tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post3920267834071411386..comments2024-03-29T06:57:49.917-04:00Comments on Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator: Teen Takes Control of Her Own Learning and Opts Out of High SchoolLisa Nielsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07759123507185453030noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-27587944884997929372012-08-19T12:06:02.793-04:002012-08-19T12:06:02.793-04:00Just found you on pinterest. As a teacher, not on...Just found you on pinterest. As a teacher, not only do I commend you, but hope that others will begin to look at education from your eyes. Simply put, the education system in our country is broke. In that, I mean to say it's outdated, is not serving our communities, and most of all is not suited for the student of today. The system is still stuck in the fifties alot of times, and serves little purpose. I hope that by creating your own education, which should be how we look at each student, you will be able to be the best in what you like to do, and you will have a fulfilled life. You go!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-84996423626508651362011-08-07T22:12:38.518-04:002011-08-07T22:12:38.518-04:00Great story. Can the same approach be taken with c...Great story. Can the same approach be taken with college? Does what you want to do really require college? Are there other resources available to you? Food for thought.Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10860248206081463951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-42573695197663229162011-06-06T13:18:11.984-04:002011-06-06T13:18:11.984-04:00Hooray! Leah reminds me of my 12 year old son whos...Hooray! Leah reminds me of my 12 year old son whose passion is drama (and mismatched socks LOL) and who is getting his first "big break" this week on a tv show :) He has been homeschooled for 6 years and will be through high school.Kimberlyhttp://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Novascotianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-37922602816342192712011-05-27T07:44:52.761-04:002011-05-27T07:44:52.761-04:00Check out College Without High School or the Zero ...Check out College Without High School or the Zero Tutition Project if you are interested in continuing on this path!HoneyFernDotOrghttp://www.honeyfern.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-15093972751518168142011-05-18T05:16:25.099-04:002011-05-18T05:16:25.099-04:00bravo Leah.
thank you Lisa for sharing. your ongoi...bravo Leah.<br />thank you Lisa for sharing. your ongoing exposure to alternate thinking is a much needed psa.<br /><br />Leah - we just finished a year of experimenting with a district innovation lab - where your slide 5 wouldn't even need to exist. and your slide 11 wouldn't be a stigma, but rather an adventure. we have so misused the term success. and have so lost out on the benefits of authentic failures. <br /><br />last school year, kids crafted this model to disrupt our district over the course of 4 years, so that all kids and teachers would be free to learning per choice. a people agenda. this is a final project of sorts of our year one - still in draft form: - http://www.slideshare.net/monk51295/drafting-bold-dreams<br /><br />Ellen Langer's quote (slide 38) was one of our biggest findings. that focus on outcomes can encourage mindlessness. even when the kids (as opposed to teachers/standards) set outcomes at the beginning of the year, that compromised the adjacent possibilities of freely self-directing learning daily. one student nailed this discovery, as he said, it's not about finding the expected, it's about making yourself - you don't just find a passion, you make it, by letting yourself follow your fancy.<br /><br />Joi Ito is a great example of all of this (slides 99-111). we think his recent appointment to direct the MIT media lab is huge. his mission, that the media lab become space for those feeling the need to drop out is our vision as well. a perpetual beta - a space to create that which doesn't exist. until that free thinking is in each individual - not just in a physical lab.<br />until what you are doing Leah, is perceived of as normal. we love the example you are setting.. freeing minds and souls to just be.monika hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17903730727359304285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-39789401148889957152011-05-16T00:45:31.886-04:002011-05-16T00:45:31.886-04:00Way to go Lisa! I commend you for being brave enou...Way to go Lisa! I commend you for being brave enough to stand up for what you feel is right for you.<br />I am aware of many students who would like to do what you did, but they are scared. As a high school teacher I often tell my students to follow their dream. Unfortunately, the education system’s focus is on the academic student. I feel much more consideration should be given to the students who are not “academic.” These students should be stared in the direction of a trade or vocational school. In most schools in my city, there is only one teacher serving a 2500-student population for students interested in pursuing motor mechanics,air-conditioning or home economics. Most students do not even stand a chance. Students are being intimidated or made to feel ashamed if they decide upon taking their GED rather than waiting to receive a high school diploma. I try to convince my students each day that there are millions of people on the college or high school dropout list who have followed their dream and are billionaires today. Threatening to send parents to jail if their children do not go to school is wrong. It is my opinion that the education system is responsible for most of the angry and disgruntled children that we have in our schools today. The children are forced to be involved in classes in which they are not interested. Good luck to you Lisa!hitechPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350702500980179982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-57539789675633720022011-05-14T22:03:03.673-04:002011-05-14T22:03:03.673-04:00Powerful and thought provoking. Congrats and all t...Powerful and thought provoking. Congrats and all the best from a public school Supt.. MarkMarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10894339633393467152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-86553887222095413362011-05-14T18:06:14.965-04:002011-05-14T18:06:14.965-04:00I am simply amazed at Leah’s bravery in taking suc...I am simply amazed at Leah’s bravery in taking such an intrepid step to “take charge” of her own education. She will certainly be admired by many for ‘going against the grain’, which is something that formal educational systems do not really teach or encourage. This story rests deeply with me as many a time I have been disappointed and hurt by the educational systems that I have been a part of in the past, after not being able to pursue the subject areas that I wanted to. In the end, I have been blessed to have things work out in my favour, to the point that I am finally doing what I want to do, but it took me many years of going around in educational circles to get there.<br /><br />I empathise with Leah in relation to the criticism that she has been getting for her unpopular decision and the views that she is wasting or will be wasting her time during the day. This hits close home as my husband experienced similar objections five years ago when he decided to leave his job and go into full-time church ministry. Even persons that we thought knew my husband well, thought that he was just being a loser. Five years later, my husband is more fulfilled than he was before, has had experiences and opportunities that he has never dreamt of and never has a day where he just lazes around.<br /><br />While this ‘going against the grain’ has worked out well for both my husband and Leah, I think that there needs to be some critical factors present in order for such choices to be successful, and I think that these are critical for self-learning in particular. I’ve made a list of my thoughts: <br /><br />1. Vision – An individual who engages in self-learning (unschooling as Leah refers to it), or just about anything in life that is self-regulated, ought to have a clear picture of the desired outcome. Without the benefit of a predefined structure, a self-learner now has the benefit, but also the challenge to create a structure from scratch. Having a clear vision will be critical in determining how that structure should look.<br />2. Motivation – It is critical for self-learners to be intrinsically motivated so that learning does take place even though the room is hot, the flu is coming on, or insomnia got the better part of the previous night. Procrastination and the temptation to avoid difficult challenges must be methodically axed from the life of the self-learner.<br />3. Resources – In a formal learning system, it is the job of the teacher/lecturer/facilitator to bring resources and materials to the classroom. The self-learner on the other hand has to seek out a lot of this on his own. It is therefore important for him to build a collection of resources (materials, equipment, information sources, etc) that would provide abundant and relevant learning experiences.<br />4. Network – One of the benefits of participating in a formal system (educational, or otherwise) is that the system automatically provides many like-minded or like-challenged peers, who can support each other in various ways. Such support is critical or success in any life challenge. It is important for the self-learner to build a network of supporters who will act as cheerleaders throughout the process. Another important aspect is building a network of subject matter experts; persons who can provide relevant information, gainful insights and resources, or who can point you to others who can themselves provide these things.<br /><br />I do wish Leah the very best and I have no doubt that she will succeed, based on what I have read about her. However, I do wish to say to persons who are thinking about following her example – approach carefully and ensure that you do the background research and preparation needed to be successful at this. Running in blindly or with the wrong motives are sure steps to quick failure.<br /><br />Thoughtfully submitted,<br />Divia Lewis<br />(Student of Instructional Design)Divia Lewishttp://designingmindsplus.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-5919720463257664482011-05-14T16:14:44.459-04:002011-05-14T16:14:44.459-04:00testing comment function (sorry)testing comment function (sorry)Mariannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03432784216416690535noreply@blogger.com