C4T # 2

        For the past two weeks I read David Warlick's blog called, 2cents Worth. The first blog post I read from him he wrote about his trip to an "unconference session." He mentioned how he got into groups with other teachers and he was shocked every time someone said, "Our students need this skill." He focused on the world "skill." He makes a point that this teachers are right, but perhaps the word "habits" is better. He says, "But it seems to me that a large and explicit part of 21st century learning and the transformed classroom is the notion that skills must become habits. We need to teach our students important skills, but we need to also craft and cultivate learning environments and experiences where learners are constantly provoked to use those skills as part of their learning practice.  We need to instill a learning lifestyle." 

 I enjoyed reading this from him. Students have many skills, but they need to turn these skills into habits in order to succeed. I left him a comment telling him how I agree with him. I mentioned how I also used the word "skill" without actually taking into consideration about the word "habit."
        He had not updated his blog this week so I had to go back and find an interesting post. I read one about his thoughts of Steve Jobs. I also read one about a game idea he came up with; this is the blog I left a comment on. He talked about how a few summers ago his daughter was in the hospital. His daughter ran a restruant and had to do many things on her iphone to make it run. He then came up with a game idea. Instead of children playing a game about running a restruant, they could play a game about running and maintaining a school. The player could add on the school by adding a library, gym, labs, or updating a classroom. They would have to budget the school and add courses and hire teachers. He made it clear that to "win" in the game it was not about the highest test scores. Instead, to win your school would graduate to the "next Winton Marsellas, a team of biologists who cure cancer, the next Kurt Vontegut or the staff of an award winning trend-zine." He hopes that having a game like this might help change schools in real life. 
        I left Mr. Warlick a comment on this blog. My comment talked about how much I wish this game existed. "Adults might see how much change is needed in today’s school. Younger children playing the game might see how important school is and what they can become with a great education. Future teachers playing the game would see what is really important for their students."