Friday, January 15, 2010

What's Your Sentence?

"Whole New Mind" and, now, "Drive" author Daniel Pink shares two questions that can change the life of you and students in this video.

Two questions that can change your life from Daniel Pink on Vimeo.

Innovative educators, will recognize what a fantastic video this is to show students. Those who use blogs, discussion forums, or other online learning communities with their students could post this video and have students respond. 

 How fantastic would that be...students starting to think about, discuss, refine, revise, and perfect "their sentence." What a great insight into students for educators interested in differentiating instruction by engaging students with whatever it is that drives them. 

The second question, "Am I better today than yesterday?" is a fantastic student assessment tool. Now this is the type of data that should drive instruction! 

I went through elementary school, middle school, high school, undergrad, and grad school without anyone bothering to ask me what my sentence was, or bother to care about my interests, talents, and passions. 

I know there are some educators out there who will change that for today's students...and for themselves! Helping students find their sentence is a great start.

4 comments:

  1. I know that Lisa is looking at these questions to be applied to self-reflection. The other way I see is to use it as a discussion tool for a class in which you are discussing different authors, historical figures, cuurrent events. As in the video, I think it would be interesting to see what the student sentences would be for Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy or even Barack Obama. And since it is only a sentence post it to Twitter. :-)

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  2. @de, what a super smart way to use this video. Thank you for sharing!

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  3. That's really what learning is all about "Am I better today than yesterday?" isn't it. Moving from here to there no matter the starting point. Nice.

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  4. I think the idea behind Dan's video is crucial to how many of us decide what we do in life to begin with. I wish (in some respect) that someone had asked me this question when I was back in High School trying to decide what I want to do with myself. I opted for the more left brain safer option (Computer Science/legal Studies/Business) rather than the option that was riskier (in terms of job security) Art/Design/Architecture. Lucky for me I have been able to incorporate Design and Art aspects into my “safe” job in order to keep my sanity. Kids – lesson 1 – ask yourself this question and go with your heart not your head, this will help to form your sentence and the sentence you want to read.

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