Parent Workshops – developing their 21st Century classroom

A request to this post about a Parents as Partners webcast topic got me thinking. I am part of a personal learning network, which has embraced the use of technology as a means to educate out students in a world, which changes at lightning speed. I have been fortunate to learn and collaborate with professionals whose work is based on meeting the needs of students in the 21st century.

A classroom with no walls is emerging. Access to a limitless amount of information and connections with people all over the world is giving students a platform to develop their own classroom. The letting go of the “control over learning” is extremely difficult for many people. The unknown has an amazing capacity to invoke fear amongst those whose experience as a learner is based on their own childhood classroom.

This can be quickly observed by listening to educators who recount their experiences of being blocked and banned from using tools that use applications such as blogs, online video, streaming live classrooms, picture depositories and audio presentations. Tools that respond to students already Internet savvy. An underground movement of teachers expanding their knowledge and horizons about student learning is developing.

There has been a tremendous wave of activity around a specific situation unfolding in a school board in Australia. I mentioned this in a previous post.

The comments (one of now over 200) on a blog post about censorship are a perfect demonstration of how personal learning networks and collaboration tools have developed a classroom without walls. A learning space created by people from all over the world. Individuals have supplied information, offered opinions, suggested solutions and most of all provided personal one-on-one support for a colleague. This last component is key, in my opinion, in motivating people to question and to take action. I believe that they are making a difference. Isn’t that what we want from our students?

With my interest in supporting students, parents and educators, I paid particular attention to this comment. # 223

“I think it is safe to assume that not all parents would have an understanding of blogging and its related issues. What information did you provide the parents so that they could make an informed decision about their child’s participation?”

It is apparent in reading all of the comments that parents, in their absence and by insinuation, are faulted for driving the bus on censorship. Parents complain and administrators listen.
With that in mind, I ask where are the learning opportunities for parents to create their own classroom? Their own personal learning network. A classroom that allows them to experience what their children are learning. Parents, well informed, can make their own decisions and by developing a parent/teacher personal network, can drive change.

I met Matt Montagne, a teacher at the University School of Milwaukee, while searching for information around this topic. Matt, Rhoda Cipparone and I, started the Parents as Partners Webcast series as a result. His parent wiki workshop sets the stage for such personal learning networks. Kate Olson had also created a wiki for parents. These are two teachers in a sea of thousands. How many teachers are working with their 21st century parents to make change? If the premise is education for all, surely teachers have a role in educating the parents of their students. What are we doing to increase parent involvement in their child’s education?

I have set up this voice thread for parents and teachers to offer their insights on what the 21st century classroom should look like. The is an opportunity to create a parent workshop. Parents and teachers can share ideas, ask questions propose solutions. All the cartoons are created by Dubuque artist and illustrator, Gary Olsen, Gary draws a cartoon or two every week to post on the Dubuque Schools Website. I thought that laughing at ourselves would help lead the discussion. If you are new to voice thread, here are some tips.

Click on the Bubble Quote Icon and leave a text message, audio message or video.

Come on in the water is warm. Don’t be the last one. Feel free to share your ideas or questions as written comments to this blog post, if your are not able to use the voice thread.

You are welcome to follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/lornacost Help expand the parent-teacher network.
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Tagged as: classroom blogging, Dubuque Schools, face book, Gary Olsen, Kate Olson, Matt Montagne, Parent Involvement, Parent workshop, parent workshops, podcasts, teachers, Voice Thread, Web 2.0 tools, Youtube