Rethink Learning Now

The Reverend Charlie Holmes. When I was first assigned to his senior English class, I was struck by his title, and wondered how much of a role his religious training would play in his teaching. I was struggling with my own understanding of religion and its place in my life, and I was fearful of how his opinions might impose themselves upon our class expectations. In short, I didn't want to have to say I believed in a God that would do the things I had witnessed in the world. I didn¿t...

When Mandy handed me the first draft of her Class Orator speech, my initial and audible reaction was, "Mandy, I don't think you can deliver this speech." Confused and crestfallen, as she had worked so hard to follow my directions (speak from your heart, capture the voice of your classmates, write with pride, show me your drafts), Mandy wondered why I had reacted this way. I went on to tell her that indeed she had followed all of my directions. I told her the speech was truly powerful; deeply...

My first semester at Temple University, in 1981, I took an Introduction to Women's Studies course with African American poet, activist and scholar, Dr. Sonia Sanchez. Her leadership, and the course itself, literally changed my entire perspective on education. I quickly decided to become a women's studies major -- a decision that was not well understood at the time, but that I've never regretted! As we tried to explore the world without the experiences and perspectives of men at its...

I attended a public school that taught me how to love learning and how to question my surroundings. My fifth grade art teacher would welcome us into her classroom during lunchtime for drawing and painting, in which we would often discuss master works by Jackson Pollock and Van Gogh. My ninth grade English teacher would sneak me books from the high school's supply, trusting that I'd eventually return them. My eleventh grade math teacher would get so excited in the middle of discussing a...

I felt safe and comfortable around her. I was eager to go to school every day because I just couldn't wait to be in my English Language teacher's classroom. It was not just the classroom that was inspirational, I just don't have words powerful enough to describe her lessons that took us one rung higher each day. Mrs. Kashora's classroom was not only a learning beehive, but it was a beautiful gallery that took you to all parts of the world where you learned about a people you never met. It...

My name is Anita Jo Marchesi Slanina and I live in Galveston, Texas. I attended O'Connell Junior High and O'Connell Senior High School. I am a product of the most amazing teachers. These teachers touched my life in ways they could never imagine. The most important lesson that was imparted on me was to believe in myself because they always did. They never accepted "I can't" it just was not a part of their vocabulary and they were able to help me delete it from mine. Brother Ray was a quiet...

My educational experience took place in the 50/60/70s. There was no labeled ADD, ADHD, OCD, or documented autism. We were expected to sit still, pay attention and learn via notetaking and lectures. Learning styles hadn't been recognized. Although I wasn't ADHD, I still hated sitting still listening to the blah, blah, blah. I am left handed and that was frowned upon in the 50s and 60s, so many teachers tried to change me thus making me able to write with both hands. It took until my junior...

One main goal of education is democratic citizenship. Democracy is based on the core foundation of human nature, choice. Democracy begins with decision making, exercising one's freedom of choice, yet with respect to the millions of other people on the planet. While learning to uphold, honor, and celebrate our democracy, students must learn to be effective decision-makers. In order to become informed decision-makers, students need to learn to listen, think about challenges from multiple...

I think my most powerful learning experience occurred just this year, as a freshman at the University of California at Davis. For my fall quarter, I was in a class called Community and Regional Development 20. In here we focused on the food system, the issues within the system, and what we can do to make a difference in food sustainability. However, what made this such a special experience was that we were asked what we wanted to learn about. I don't think I've ever been so interested and...

JLO Before Jennifer Lopez¿s fans laid claim to this three-letter combo, it was the acronym for the unique youth theater group I participated in from 1970 to 1975, playing a role either backstage or later onstage in over twenty musicals, comedies, dramas and children¿s theater. During the years I was a member of ¿Junior Light Opera¿, it was a group of some seventy youth, ages five to twenty and just two facilitating adults ¿ my speech and stagecraft teacher Michael and a school orchestra...

Our education class has taught us that there are different ways of teaching besides traditional teaching (lecture, out of the book). It's obvious that the education system in place now isn't effective. A more useful and effective form of teaching is hands on, project based learning. The education system that is in place now doesn't motivate children to take an interest in learning. Standardized tests aren't effective because they don't show a childs' full potential. Children don't really...