Why school is a compelling question. Why do we teach it? Why do we send our kids there? What do we expect out of it? These are fundamental questions that we must ask ourselves (and answer) in order to get the most out of school.
I found Will Richardson's book very interesting in a few ways. He mentions that the kids are using their phones, computers, etc everywhere except the classroom. When they come to school, students are often told or expected to put their phones away. Richardson assumes that technology is inherently helpful and desired by the children. When I surveyed my students, I found that 1/3 of them did not want to use any technology in the classroom because they found it distracting. I wonder if Richardson has met students like this.
On the other hand, I like his point about not teaching answers that are easily google-able. If it's information that they don't need to think about, it's not worth spending a lot of time on. Sure, students must start with the facts and the lower-level thinking skills, but as teachers we must move from there. Once students know the facts, then have them compare/contrast, evaluate, and analyze them. Our role as teachers has indeed changed since the advent of such pervasive technologies like iphones. Students don't need us for knowledge; they need us to teach them thinking skills.
I've been fortunate enough that no student has yet asked me, "Why do we have to learn _____?" If they did, certainly I would have a response relating history to current events. I have, however, had students why they have to learn some math. I had to be honest with the student and tell her that I did not see a purpose for her calculus unless she was intending on going into a career that required high-level math. I added, of course, that a math teacher might have a different perspective on that question though. Students are right to question the purpose for what they're learning. And if we as teachers can't find a good answer and can't demonstrate how it's relevant to their lives, then we should reconsider teaching it.
Richardson's idea which I will struggle with the most is what he calls "Discover, don't deliver, the curriculum." This idea is something our social science methods teacher stresses to us. Students take ownership, become engaged, and really interact with the content when you allow them to "discover" it. The reason I struggle with this is for a few reasons. First, I am opinionated and often want students to understand the content as I see it. Students that make their own analogies remember them better and seem to truly care about the material. However, I often find myself too impatient to allow students to arrive at their own conclusions or analogies about something, and I just "deliver" that part of the curriculum to them.
I'm excited, though, to implement Richardson's "Share Everything" philosophy. In it, he highlights the need for teachers to collaborate and share with each other. By working with my master teacher, the need and the benefits of collaborating with other teachers has been apparent. He gives me ideas, I add to them, and then he incorporates them into his lesson. We talk about what we'll teach, how we'll teach it, then discuss what went right/wrong afterward. This has helped me tremendously in my clinical practice and I look forward to continuing similar collaboration through professional development once I become a credentialed teacher.