Upload
happymathteacher
View
225
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
1/67
Building
Better SchoolsVersion 2 (italics)
Commentaries by
Dr. Abraham S. Fischler
Quotations toGuide
Teachers,Principals,
Parents andStudents
With Hillary Gorski-Howrey and Steve McCrea
Graphic design by Hillary Gorski-Howrey
Note to Hillary: I think I got rid of all the LARGEletters and the most unconnected photos. I havemore to do with references but now you can getstarted with the changes that you need to make.
Lulu Press
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
2/67
2 Building Better Schools
Contents
List of Educational Pioneers
Introduction
Short Quotations and Commentaries
Excerpts from the blog TheStudentIstheClass.com
Longer Readings
Links for Additional Reading
Questions
Whats Next
Endnote
About the Author and Editors
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
3/67
Abraham Fischler 3
The purpose of this book is to introduce teachers,administrators, parents and students to ideas ofeducation that might be missing in their lives. As DanPink has observed, most institutions have changeddramatically in appearance and in how they operate sincethe 1950s banks, supermarkets, restaurants, hospitalsall have different procedures and employ architecture toimprove the customer's experience. The exception:public schools. (2001, page 278).
List of Educational Pioneers
We have included quotes from over two dozeneducational pioneers, some who are not householdnames. To give the lay reader an easy reference to theseexperts, we begin with a short list of theiraccomplishments.
Ernest Boyer (1928-1995), president of CarnegieFoundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Thomas Friedman, columnist for the New York Times,author ofThe World is Flat (2005). His call for betterteaching has inspired teachers to rethink how they
present information to students.
Alison Gopnik, clinical psychologist at UC Berkeley.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
4/67
4 Building Better Schools
Lou Holtz (1937-), motivational speaker and retired
football coach.
Ellen Langer, professor of psychology.
Dennis Littky, author ofThe Big Picture: Education isEverybodys Business. His school, the Met Center inProvidence, R.I., has spawned a chain of 25 schools inthe USA.
Tom Magliozzi, one of the Car Talk guys on NationalPublic Radio, author ofIn Our Humble Opinion: CarTalk's Click and Clack Rant and Rave (2000).
Jamie McKenzie, Seattle, Wash. His article in TheWIRED Classroom provides a list of descriptors of therole of a teacher who is a guide on the side whilestudents are conducting their investigations. His websitefno.org (from now on) is recommended for teachers whowant to teach better starting today.
Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind and Free AgentNation, has several memorable lecturs on YouTube(search Drive Daniel Pink Motivation).
Ken Robinson, author ofThe Element, has over 400,000hits on his lecture describing how schools removecreativity.
http://fno.org/mar98/flotilla2.htmlhttp://fno.org/mar98/flotilla2.htmlhttp://fno.org/mar98/flotilla2.htmlhttp://fno.org/mar98/flotilla2.html8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
5/67
Abraham Fischler 5
Robert Sternberg (1949-), psychologist.
Mark Twain (1835-1910), author and humorist.
Tom vander Ark, edu-preneur, blog commentator atEdReformer.com, former head of the charity thatdistributed over $800 million to education.
W. B. Yeats (1865-1939) poet.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
6/67
Rather thanpunish the
student who
learns moreslowly, we must
treat each
student as the
class.
6 Building Better Schools
Introduction
The excerpts from his blog (TheStudentIsTheClass.com)and commentaries by Dr. Fischler are in standardtypeface. Editors remarks are in italics.
The Problem
At the present time, teachers are working hard but we are
still not fulfilling the demands of our students or our
society. Why not? The schools are set up with an agrarian
calendar and teachers are responsible for teaching to a
class as a unit. Time is fixed and the only
variable is performance some pass and
others fail. And, if the persons who fail do
not make up and achieve the proficiency
that the test is measuring, they drift
further and further behind. The
consequences are numerous and
punishing. How does this instill a love of
learning? This approach does not takeinto account a truism: all students can
learn, but they learn at different rates and have different
preferential learning styles.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
7/67
Abraham Fischler 7
Instead of asking the student to fit the administrative
structure (i.e., the class and arbitrary time periods for
learning subjects and achieving competencies), we must
provide each student with the time and means to
succeed. Rather than punish the student who learns more
slowly than the arbitrarily chosen period, we must treat
each student as the class.
We must find a way of doing this. Other industries have
made similar changes* and it is now time for education to
do the same.
*FedEx can tell you where any package is at any time.Look at banking, which is now available 24 hours a day
through ATMs and you can go to almost any ATM to
withdraw or deposit funds. Both industries invested in
information and delivery systems to meet the needs of
their clients rather than asking their clients to
accommodate to a fixed structure. Now the automobile
industry is enabling customers to order on demand rather
than requiring them to accept whatever is available in the
dealers lot. In the business world, however, there is
competition that requires companies to adapt education
has not had this catalyst.
My vision and strategy for educational change
I believe that we in education must make the investment
to do the same for our clients, i.e., each student. Whatinvestment is needed?
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
8/67
8 Building Better Schools
There are three modes of instruction: 1) self-paced or
CAI, 2) project or problem-solving and 3) discussion. Self-
paced or computer-assisted instruction (CAI) requires that
each student have access to a computer and modem and
access to the curriculum on a server on a 24/7 basis.
Projects and problems should be relevant to students so
they can relate to the given subject area.
For English and Math, we should implement CAI in the
1st grade (and continue thereafter). The reason English
and Math are chosen is that these are the two cultural
imperative languages. If you know these two languagesand are motivated as a self-learner, you can teach
yourself almost anything you want to learn. And, one of
the goals of education is to create self-learners.
For all other subjects, the teacher can pose a project or
problem that is relevant to the student. Once the problem
is defined, the class can be broken down into groups of 4-
5 students in order to research the solution to the
problem. If complex, each of the groups may study an
aspect of the problem. With these subjects, the student
uses the computer as a research tool (after having
learned to read). Students are taught to use search
engines such as Google or Yahoo as well as the intranet
made available by teachers gathering information relevant
for the students.
Students working in a group learn cooperation, shared
responsibility and communication (face-to-face as well as
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
9/67
Abraham Fischler 9
e-mail). Having produced a written solution to the problem
utilizing the computer (power point) as a tool, they can
then present to the class for discussion. They can also
use email or a written report to other students as well as
the teacher.
Arbitrary learning within fixed time periods would be
eliminated, i.e., no 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. grades. Instead,
students would be grouped chronologically with materials
appropriate to their learning level and style using the CAI
approach for English and Math, and the project-problem-
discussion modes for other subjects. The projects givento the students match the level of English and Math
competencies and are related to the students (their
interests and their lives). For example, in 3rd grade, how
would you study the amount of water that a plant needs to
grow? I would utilize the students Math knowledge
(learned through CAI) for science learning. Likewise,
rather than studying history through memorization and
chronology, it can be studied through problems based on
the immediate environment for younger children and more
abstract concepts in later grades.
What do we need to make this happen?
In order for this to be implemented, what do we need?
1) We need the people on board parents,
teachers, community leaders, etc.2) We need the hardware computers with
modems and Internet access for each student.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
10/67
10 Building Better Schools
3) We need the management system (many
existing solutions can be adapted).
4) We need the curriculum Computer
Assisted Instructions (CAI) for Math and
English and creative, relevant problems and
projects for other subjects.
5) We need teacher training.
In order to begin to implement change, we need all of
these things in place. I would like to see a group of
elementary and middle schools, and the high school into
which they feed (a demonstration zone) of some size
agree to adopt a vision where time is a variable andmastery what is expected from each student. A computer
company can be found to donate (or the zone can buy) a
laptop with a modem for each student. The zone needs
to build an integrated management system in order to be
responsive to what students do and how they learn. Part
of the management system is administrative, part is the
CAI component, and lastly, the management system
needs to record and reflect the students learnings in non-
CAI instruction (student portfolios). The CAI component
must be self-correcting and use artificial intelligence so
that the component improves as more students utilize the
program for English and Math. Teacher training is critical
and must be done during the summer prior to
implementation.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
11/67
Abraham Fischler 11
The Purpose of This Little Book
We will need teachers to buy intothis vision. Parents, administratorsand students will have new roles,too. It will take a village to pulltogether the transformationdescribed here. The process ofbuilding the new school systemrequires a new mindset: We must
agree that the Student is the Class.From that central mantra we canbuild a new way of looking ateducation and the roles we play inmaking schools work.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
12/67
12 Building Better Schools
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
13/67
Abraham Fischler 13
Short Quotations and
Commentaries
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
14/67
14 Building Better Schools
Commentary: The way that classrooms are organized,because of the pressures that teachers and students areunder since No Child Left Behind, more and more time isnow being spent helping students learn at acomprehensive level. Little time is left for the skills ofanalysis, synthesis and self-judgment.
We put information in but we don't give them time tomassage the information and go through Piaget's processof assimilation and accommodation at the concept level.
Education is not the filling of apail, but rather the lighting of a
fire.W. B. Yeats
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
15/67
Abraham Fischler 15
How do teachers instill this fire quote in a school thatfocuses on computer-based instruction?
The computer is a tool to be used in many different ways.
It is a learning tool, it is a research tool, and it is acommunication tool. So it depends on the environmentand how it's orchestrated.
Bloom's taxonomy talks about levels of learning.Comprehension is the lower level. But the student alsoneeds time to utilize information for analysis andsynthesis. So the computer could be used for those twopurposes.
In the CAI approach you can reorganize students to solveproblems through projects. Small groups can improvetheir communication skills, working in cooperative teams,sharing research responsibilities, and giving presentationsto the entire class.
We have to provide an environment so that students canuse what they have learned through technology.
Rarely should you see a teacher standing in front of agroup of students lecturing. That would make theassumption that all 30 youngsters are ready to receivewhat you are presenting and to process the information.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
16/67
16 Building Better Schools
Commentary: This is one of those quotes that belong ona wall to remind students of the importance of self-confidence.
Ability is what you're capable ofdoing. Motivation determines what
you do. Attitude determines how
well you do it.Lou Holtz
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
17/67
Abraham Fischler 17
Commentary: My test is asking the followingquestion: Have we produced a motivated personwith the tools and desire to keep learning?
I hope that in the century ahead students
will be judged not by their performance on
a single test but by the quality of their lives.
I hope that students will be encouraged tobe creative, not conforming, and learn to
cooperate rather than compete.Ernest Boyer, president of Carnegie Foundationfor the Advancement of Teaching, 1993.
Our education system
should be creating mindful
learners. Dennis Littky
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
18/67
18 Building Better Schools
Commentary: It is clear that our schools should preparestudents for real worldconditions, where many workershave access to information. Students and teachersshould practice using smart phones and the Internet.
I have been a psychologist for 21 years, and I
have never had to do in the profession what I
needed to do to get an A in many of my courses
in college. In particular,I've never had tomemorize a book or lecture. If I can't
remember something, I just look it up.
However, schools set things up to reward withAs the students who are good memorizers, not
just at the college level but at many other levels
as well. Robert Sternberg, psychologist.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
19/67
Abraham Fischler 19
Commentary: I agree. Flexibility is the key.
Too often we teach people things like
"There's a right way and a wrong way to
do everything." What we should be
teaching them is how to think flexibly, tobe mindful of all the different possibilities
of every situation and not closethemselves off from information that
could help them. Ellen Langer,professor of psychology
Sage on the Stage vs. Guide on the Side
"A good teacher knows when to act as Sage on the Stage
and when to act as a Guide on the Side. Because student-
centred learning can be time-consuming and messy,efficiency will sometimes argue for the Sage. When students
are busy making up their own minds, the role of the teacher
shifts. When questioning, problem-solving and
investigation become the priority classroom activities, the
teacher becomes a Guide on the Side." Jamie McKenzie
http://fno.org/mar98/flotilla2.htmlhttp://fno.org/mar98/flotilla2.htmlhttp://fno.org/8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
20/67
20 Building Better Schools
"... the teacher is circulating, redirecting,
disciplining, questioning, assessing, guiding,
directing, fascinating, validating, facilitating,
moving, monitoring, challenging, motivating,
watching, moderating, diagnosing, trouble-
shooting, observing, encouraging, suggesting,
watching, modeling and clarifying."
The teacher is on the move, checking over shoulders,
asking questions and teaching mini-lessons for
individuals and groups who need a particular skill.
Support is customized and individualized. The Guide
on the Side sets clear expectations, provides
explicit directions, and keeps the learning well
structured and productive.
From Now On The Educational Technology Journal
The WIRED Classroom Jamie McKenzie
http://fno.org/http://fno.org/http://fno.org/http://fno.org/http://fno.org/mar98/flotilla2.htmlhttp://fno.org/http://fno.org/http://fno.org/http://fno.org/mar98/flotilla2.html8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
21/67
Abraham Fischler 21
Commentary: What is the goal? To keep teachersemployed? To hand students a diploma? To transferskills to a workforce? I believe that the goal is toproduce a motivated person with the tools and desire tokeep learning. We need to have the humility to see thatwe teachers and we principals don't have all of the tools.Students need to take responsibility for at least part oftheir learning. Can we shape the classroom and the
curriculum to the shape and dimension of the student?
I never let schooling get in the
way of my education. Mark Twain(Samuel Clemens)
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
22/67
22 Building Better Schools
Commentary: We have invested a lot ofmoney and training in the big-box public highschools. Bill Gates has put a billion dollars orso into making high schools smaller and intotechnology for education. We need to stop,
turn around, and get back to square one. Let'sstart with elementary schools. By adding alayer of computer-mediated instruction over theexisting system and by engaging parents,students, teachers and principals in a vigorousre-connection with the goal of education, wecan move toward making the student the class.
No matter how far you have gone on a
wrong road, turn back. Turkish proverb(from The Big Picture by Dennis Littky)
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
23/67
Abraham Fischler 23
Commentary: Should teachers be entertainers? Iwant to changethis quote:Learning shouldbe fun to thelearner.
Classroomsshould beexciting. Studentsshould be the
performers. Teachers should be facilitators andmotivators, asking students to think about challengingproblems. Teachers should reward success, usinglanguage that make learners feel good aboutthemselves. You can do it.
As the saying goes: The teacher is a guide on theside, not a sage on the stage.
The teacher of the future
is an Edu-Tainer: giving an
education that is entertaining
Dennis Yuzenas
It seems to me that schools primarily teach kids
how to take tests, a skill one hardly uses in real life
(unless one is a contestant on a quiz show).
Elementary school prepares kids for junior high;
junior high prepares them for high school. So thegoal (if we can call it that) of schools is toprepare kids for more school. Tom Magliozzi,one of the Car Talk guys, writing in his book, InOur Humble Opinion: Car Talk's Click and ClackRant and Rave (2000).
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
24/67
Have we produced amotivated person with thetools and desire to keep
learning?
24 Building Better Schools
Commentary: For the learner, education is a continuum
and it is not important where the student is housed. Whatis important at the end is have we produced a motivatedperson with the tools and desire to keep learning?Inorder to do that, the learner must achieve competency intwo languages, English and math. Everything else he canlearn if he is motivated to learn and to become a selflearner. Professors make it easier by picking out whatthey think is necessary in the particular field ofknowledge. Thus you can achieve more knowledge in a
shorter time if you work with advisors. They also provideguidance and help you achieve a number of life skills soyou can function effectively with others and assume yourshare of the responsibility for achieving the objectives.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
25/67
Abraham Fischler 25
Commentary: Self-motivated, interested in the problemthat they are working on, helping one another sharingresponsibilities. This will happen when students worktogether in small groups on projects.
You need a certain level of comprehension which the CAIdelivers. Piaget says that we redefine a concept everytime we meet a discrepant event: An event for the learnerthat doesn't fit the concept that he already has. So thelearner has to go through questions: Did that reallyexist? How do I modify the concept to accommodatethe new information?
Students go through this when they learn that electronsmight not be particles. Electrons act more like clouds in
certain circumstances.
[ ??? add more here ??? ]
Children are working as if I did not
exist.Maria Montessori
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
26/67
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
27/67
Abraham Fischler 27
If the student doesn't have the basic comprehension,you will miss the mark the information that you thinkis a discrepant event will go over his head. Forexample, you can tell a six-year-old that the earth isturning and that creates day and night at 25,000 milesin a day. It's rotating on an axis. Why don't you feelit?If you were in an automobile and you put yourhand out of the window, you would feel it.
With a six-year-old, you're going too fast. You betterstart with day is when the sun is out and Night iswhen the sun is hidden. You can ask, Why is thenight dark? What gives light to the moon?So youcan give a six-year-old a bit of this, but he doesn'treally understand much.
After introducing a discrepant event, we need to givethe student time to process the information.
We tend to start with what the child can observe.Science for grades 1-to-3, the focus is over what canyou see?
To try to explain that the earth is turning is not going
to lead to understanding in younger students. Waituntil they begin to ask you about rotating. And theyweren't all going to be able to ask you at the sametime.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
28/67
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
29/67
Abraham Fischler 29
Commentary: There is a core of basic knowledgethat one expects from a person at a certain point intime. I don't expect people to be experts, but biologyis a science. You ought to have some knowledge ofthe animal kingdom, relationships, the human body.There are certain understandings that you can expectfrom a person at a certain level. Science is not acultural imperative. Our language and mathematics
are cultural imperatives. I expect every child to havea certain level. Knowledge and ability and with a basiccore of mathematics; able to handle fractions. But Idon't expect everyone to know everything abouttrigonometry. Robert Reich is right, as long as wedon't say master. We need a core in all areas andyou have to have the tools for self-learning: wecan read English and we can do some math... weknow when to doubt and we don't jump toconclusions.
You can teach yourself most of science if you haveEnglish and math.
Given the widening array of
possibilities, theres no reason
that every child must master thesciences, algebra, geometry,
biology, or any of the rest of the
standard high school curriculum
that has barely changed in half a
century. Robert Reich, Secretary ofLabor (Clinton Administration)
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
30/67
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
31/67
Abraham Fischler 31
Excerpts from
TheStudentIstheClass.com
Beyond Memorization: Give 21st CenturyStudents Time to Understand
We can all agree that it is important for students to graduate
from high school. However, what happens when graduating
from high school does not necessarily represent anunderstanding of the basic skills needed in college and the
workplace? More than half of the students entering public
colleges and universities in Florida need remedial classes in
math, reading, and writing prior to starting their college
classes. The problem is NOT the amount of money we are
putting into our public schools; rather, the structure and
curriculum of public education needs reform. Memorizing
information for the FCAT or College Placement Test is not
going to equip students with the skills needed for the 21st
century.
Students need to learn to analyze, understand, and explain
rather than memorize, recite, and regurgitate facts and
information. A student cannot be expected to master division if
he or she does not know what dividing numbers truly means.
Subjectsparticularly reading and mathneed to be taught
on a students individual timeframe. Learning should be
measured against each students past markers of progress.
We must enable students to learn at varying rates so they
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
32/67
32 Building Better Schools
come to understand and analyze information in a way that is
useful and accessible both to them personally and for the 21st
century.We must change our expectations about time and make
conceptual understanding (not rote repetition) our first priority.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
33/67
Abraham Fischler 33
Time Must Be A Variable For Student Success
Nowhere in my readings have I found encouragement andfunds to reward systems that are trying to build an educational
environment As long as time is fixed, then student progress is
what is variable within the fixed time frame. Thus, 30% of the
student population is punished through failures.
If we moved in core areas - mainly based on students
mastery and making time a variable.English and Math - to
Computer Based Learning ("CBL" or Computer Assisted
Instruction CAI), the student becomes the class and each
student is given time to master the materials. Further, what is
learned becomes a tool for future learning. In science and
social studies, projects that are meaningful to students can be
agreed and assigned. Small groups then may use technology
for research purposes as well as to make powerpoint
presentations to fellow students. This transformation cannot
be done without the community, without curriculum design and
without teachers who are trained to utilize the environment
correctly.
Student management also is important so that the teacher, the
student and the parent see the progress of each student. This
type of system provides accessibility to all partners, including
the principal and state, as well as a vehicle to help determinethe effectiveness of the learning environment in the
classroom.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
34/67
34 Building Better Schools
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
35/67
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
36/67
36 Building Better Schools
Technology to Make Time a Variable
I propose the use of technology in a computer assisted mode
(CAI) to track the progress of each student. When each has
demonstrated mastery of what s/he has learned through CAI,
we then can seek validation through State-implemented
examinations. In this way, time is varied and competency
relatively fixed; a standard that should be applied to public
schools as well as charter schools, so that all children will be
given similar opportunities to succeed.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
37/67
Abraham Fischler 37
It is Time for Change in K-12
No longer can we afford to lose more than 30% of our high
school students to the dropout pool. No longer can we tolerate
the outdated agrarian industrial model. No longer can we
tinker around the edges, substituting book A for book B or
modifying a time dimension within a few courses. No longer
can we afford to leave the structure and organization of K-12
education the same.
This is the moment - this is the time for real change in thepublic schools of this country. We have the knowledge, the
tools and the necessary technology to create a positive
learning environment for the 21st century. We can focus on
the student as the class and offer individualized instruction
based on students' different learning styles. We can vary time
so that those who need more time to master a concept have
the opportunity to do so. The organization and structure of our
current K-12 system must be changed to accommodate all
learners.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
38/67
38 Building Better Schools
Don't Blame The Computer!
Some schools are dropping the computer because they failedto get the results they wanted. This is a mistake. A computer
is a tool which must be integrated into the fabric of the
instructional process. By itself, it will not change nor improve
results. The curriculum must be modified; the teacher must
change his or her role from presenter to a catalyst for learning.
Opportunity must be given to students to work on real world
problems.
The computer can be utilized in many ways, including:
as a learning tool
acquiring and organizing information
communicating within a group
helping to analyze data
creating powerpoint or other presentations to the class
Remember: Do not blame the toolthe learning system mustbe changed, and teachers must be trained in a new learningparadigm.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
39/67
Abraham Fischler 39
Longer Readings
Techniques for Creative Teaching
I worked with a physics teacher who would tell students, There willbe times when you will turn in your lab books where you will writewhat you observe. Sometimes I will mark an exercise wrong and Iexpect you to come up and argue with me. The students generallyhated him because he appeared so arbitrary.
I loved what he did. He forced the kids not to cheat. He made surethat one or two kids would get something marked wrong eventhough it was right. This bothered kids. And they would come to meto complain. I told them, He's forcing you to think and If you don'targue with him, you will get the the lower mark.
'Disrupting Class', by Clayton M. Christensen, Michael B. Hornand Curtis W. Johnson, published by McGraw-Hill.
Commentary: The authors explain why major changes arerequired in public education if we are to educate every child ofevery parent to finish high school with the knowledge and skillsneeded either to go into the world of work or continue theireducation in the 21st century. This book appreciates theuniqueness of each student (referencing the Multiple Intelligencestheory introduced by Dr. Howard Gardner) and recognizes that weneed to adapt instructional methods to match the learning styles ofeach student. Its 'disruptive innovation theory' explains why it is sodifficult to move public education from its current focus on the'class' to a new and needed focus on the 'student'. The authors'concept of a future classroom is one that incorporates technologyand software to provide alternative methods and options forstudents to achieve the required objectives. They also encouragean environment in which students work together on projects andshare and conceptualize learnings rather than memories bits ofinformation. Whilst this book recognizes the need for flexibilitywithin the organization and structure of the learning environment to
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
40/67
40 Building Better Schools
accommodate individual variations, it does not spell out sufficientlythe need to vary time because students learn at different rates.
Why Go To School? Steven Wolk, Phi Delta Kappa
May 2007, Volume 88, number 9
http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k_v88/k0705toc.htm
Commentary: The May 2007 issue of Phi Delta Kappan has awonderful article written by Steven Wolk entitled Why go toSchool?. It is a critique of what we are teaching and how we areteaching. In the article, he states the following: If the purpose ofour schools is to prepare drones to keep the U.S. economy going,
then the prevailing curricula and instructional methods are probablyadequate. If, however, we want to help students become thoughtful,caring citizens who might be creative enough to figure out how tochange the status quo rather than maintain it, we need to rethinkschooling entirely. Mr. Wolk outlines what he considers to be theessential content for a new curriculum. The essence of what thearticle states is similar to the essence of the early writings found inthis blog.
Speak Up Survey: Is Technology Missing the Mark? by DaveNagel. T.H.E. Journal(March 2007)
Commentary: The nationwide survey polled approximately270,000 students, teachers, and parents on "subjects ranging fromtechnology, math, and science instruction to communications,collaboration, and self expression". The findings were veryinteresting.
The article quotes Julie Evans, CEO of the non-profit group Project
Tomorrow-NetDay as saying that "[m]ost importantly, this survey
shows that technology presents a unique opportunity to engage
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
41/67
Abraham Fischler 41
students in their core-curricular subjects, such as math and
science, by providing them the high tech tools that raise their levels
of interest in this coursework." Students also expressed interest in
the integration of real-world problem solving, talking to
professionals, and using multimedia and interactive simulations.
We, as educators, must prepare the youth of this country tocreatively address problems and challenges -- some that may havehappened before and others undoubtedly that will beunprecedented. We have gone through many ages as a nation andworld: agricultural, industrial, technological, information, and nowwe must enter the age of creativity. Creativity involves imagination,innovation, and entrepreneurship along with reasoning, problemsolving, and critical thinking. Listening, memorizing and
regurgitating learned information is no longer sufficient. We need todo more in our schools through personalized education. And, infact, it is time even for us to consider how to integrate the homeenvironment into the fabric of the learning process.
"Jobs, Dell appraise technology, schools"
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=6875
Commentary: Both Steve Jobs and Michael Dell make referencesto changes and the encouragement of the use of technology as atool for learning, research, and communication. However, neitherspeaks to the restructuring and reorganizing of a school system sothat each child becomes the class. By using computer assistedinstruction (CAI) for the core areas of English and math in a self-paced mode, students are able to receive the next appropriate
objective. While working on projects in a cooperative learningenvironment (groups of 3 or 4 students), they utilize their corecompetencies to do research, solve problems, and makepresentations using computer programs such as PowerPoint toinvolve the rest of their classmates who listen and ask questions.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
42/67
42 Building Better Schools
By learning these skills, students develop the ability to acquireinformation via the computer, use it to analyze and synthesizeinformation related to the problem, and share their findings withtheir student colleagues for the purpose of discussion. I am surethat you all would count these among the critical skills required to
succeed in today's world.
A comment from a blog reader: ... about Computers in theclassroom...Creativity is the key to making good use of technologyin education. To our learners, computers are part of the everydayinfrastructure of life - nothing new, or different, just a box thatprovides access to the the tools they use to communicate, findinformation, collaborate, create, learn and achieve. The learnerswe see in our classrooms now, are growing up with the web, theipod, digital TV, mobile phones, youtube, messenger, ip phones,blogs & wikis, and to them, these are no more exciting and new
than the colour TV.We can't place new boxes in classrooms andexpect our learners to leap up and suddenly achieve. As aminimum, there are two things that need to take place if we are totake full advantage of new technologies in learning:
1. We need to understand that our learners now have access to abillion libraries of information and a multitude of communicationtools. They use these tools every day for there own purposes andon the whole (i know there are many exceptions) we are failing toguide that use to ensure safe and productive learning. The world isavailable to them anywhere, anytime and they don't need a
computer and a desk to do this. What they need, we aren'tproviding - they need guidance and support.We must now moveaway from Victorian era learning where remembering facts andfigures was the key to success in an industrial age. Memorizingsuch information is now completely irrelevant, since information canbe obtained anywhere in seconds. The knowledge required is oneof how and where to look safely, how to filter, how to validate andtriangulate and then finally how to use such information creatively,critically and accurately.That is not to say that memorizing factsdoes not still have a place. Just that the emphasis should now beon discovery, analysis, process, assimilation and creativity - inother words, real higher-order thinking skills.
2. The vast majority of teachers were brought up under that oldVictorian system. To us the web, the mobile phone, the ipod are allrelatively new (and for some of us slightly scary) inventions. Howcould we possibly relate to and teach learners for whom these tools
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
43/67
Abraham Fischler 43
are just an extension of their imagination? Simply throwing boxesof tricks into our classrooms and proclaiming that we have investedmillions in new technology will not help our learners. We need helpin changing the culture of teaching.
It is possible and there are projects out there trying to provide thesetools. Check out:http://oc.intel-lehren.de/and:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-ICT-Classroom-Using-Learning/dp/1855392070If you want to get involved - e-mail [email protected]
http://www.thestudentistheclass.com/2007/05/dont-blame-computer.html
http://oc.intel-lehren.de/http://oc.intel-lehren.de/http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-ICT-Classroom-Using-Learning/dp/1855392070http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-ICT-Classroom-Using-Learning/dp/1855392070mailto:[email protected]://www.thestudentistheclass.com/2007/05/dont-blame-computer.htmlhttp://www.thestudentistheclass.com/2007/05/dont-blame-computer.htmlhttp://oc.intel-lehren.de/http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-ICT-Classroom-Using-Learning/dp/1855392070http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-ICT-Classroom-Using-Learning/dp/1855392070mailto:[email protected]://www.thestudentistheclass.com/2007/05/dont-blame-computer.htmlhttp://www.thestudentistheclass.com/2007/05/dont-blame-computer.html8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
44/67
44 Building Better Schools
Tough Choices or Tough Times (Commission Report)
http://www.skillscommission.org/pdf/exec_sum/ToughChoices_EXECSUM.pdf
Commentary: A report by the Commission on the Skills of theAmerican Workforce (National Center on Education and theEconomy) entitled 'Tough Choices or Tough Times' has somewonderful recommendations that should be taken in seriousconsideration. Therein, Richard W. Riley, the former Secretary ofEducation states The question this report raises is whether ourcountry has the kind of education system that is needed to maintainAmericas standard of living for our children, our grandchildren, andfuture generations. I very much hope that it will spark the kind oftough, honest debate on that topic that it so richly deserves.Another notable quote from the report is by Thomas W. Payzant,Former Superintendent of Boston Public Schools. He statesPiecemeal reform of public education in America is insufficient todeliver the promise that every child will receive an education thatleads to a good job, productive life, and responsible citizenship.The New Commission Report is a coherent, comprehensive,systemic plan for how to enable public education in America to bethe best in the world. The report concludes that our current publicK-12 education system cannot be fixed, and therefore it must bereplaced.
The generalization which emerges relates to what I have been
advocating for a very long time. Every high school graduate has tobe competent not only in the two languages (English andmathematics), but also must be able to analyze, synthesize, usevalue judgment, and be able to communicate effectively usingmodern technology. In addition to these outcomes, every studentmust graduate with a salable skill to be employed, should he or shechoose not to go on to higher education. In order to achieve all ofthe above, we must reorganize and restructure public education toaccommodate every learner.
Picture goes here...
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
45/67
Abraham Fischler 45
How to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20th Century by ClaudiaWallis
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1568480,00.html
Commentary: On December 16th, 2006, we read the followingheadlines: More Teens Drop Out in the Miami Herald andDropout Rate in Broward Increases in the Sun Sentinel. This didnot surprise me, nor should it surprise you. The higher thestandards, the more difficult it is for students to achieve their goalsif the structure and organization of the learning environment is notchanged. In my previous blog entries, my theme is consistent-Children learn at different rates and have different preferentiallearning styles. Time must be the variable and mastery the goal. Ifstudents do not fully understand algebra, they will have a difficulttime learning trigonometry. If they have not mastered reading, they
will have a difficult time comprehending high school sciencetextbooks or the New York Times. The consequences of notmaking this change leads to an increase in dropouts and eventuallyto an increase in the poverty-level class.
TIME magazine recently ran an interesting article entitled How do
we bring our schools out of the 20th Century? by Claudia Wallis
and Sonja Steptoe. It states The world has changed, but the
American classroom, for the most part, hasntkids spend much of
the day as their great grandparents once did: sitting in rows,
listening to teachers lecture, scribbling notes by hand, reading from
textbooks that are out of date by the time they are printed. This
article also introduces a new commission on the skills of the
American workforce. The commission reports that standards of
living are being jeopardized by the current system. The report lays
out a series of steps designed as an integrated approach to change
the entire system. The recommendations include: Revamping the high school-college transition.
Reallocating funds to high priority strategies for improving system
performance.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
46/67
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
47/67
Abraham Fischler 47
optimism but unfortunately in our educational environment their
natural imaginations are often stifled.
In New York City, there is an area superintendent by the name of
Kathleen M. Cashin, who is responsible for one of the roughest
areas in the New York City School System. In her schools she
reinforces the opportunity for students to utilize their creativity
through group learning. She encourages students to write stories
and discuss their ideas. She also encourages the teachers to take
the time to get to know each student. Through her efforts the
scores in Region 5 have been steadily increasing.
I call this blog The student is the class. I reiterate that we must
allow time for students to learn the basic core (English and Math),
allow them also to acquire the ability for self-learning through
working in groups, and finally do written and verbal presentations
where they can utilize their higher learning skills and interact with
their peers. The teacher is like a conductor blending all three
modes in a classroom setting, while the utilization of computers
facilitates in the process.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
48/67
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
49/67
Abraham Fischler 49
pens, and teaching is done in multidisciplinary projects in which
academic skills develop through work on real-world problems.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/11/14/life.education.reut/ind
ex.html
See also the article by Neal Starkman in T.H.E. Focus, which
discusses one-to-one learning and a student-centered rather than
teacher-centered orientation toward learning.
http://thejournal.com/the/newsletters/thefocus/archives/?aid=19217
By contrast, coverage of a recent National Research Council study
by 15 education specialists states: U.S. Science Education lags,study finds: Curriculum, teachers faulted for teaching too
simplistically. Quoting such coverage: Part of the problem is that
state and national learning standards for students in elementary
and middle schools require children to memorize often-
disconnected scientific facts, the report said.
"U.S. Science Education Lags, Study Finds Curriculum,
teachers faulted for teaching too simplistically
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14945518
Commentary: We must teach to each student rather than to aclass. We must teach more than reading, writing and arithmetic. Wemust encourage problem solving skills, creativity, fluid enquiry --this can be done by involving students in real world problems. If yougo back to the Education System Change Model in my second blogpost, you will see that my definition of tutorial is where weencourage student-centeredness, problem solving, cooperativelearning, sharing of responsibility, and communication.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/11/14/life.education.reut/index.htmlhttp://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/11/14/life.education.reut/index.htmlhttp://thejournal.com/the/newsletters/thefocus/archives/?aid=19217http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14945518http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14945518http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/11/14/life.education.reut/index.htmlhttp://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/11/14/life.education.reut/index.htmlhttp://thejournal.com/the/newsletters/thefocus/archives/?aid=19217http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14945518http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/149455188/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
50/67
50 Building Better Schools
The Future of TeachingAs change comes about, the work of the classroomteacher will change drastically. Instead of leading
groups through standalone lessons, teachers willincreasingly match individuals with learning solutionsaligned with their interests and abilities. Content willbe packaged and delivered asynchronously, allowingstudents to work independently and revisit lessons asneeded. Face-to-face experiences will be combinedwith digital interactions; geographic boundariesbetween teachers and studentsas well as betweenlearnerswill become increasingly irrelevant. BillFerriter
http://teacherleaders.typepad.com/the_tempered_radical/
Commentary: He is on target. We have had individual teachers doingexciting things but remember we are now speaking about total schoolswith thousands of teachers.
http://teacherleaders.typepad.com/the_tempered_radical/http://teacherleaders.typepad.com/the_tempered_radical/http://teacherleaders.typepad.com/the_tempered_radical/http://teacherleaders.typepad.com/the_tempered_radical/8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
51/67
Abraham Fischler 51
Links for Additional Reading
Websites (schools)
BigPicture.org, the Dennis Littky / Eliot Washor organization
CHADphila.org, Charter High of Architecture and Design, Philadelphia
HighTechHigh.org, San Diego, Calif.**
MavericksinEducation.com, chain of charter schools
MetCenter.org, Providence, R.I.**
NewCitySchool.org, St. Louis (publishers of a widely used workbook forintroducing multiple intelligences in academics)
Tracy.MHS.schoolfusion.us, Millennium High School, Tracy, CaliforniaMotto: Aspire, achieve, advance
UrbanAcademy.org, New York City** Motto:A small school with bigideas
**These schools were profiled in High Schools on a Human Scale: How
Small Schools can Transform American Education (2003) by ThomasToch, introduction by Tom vander Ark, Beacon Press, ISBN 978-0807032459
Websites (reformers, publishers)
ASCD.org, publishers ofThe Big Picture: Education Is EverybodysBusiness (2004) by Dennis Littky and Samantha Grabelle, ISBN 978-0871209719
EdReform.com, Center for Education Reform
EdReformer.com, Tom vander Arks blog
edSpresso.com, newsletter, served hot with a twist
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
52/67
52 Building Better Schools
emaginos.com, Jack Taubs site
RevLearning.com, vander Arks investment group
EssentialSchools.org, Coalition of Essential Schools, formed by the lateTed Sizer
GatesFoundation.org, funding for education reform
GuideontheSide.com, Steve McCrea, teacher training workshops
PZ.harvard.edu, Project Zero, Harvard University, teacher training
QBESchool.com, Will Sutherland, innovative curricula
StudentsFirst.org, Michelle Rhee (former superintendent of Washington,DC schools)
theLearningWeb.net, Gordon Dryden, New Zealand, author ofTheLearning Web with Jeannette Vos: How to quit school at 14 andeventually write a top-selling book about learning.
TheStudentIstheClass.com, Dr. Abraham Fischler
2mminutes.com, Two Million Minutes, Robert A. Comptons project
WhatDoYaKNow.com, Dennis Yuzenas, master teacher and trainer,developer of workshops integrating digital portfolios
Youtube channels
Youtube.com/channelname
BPLearning by BigPicture.org
HTHvideo
QBESchool
AGuideOntheSide
VisualandActive
2MillionMinutes
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
53/67
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
54/67
54 Building Better Schools
Questions
Fifty years from now, what will education look like?
The Student will be the Class. We will have had years ofdeveloping the technology and skills and the communication banksthat exist. There will be new ways of communicating throughout theworld. Science experiments could be done remotely if we feedinformation to a central point. We can be doing a great number ofthings because of the network and because of our ability tocommunicate. Thomas Friedman is not wrong. The world is flat. Ineconomics it's already happening. The assembly plant is in onelocation and the component parts come from all over, fed into acentral assembly line. So cars are manufactured using componentsmade wherever people can get them made to meet the quality.Education is the same thing.
Perhaps textbooks won't have answers
In the textbooks I wrote for teachers, I never answered the questionWhat color did you get? -- I never gave the answers to theteacher. If you put too much acid in contrast to the base, you arenot wrong. Most books assume that you will do everythingaccording to the directions, so they assume that you'll get a specificcolor. But if you are not so accurate, you'll get another color. You'renot wrong whatever color you got, that's the color you got.
So, if I had described the color in the teacher's manual, the teacherwould have told the students You're wrong. It says that the color isintense pink and you have pale pink. So I tried where I could not togive the teacher the answer, especially with younger kids. Manyteachers didn't like my books.
Now imagine if the teacher says, Come over and see what color Igot. Why are our colors different?
That's where the learning takes place. It's not in the answer.
It takes time. It takes time away from pressure.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
55/67
Abraham Fischler 55
While you are working in the reflective environment, the studentsare not getting comprehension about what is being tested. So themore we go toward the testing model, the more rigid the classeshave to become.
That's why the school of the future needs the second class area forsmall-group projects. Teachers have to be ready to move studentsinto that area when it's time for analysis.
Do we really need more charter schools?
What are the advantages of charter schools over publicschools?
There is no reason that we cannot encourage public schools to
have the same liberties as their charter school counterparts.
Public schools tend to have a large number of children from low
income families and therefore have an increased need for the
freedom to accommodate 'each student as the class'. If children are
primarily in a success-oriented environment, they tend to behave
differently because they are rewarded in a positive manner. If they
have access to computers that contain software for computerassisted instruction (CAI), then it is easy to vary time for each
student and give all students the opportunity to be successful. If we
combine CAI with a 'project approach' (i.e., working in small groups
on meaningful problems) in the areas of science and social studies,
students acquire the skills to use technology as a learning tool, a
research tool, and a communication tool. Such improvements --
which may be available in new charter schools -- must be available
in our public schools.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
56/67
56 Building Better Schools
Can schools be saved?
Yes, of course. We have
to try. We can't not try.Everything we stand for inthe USA came throughschools, so we have totransform our system ofpublic education.
If we combine CAIwith projects --
working in smallgroups on
meaningfulproblems, studentsacquire the skills to
use technology asa communication
tool.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
57/67
Abraham Fischler 57
.
Commentary: Many math teachers do not know the beauty ofmath. They took one required course in math in college which iscalled College Math. Math is a cultural imperative, a language thatone needs to understand the world we live in. Where do you findthe teachers who can teach math the way that Lockhart describes?
Why do so many students hate math?A good teacher can guide the discussion and theflow of problems so as to allow the students todiscover and invent mathematics forthemselves. The real problem is that thebureaucracy does not allow an individual teacherto do that. With a set curriculum to follow, ateacher cannot lead. There should be nostandards, and no curriculum. Just individualsdoing what they think best for their students.A Mathematician's Lament by Paul Lockhart
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
58/67
58 Building Better Schools
How should students be taught?Dr. Fischler, do you have any comments about these twostatements that I received from a couple of my students from Italy? Steve
How do you want to learn?I think a student like me should use really modernmethods. To learn English (or another language),studying the perfect grammar at school is only thebeginning. The real way to learn English perfectly ispracticing. So it's a really good way using Facebook(for example, my best friend's American, so I alwaystalk in English with her and it really helps me) andthen talking about things we like. You should give thestudent all the things you know and then let herchoose the things he/she wants to do. Most teachers
think that being under pressure makes us give ourbest. THAT'S NOT TRUE. When I'm anxious ornervous, I really cannot do anything. It's like I amblocked. So I think that the right way to improve isfeeling comfortable and doing things that interest us.-- Arianna Costantin, Milano, 13 August 2010
What makes a
classinteresting?A student'sopinion-- Ithink this classis interestingand I believe itis because wecan lead thelesson bysuggesting
topics, discussing and discovering new things on thenet and changing the program if we don't like it or findit boring. I can't really suggest a way to make thisclass better since we have a lot of freedom and canchange what we are doing according to what wewould prefer much more.
Most teachersthink that beingunder pressure
makes us give ourbest. THAT'S NOT
TRUE. -- Arianna
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1283916007&v=infohttp://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1283916007&v=infohttp://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1283916007&v=infohttp://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1283916007&v=info8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
59/67
Abraham Fischler 59
What makes a class boring? The wrong topics, aboring teacher, bad classmates are things that canmake a class terrible. Choosing a topic that is notfascinating or not putting passion in teaching destroys
the attention of the class. Not helping in creatingcooperation within the students is the worst thing ateacher can do.
I like the fact that students are nice and we get along.I love choosing every day what I want to do and I'mfond of discovering something I didn't know, such as"Save the Last Dance For Me" (a song that was sungin our class).
How can we improve the method?We could read
more books, like the ones about the method we areexperimenting with. And this would be interesting.Or we could keep some books on our own as I wouldlike to do tomorrow, to practice with the reading withchapters that are more difficult than newspaperarticles. Giulia Mastrantoni, 6 August 2010
Note about Save the Last Dance: A teacherbrought his guitar and the lyrics for the song. Hestarted the class with this question: "Did youknow that the composer of this song was unableto walk? Now let's listen more closely to thelyrics." That's what interested Giulia...
Note: More books were brought to the class thenext week, giving the student a chance to readquotes and longer chapters about educationaltheories.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
60/67
60 Building Better Schools
Commentary: Two responses1) It is best to know enough about your students that you can starta lesson from their interests. If they are interested, then they willwork. You may have to set up small groups based on interest.
2) Give students the opportunity to share with others what theyare learning, especially when they reach a point when they areready to share. After they have completed their presentations,positive reinforcement is important. ASF
Give students theopportunity toshare with otherswhat they arelearning.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
61/67
Abraham Fischler 61
Whats Next
We invite you to subscribe to the blog, The Student is theClass, at TheStudentIsTheClass.com . I continue to blogabout these issues and I invite you to send me questions to
comment about.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
62/67
62 Building Better Schools
References
[ ??? note to Hillary -- I will work on getting the accuratesources. ]
Lambert, Paul (2009). A Mathematician's Lamenthttp://www.maa.org/devlin/LockhartsLament.pdf
McKenzie, J. (1999).
Pink, Daniel (2001). Free Agent Nation.
Comments from ReviewersI was shocked when I witnessed a language arts meeting in my
school on Thursday. It was 100 percent FCAT test strategies.
There was no language arts at all!
When I brought up authentic assessment, I was shot down.
"This is what we're graded on." and, "We don't have time for
the cutesy funsey stuff" are two replies that stick in
my head. This is what NCLB hath wrought.
Dennis Yuzenas, school teacher, Bak Middle School of the Arts,West Palm Beach, Florida
http://www.maa.org/devlin/LockhartsLament.pdfhttp://www.maa.org/devlin/LockhartsLament.pdfhttp://www.maa.org/devlin/LockhartsLament.pdf8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
63/67
Abraham Fischler 63
Endnote by a taxpayer
Dr. Fischler began blogging in 2006 about the advantages of a well-rounded, well-designed CAI system. His first entry at
TheStudentIsTheClass.com lays out the features of a three-tieredsystem that could be introduced in a zone of a public school.Careful implementation of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) couldinvigorate a K-12 environment. As a pioneer who introducedtechnology to higher education and distance learning, Dr. Fischleraims to bring new learning methods and experiences to childrenand teenagers currently stuck in school systems that have changedlittle since 1950.
An informal after-class gathering of students, bringing togetherpeople from South America and the Middle East. These sorts ofgatherings are possible when the teacher takes time to get to knowhis students and looks for ways to cross pollinate classes. Whynot ask students in a math class to meet with international visitors
who are learning English grammar?
As a taxpayer, I'm always looking for better ways for my tax dollarsto be spent. As a teacher, I want to work in a school where students
http://thestudentistheclass.com/http://thestudentistheclass.com/8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
64/67
64 Building Better Schools
have a role in deciding what they will study each day. As a trainerof teachers, I know my limitations: I can show teachers what hasworked in my classes, but I don't have the academic background toexplain why the techniques work that I pulled from Piaget,Friedman, Littky, Gardner and Daniel Pink.
In 2009, I saw the need for a small book that the stakeholders inschools could carry with them and refer to often for guidance. In theclassroom, under pressure to deliver results, I often slip back intocomfortable behaviors, copying my mentors and imposing on mystudents the same disciplines that I suffered through when I was ateenager. Some of the techniques work; others should beimproved. Dr. Fischler's perspective has guided me in selectingmore effective methods. Computers can help students learn butit's not a good idea to impose digital devices on students who arenot ready for the potential distractions of a multifaceted computer.
Dennis Littky, an educational pioneer in Providence, R.I., writes thatEducation is everybody's business. This quote and commentaryproject began with you in mind. Teacher, student, parent, principal,taxpayer: you all will find something new and helpful in thesepages.
In the 1930s a little red book spawned a political and culturalrevolution in China. Eighty years later, why can't a small book ofcommentaries by the president emeritus of a pioneering universitymake a positive change in education?
If you have a favorite quotation about education that you would likeDr. Fischler to consider commenting on in his blog, please sendyour request to [email protected].
Steve McCrea
Taxpayer, teacher, advocate of CAI
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
65/67
Abraham Fischler 65
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
66/67
66 Building Better Schools
About the Author and Editors
Dr. Fischler is President Emeritus and University Professor atNova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He
served as President of Nova University from July 1970 to July1992. Prior to coming to Nova in 1966, Dr. Fischler wasProfessor of Education at the University of California,Berkeley. He began his career in education as a scienceteacher and earned his Ed.D. degree at Columbia University.Subsequently, he became Assistant Professor at the GraduateSchool of Education, Harvard University. After his retirementas President, he served on the Broward County School Boardfrom 1994 to 1998. Dr. Fischler has been a consultant to theFord Foundation, to various State Departments of Education,
and to school districts in a number of states. He has authoredmany articles and publications dealing with science educationand advanced teaching methods. He is a fellow of theAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science and amember of numerous other educational and scientificorganizations.
Hillary Gorski-Howrey is a graduate student of psychology (?) and plans to xxxx.She is working on a research project involving. As an instructor at NovaUniversity, she sdsfgsd sfdasdflj asdfasflj;w werqwer;l;lk;q wqerqwerqwrqwerqw qwerqwe q weqrqw r wqer wqr qwer 23;lnmoijfdafg .s.
Steve McCrea is an advocate of using video in the classroom. His channel onYoutube (visualandactive) documents ways that teachers can support integratedlesson plans with technology. He leads the team of teachers that developed theblended curriculum for QBE schools (Dartmouth, England), harnessing thecultures of Aiglon College (Villars), the Met Center (Providence, R.I.) andMaverick Schools (Miami, Fla.): character development (planned hardships,delayed gratification), mentors, and computer-based instruction (based on thework of Dr. Abraham Fischler). McCrea is a candidate for Ed.D. in DistanceInstruction at Nova Southeastern University.
8/7/2019 FISCHLER Feb 2011 Version
67/67
Abraham Fischler 67
TheStudentIsTheClass.com