"When we shift from preparing students for what's next, to helping them prepare for anything, a world of possibilities open up in their learning." - Empower
Before school started I read two amazing books - Empower: What Happens When Students Own Their Learning by John Spencer and A.J. Juliani, and Social LEADia: Moving Students from Digital Citizenship to Digital Leadership by Jennifer Casa-Todd.
In Empower, I loved the idea of moving students from engagement to empowerment, of shifting from making the subject interesting to tapping into student interests.
And I especially loved the graphic style of the book:
"Choice gives students the opportunity to cast their own line and choose what bait they want to put on the hook. Learning follows, not because it is forced upon them, but because it is naturally connected to curiosity and inquiry." -Empower
"To us, is more than just connecting online. We connect at school, in teams, and with our teachers. When we connect, we feel that we are using our voice to make an impact in a positive way, and when we connect, we are also learning new ideas and perspectives. When you add these up, we are making a difference in our own world and maybe someone else's."
And, there were great graphics, student vignettes, summaries, and discussion questions.
If you are looking for inspiration this fall, be sure to pick up these two books. On Twitter, follow #SocialLeadia and #EmpowerBook, and begin building your personal learning network.
