During the last couple of weeks I have had the opportunity to attend 2 interesting events: our Board’s PLP kickoff session and a K-12 briefing with IBM. In some ways one might think these event would have little in common.  However, in looking at effective teaching and leadership, there was a list of common elements which included: a focus on student needs, learning, collaboration, networking & relationships.

Reflecting upon these events, I found that I was left with one major question.

What would teaching look like today if all faculties of education primarily focused training on

• building communities, both face to face (i.e. classroom) and online (extension of classroom) and
• inquiry & research based, collaborative learning and problem solving

as the key strategies to address the various literacies required to today’s student?  Where would we be today?

Just thinking.

~ Mark