Critical Learning....

 I was looking at various videos from TED and came across this one by Deb Roy who works at MIT. His talk is on charting the language development of his son over the course of five years. The work that went into collecting, analyzing and then presenting the data made me think about Moses and the need for students who are literate in mathematics that could create the code that went into developing the program that allowed Roy to present his research. When I was collecting graphic organizers and forms for my class I came across one that said "You have the right to...." it is a fill in form that the teacher presents as a contract to the students. It the original page explained it as a Right to Read contract. I think it should be used for the content areas, because every student has the right to a education that will allow them to successful in life. Moses compares the lack of mathematical literacy to the deep south in the 1960's. I had never looked at the issue quite that way before, but now, now I can't help but see it.
  As for writing, it really is commonsense to remember that all writers don't write the same. And the best way to learn to write and write well is to write. We need to write daily so that we truly grasp writing and all that it does for our ability to think and create. Writing allows us to open up our thinking and explore ideas more. Linda Rief writes that "understanding the process in which students engage in order to craft a piece of writing is as important as the final product" (Rief, 2007). Also Rief explains that students need to keep their writing in a special notebook.It gives students a sense of "security and comfort so they can write more freely and honestly"(Rief, 2007).
     Also Rief reminds us that writing doesn't just happen with words, much like Einstein, some students think in "visual images"(2007). We as educators need to give students the key to their voices, as writers and readers of writers. That key will allow them to think critically about their writing,and the things they are reading. Even more importantly it will allow for them to think critically about their learning.

It really is an interesting 19 minute presentation.
  Deb Roy: The birth of a word | Video on TED.com