When reading Chapter 7, I found most of the suggestions listed in the 'Seven Guidelines for Marketing Professionals' (p. 217) profoundly similar to what we as educators have to be thinking about when designing engaging work for our customers:
Don't focus on your customers-engage them: We so often (and understandably so) focus on the wealth of information that the students have to learn in one short year and overlook the opportunity to teach them many things at once by engaging them in well designed work.
Don't create products and services-create consumer experiences: I see this happening all over the building at Roan School through well designed experiences for students. Reminds me of "Show a man how to fish and he can eat for a day, teach a man how to fish and he can eat for a lifetime"
Rethink your brand: Pouring it in their head versus life long learning.
Bake integrety into your corporate DNA: Be the kind of person you want these kids to be. Like Charlie quoted before; "if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with" : )
Integrity is so important and yet SO hard to teach! However, our greatest chance of teaching it, is by being a constant example of it.
ReplyDeleteSOOO many times I wish we could just pour the knowledge into the students heads, especially when we have the test pressures (that we really aren't suppose to be pressured by). Even though sometimes I feel that way, I know that's not what's best for the students. Sometimes we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the work day, and think "Oh, I'll just do this FOR the kids because it will save me time." but in reality if we show the students HOW to do something then they will be able to do it themselves (we hope) and possibly even help others!
ReplyDeleteWe must also be examples to our students. Children are such observers and learn so much, whether good or bad, by observing. We have to set the example of how our students should grow up to act. We may be the only good example these students see throughout the day!
I agree, it is important for us to take the time to show students how to do things. It may take longer on the front end, but the results in the long run will be worth it. If we continually do things for our students instead of letting them experience success and failure, then they will never learn.
ReplyDeleteI have to chime in as a new mom. As we ate dinner last night, I gave Nathaniel a new sippy cup with apple juice. We have been working on the sippy cup thing and he just hasn't mastered it yet. I have to admit I have only worked with him a couple of times. It is just easier (for me) to give him something that he already knows how to work - the bottle. I am guilty of that with my students at times. I need them to finish an activity so I can move on to my next group; so I "help" them finish whatever they are working on. As educators, we have so many pressures that it is hard not to cut out some longer explorative activities. I find it is hard to always think and do what is best for the students and still meet all the other demands - thinkgate, progress reports, assessing for progress reports, remediating, etc.
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