, self, and world connections(. Mira , 2017). I believe as educators, we need to teach academics for all job skills. [http://thecurrent.educatorinnovator.org/collection/what-does-it-take-teach-connected-learning![])

This makes me think of a quote by Benjamin Franklin, "Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn." I find that when we focus our efforts on involving students in the learning process, the learning is much more meaningful and lasting.

I like how Dewey uses the word "mysteries" to describe the processes. What really struck me about this is that learning is a process that is most naturally initiated by curiosity. This line of the speech eludes to the fact that children were exposed to the way that the various household processes worked at the same time in which they developed a curiosity in such process. This natural learning process is one with which I wish we had more time to expose children to in a school setting.

As a teacher, I never really know exactly what is happening on at home for my students. Some do a great job at hiding their struggles while others do not. We all have our own struggles to go through in life. Students should feel good when they are in school. They need to see teachers genuinely care and want to help them succeed.

Learning from my students is one of the things that I look forward to the most when teaching. They inspire me constantly to learn more and look at things from a different perspective. They remind me to question what I read and what I am told.

So much of teaching is focused on test scores today. As a math teacher, I find that not only students but teachers are more worried about test results than what learning is actually taking place. Taking a test is not an easy task for all students. There needs to be a better way to indicate learning than simply taking tests all of the time.

Involvement! Students want to relate, feel like they can have a voice in the matter. That is what pulls them in and that is what allows them to learn! That is something I still work on. I want my students to have a voice in their work, to feel like it was their idea, their invention in the art room.

This reminds me of Standardize Testing. Why must the test tell how smart the child is? It doesn't define the child and it should not define their intelligence off of a couple of questions.

I love how this teacher is going out of her comfort zone to change things based on what her students need.

I think we tend to slip into this mentality far too frequently. Mainstream society is constantly looking for students to perform in a certain type of way, to fit a certain mold, which causes educators to devalue differences to what we "want" students to do.

I'm very interested in youth activism and youth coming together to fight racism and other prejudices. Most of the readings I've completed focus on Black youth empowerment or (young) women empowerment. Whilst at the base level it is the same type of hatred and skewed policies that allow for this type of prejudice to exist - it's very different. Young Black men have to be cautious of wearing certain clothes or speaking in a particular way - but more times than not, suspicious parties will keep their distance. In the instance of Muslim-Americans, suspicious parties, even with no grounds, stop & frisk or begin surveillance.

Powerful

In my experience, through writing and making we can often start to see each other and surface the ways we see ourselves.

A context that we create.

This is one of the most important things to open up in a framework of Connected Learning.

So many situations - just like this, can really be alleviated by setting firm expectations at the beginning of the year. The point of this article is to show some simple ways that teacher and student opinions or mind sets differ - but in any classroom, but especially in ones where student and teacher may share different values, it is important to have clear expectations.

Make them feel of having social capital, the society/ community they trust and rely on

We need to help students develop the positive sense of self.

I consider this as authenticity.

This is also a problematic situation when experts do not really involve in the community where they are needed the most in order to get more information that can help them thinking in different perspective.

This is interesting in the way that a teacher should be able to understand the perspective of the student itself.

A growth-mindset idea in this saying.

Yes, Sometimes I found that some events happened in my life that helping me developing ideas to get progressed either in as a member of family or communities as well as the practical things in those community.

be mindful with surrounding, especially the classroom and have the responsive thought to make sure there would always be progress, no matter how slow it might be.

Yoga metaphor is awesome. Yes, extending the previous quality and eventually, we will become flexible meaning that we get progressed.

questioning and reflection leading to improvement.

Is this the opposite idea of ethnocentric? If Yes, I do agree, It is important to consider others culture.

I used to be a homeroom teacher for four years and I did find that there will always be achievement gap between students coming from affluent family and students coming from lower class economic family. As I teacher, the only things I could do were motivating them and being ready to help them regarding with their academic performance.

Another big thank you! As I've mentioned on Twitter, your course's "re/turn" to a previous Marginal Syllabus conversation (from October) is what Joe, Jeremy, and I hoped would happen over time - that educators would find conversations and texts that resonate with their interests and courses, and then join the text-based conversation via ongoing annotation. This turns the text-as-conversation into an open educational resource (OER), and - like you - we hope other educators and courses revisit these conversations to support their own learning.

I've had students say similar things about using Hypothesis to read together. I'd like to explore the relationship between open/collaborative web annotation and community-building... many questions to consider...