The Insatiable Desire to "Learn"

Can you imagine what an educational institution would look like if the following was the dominating force present?

"All learners would enter into the classroom, regardless of the content of the course, with this driving motivation. What can I learn in the class that will help me answer questions in my passion area?

The educational institution is a designed system that connects the learner with their passions. The system provides them with a process to ask questions in their passion area, a process to answer those questions, a forum to display their findings, and a recognition for their efforts and quality. All facilitators of this system is trained in this unique system. The learner is driven by the passion that they have toward their personal interest. The system uses that passion of the personal interest to motivate the learn core content. Think about the typical Algebra classes. For the most part, students leave the classes with the question, "Where will I ever use this stuff?" But in this system of education, the student experiences the answer to that question not in a small number of word problems at the end of the section in the textbook, but in the practical application of answering their own questions in their own interest area. This intrinsic motivation has goes with him/her into every class. The magic elixir transforming the learning environment in public education.

Let me know what you think.

What's on your MIND?

The other day, I was reminded by a acquaintance of mine that some of the most precious times in our lives are the times that we spend connecting with each other. Taking the time to slow down, and really listen and sincerely share thoughts with one another. What are you thinking about? What is your passion? Are your days filled with the things that you deem the most important?

Life is too short to allow the pace of this 21st Century to rob us of this very special opportunity to find out "What is on your MIND?"

Critical Thinking

The ability of a society to critically think is no accident. With all of the information out there for us to receive, the development of critical thinking skills is hugely necessary. Join me in this movement to provide the education to the public of a process to strengthening its ability to ASK questions, INVESTIGATE the possibilities, CREATE an organized collection of data to analyze, DISCUSS with others what they have found and then REFLECT on what they have found.

Let me know what you think.

Education Reform - CANE Workshops

I am coordinating workshops for educators in the great state of New Mexico. These workshops teach educators how to engage students with their own passions. Along with that the teachers can continue teaching their content that they are tasked with, but they equip the student with a process that enables them to use the muscles developed in the content courses toward answering questions in their passion area. Boy, was that sentence long enough.

See my Inquiry Facilitators link for more info.

Just saying hello to all. More to come!