Education: Rework a key feature of the 21st century

"Schools aren't "letting" students pass. They're refusing to let them to fail, she and other students said."

That's the great final line of a story about a school that not only allows student to redo work, but encourages it. 

NineShifter Elaine Patterson of Camosun University in British Columbia sent us the link to this story. Check it out.  This is a key principle of learning and teaching in the 21st century. 

"In the real world, if you make a mistake, you get a second chance," teacher Joyce Wagland says. And her principal notes, "You can't give up on them when they're teenagers," says high school principal Renald Cousineau. "I see it as a moral imperative not to give up on students." We agree.

Comments

[CL Shaw]

Yes, we use notes, books, photocopies and the Internet in the real world, but it is up to us to take responsibility and ensure the validity of the information before we utilize it.

I agree with Suzanne as well about memorizing not necessarily being applied learning. The challenge, however, is that both student and teacher have to take responsibility -- darn there's that word again!

[Harold Jarche]

In the real world they let you use notes, books, photocopies and the INTERNET.

[Suzanne]

I lost at least two faculty positions by telling the hiring committees that as an adjunct professor I gave students the choice of accepting an "E" or redoing the assignment, because I believed that they "E" didn't teach them anything, but redoing the assignment would. I also let students use notes on exams - not books or photo copies, but notes. My reason? In the real world, they let you use notes.

I'm glad there are educators out there who realize that memorizing and learning are not necessarily the same thing.