BBUZZ WORDS are the words one hears, “in the air” ; indicators of “Whats’ Next?” Over the duration of a professional conference and trade show, there are words trending that you hear within various setting, through informal chats in a session, around the lunch crowd as they share the take-aways from the morning, dinner table conversations and, of course on the tweeter feed that is appearing throughout the days and evenings.
The BUZZ WORDS are often NEW NUGGETS that are surfacing. phrase They are glimmers, early signs of what’s coming down the pike, as we say. These buzz words can be first time one hears them. For example, the word “seeking system” as applied to the brain as an anticipatory device that is motivational, causing the learner to want to know, to be seeking and pursuing or they can be new configurations or advancements of initiatives that are already trending. An illustration at the ASCD conference was the phrase, “transforming schools”, rather than school reform. In addition, buzz words can be familiar words that are taken root and have become prevalent in the educational arena. In this category, one word that floated around the conference in keynotes and breakouts and in hallway conversations was “practice”; practice, repetition and rehearsal, with coaching and feedback.TO BROWSE.
BUZZ WORDS TO BROWSE. NOTE THE WORDS THAT RING TRUE FOR YOU. Creativity, Projects, Problem-based Learning, Power of Play, Real World Applications, Digital Widgets, Leadership, STEM, STEAM (add art) , and now STREAM (add reading), Grading (no zeroes), No Averaging, No Grade; Teacher Talk, Reduce, Less is More, Omit, Make Choices, Next Generation of Tests, Balance, Humanities, Critical Thinking, Engaged, Student-Centered, Workplace Skills, Techno-Wizards with App-development exploding among young people. While these are just the words captured by 5 people around the dinner table one night of the conference, it’s clear that there are some things percolating on the back burner, and others have been move to the front burner.
BUZZ WORDS AT-GLANCE, generalizing the oncoming school scene, it may look like this: Leadership crafting schools with student centered classrooms, focused on relevant, real world learning through projects and problem-based inquiry, informed by digital sources and resources.
SURPRISE ENDING! In brief, to summarize the buzz words, COMMON CORE HAS COME OF AGE! Think about it” Complex learning; Student Ownership; Application and Transfer of School Skills to Lifelong Skills. Isn’t that what it’s all been about? The work continues.