Leslie Pralle Keehn, a Social Studies teacher here in Iowa, had her students read The World Is Flat and then asked what ‘classes’ would help prepare them for 21st century jobs. Here are their responses:
I love how none of these are disciplinary silos (which, I’m guessing, is how her students experience most of their school days). What do you think about her students’ responses?
The students shall lead the way. The drawing is similar to the responses I get from high school, elementary students, and some college students who take a course I teach in strategic and creational thinking when I ask the question: “Who are your heroes and why are they your heroes?” Have done this with hundreds of students and not a single student has ever said that that the characteristic of their hero has great knowledge in math, physics, foreign language, etc. They all want to become courageous, compassionate, creative, empathetic, etc. Yet we have them spend 90% of their time in schools learning the things they don’t think they want or will need.
My course is based on my book “The Falconer”. More info on my blog site at http://learningpond.wordpress.com.