Challenge!

This is surely an overused word. The number f times I have heard people start sentences with : "Let me challenge you," or 'Today I want to challenge you," and then proceed with something decidedly not challenging or radical.

Today, however, the true meaning and scope of challenge in education is becoming clearer.

We all know that there are many 'challenges' facing the educational community; budgets, class sizes, management issues, curriculum overcrowding and technology to name but a few.

The real challenge however is, I believe, more fundamental and relates to how we, and the children we teach, learn.

Apple have developed the Challenge Based Learning programme to open to us as educators, the benefits of challenge. It is something we have been trying to implement in school over the past number of weeks and months and seeing some real progress. Allowing the children to be let loose on learning, to solve problems and answer questions and investigate solutions is the way forward.
It was so inspiring to hear the concept laid out and substantiated at Apple Distinguished Educator 2011.

Now to take the learning to school.

That's the challenge!


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