Focus

Mr. Curtis recommended a book for me to read called Focus. I have really enjoyed reading it and agree with it's ideas. The author thinks we need to simplify education by going back to the basics of reading, thinking, writing, debating and discussing. Conversation is the best way for students to cement new content inside their mind. He also thinks we need to greatly simplify our standards in order to focus on the most important ones. He also discusses the importance of modeling, thinking aloud, pair-sharing and lots of guided practice. Too many teachers have abandoned these fundamental procedures in teahing. He thinks these reasons have led to the deterioration of the education in our nation today.

The amazing fact though is that I understood most of what he was discussing and even better...I know how to teach using the fundamental principles he listed!