Curriculum Day, 2/20/2007

Marco Torres, an Apple Distinguished Educator, served as our school's Curriculum Day Keynote Speaker on 2/20/07. As a former public school teacher with ESL training, I could relate to the challenges Torres faces teaching a heterogenous, often transient student population for whom English is not the first language. I also appreciated his simple 3-point checklist for an effective curriculum: that it be relevant, meaningful, and applicable. Technology enables teachers to meet all three criteria, as it provides a conduit for students to communicate with an audience beyond the classroom and gives "wings" to their learning.

Thought Torres made an astute observation regarding the differences between adult and student relationships to technology--that adults view it as a productivity tool, whereas students view it as a vehicle to produce, share, and disseminate information.

I also appreciated the student success stories shared by Torres--the producers of "Power of One", a PSA on the power of voting, who now have jobs working for MTV's Rock the Vote, and his anecdote about David Pena, who arranged the "Star Wars" score mariachi-style and consequently received accolades (and funding, woo hoo!) from composer John Williams. Had these students not received opportunities to showcase and validate their strengths, arguably, they might've joined the thousands of disenfranchised, alienated students who don't see the long-term rewards of school. Teachers in both the public and private sectors have an obligation to help students discover significance in education; a personal, intrinsic stake in learning provides a metaphoric compass, giving direction and inspiring perseverance. By providing students with opportunities to demonstrate their learning in creative and diverse ways which showcase their strengths and talents, teachers make curriculum meaningful.

That being said, as noted educator Rafe Esquith states, "There are no shortcuts" to a strong educational foundation. Many of us in the break-out session following Torres' presentation voiced concerns about the need to balance style and substance when it comes to integrating technology and learning. In his speech, Torres intimated that the PSA provided a more valid assessment of student learning than a traditional 15 page research paper on the power of individual votes in the political process. To me, however, the measures aren't equivalent--in fact, they have completely different goals. The "Power of One" PSA was an effective, slick, propaganda piece, where students selected and deliberately constructed information in order to persuade. A research paper, in contrast, would present nuanced, sophisticated, scholarly analysis and contextualized, balanced examination of a topic. In a college-preparatory context like Punahou, while the PSA is an authentic and valid learning product, we'd require additional measures to fully assess the substance and depth of student learning.

Technology provides wonderful, unparalled outlets for expression. But as we at Punahou "lean forward", as Torres would say, more than ever, we must ensure that students possess the strong foundation that creates polished work worth sharing. I savor that constant cycle of innovation creating and recreating myself as a teacher--a phoenix, born again and again, arising from the ashes of carbonized educational theories past. Still, these three things abide the crucible of fire: being a wise and omnivorous reader, an incisive, expressive writer, and an eloquent speaker. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God.