Who's interested in reading Five Minds for the Future

Who's interested in reading Five Minds for the Future by Howard Gardner and putting our network onto evaluating and musing about what Gardner thinks? This book just came out. Howard Gardner's multiple intelligence theory proved more than useful. Now he's written "...his prediction for which mental capacities will be of greatest need in the increasingly globalized, rapidly changing 21st-century world." (Education Week, April 25th, 2007)

I know this isn't Book Club, but what if a core of us had a common reference point for discussing the thinking skills involved as we move forward with Classroom 2.0? We could infuse the network with attunement to the cognition of it all.

Also just out in today's Education Week:
"Teachers Unions Taking Professional Development Online"
Just scanned the article; it seems to be referring to a site that contains modules that teachers, particularly beginning teachers, can reference about how to do things, like manage a class.

Somehow that brings to mind the filmstrips we used to see in school. Oh wait--I'm dating myself! Does anyone else know what filmstrips are? (And how about "ditto machines"?!)

In the article, Kathleen McGuigan, an "assistant director in the educational issues department," acknowledges the fact that 56% of the teachers who registered on the site have more than 10 years experience. "That suggests to her that the next digital frontier for the unions will be adapting social-networking software for a community of educators. Think Facebook and MySpace for adult, professional purposes." (Education Week, April 25, 2007)

Seeing this issue of Education Week makes me realize that, thanks to Steve, we're on the cutting edge. Us, Classroom 2.0. Let's run infinity signs around the old filmstrips. Isn't it great to try things out on the pioneering side? So invigorating. Here we are, actively involved in a vastly significant cultural change. That make us scouts of some sort. Picture covered wagons, crossing the country, scouts going forth to sense out the surroundings, finding the way. Or we could shift images to the Hubble Telescope capturing 14 billion-year-old light from the edge of the known universe, shaping our understanding of what and who we are.

Whatever the image, we get to form it. (Other analogies would be very beneficial! Please post yours!) My proposal is that a number of us read this new book by Gardner, and start talking about it. It seems like it'd be relevant, and we may even have some fun.

What do you say?

Tags: Gardner, bookclub

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I won't be ready to discuss for a few days because I just ordered the book. I would be glad to catch up if someone wants to get started sooner.
There was an interview with the author in the Times (UK) which offers a potted digest.
Fantastic! Great article. It's perfect for this discussion group. Thanks so much.
Thank you Pete for share the interview to Howard Gardner trought a simple link

J Guadalupe Salcido
Sounds good! I'll give it a try. I, too, would prefer to start sometime after the first of June when things have settled down a little...or is that just wishful thinking!.
How will we know when the discussion starts.....
Hi Carolyn and Everyone,

I was just thinking of this. Steve Hargadon said we could post our discussions on the main forum page, tagged. We could, for instance, have a theme for a week or two to discuss, then make a new posting. I am wondering just how to get going, and when. Should we start now?

I put up one posting about a week ago on values and ethics, which is a theme that starts and ends the book.

Does anyone have a plan they'd like to suggest? I'm basically of the mind to just get started and see what happens; the discussion will probably take on a form we can't exactly predict now. I could put up a forum post early next week and we could just start. Is this a good idea? (Or anyone else could start, too.)

Any preferences?
I'll check out the other posting. I have the book ordered, so haven't started reading yet and probably won't do much till school is out...too hectic right now! I am anxious to read and discuss, though. See you there!
There's a group set up now--see you there!
This video presentation that Gardner gave at the Royal Society in London last year may help you to get started: http://www.teachers.tv/video/5452 or http://www.rsa.org.uk/events/speakerCloseUp.asp?speakerID=1345

At the risk of sounding contrary, though, I don't think he is saying anything new here. ;)
Contrary views are part of the mix! As I read the book, at some points I wondered the same thing, about whether he's really saying wholly new. It's basically a somewhat new organizational structure, a viewpoint, a framework. As we read the book, other authors/thinkers/educators should be bought up. The discussion can just be a springboard for talk about nurturing learners' minds--any and every way we can. I think it is a "new kind of mind" we're tying to nurture--and I'm not sure how strongly Gardner is emphasizing this. We may need to do this work. Gardner's book is simply a springboard.

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