21 May Daily Practice Inspired By Linda Darling-Hammond
In 1970 the top three skills required by the Fortune 500 were the three Rs: reading, writing, and arithmetic. In 1999 the top three skills in demand were teamwork, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.
- Linda Darling-Hammond
Today’s Practice:
You and your children can practice these skills by doing the following activity: Kitchen Capers.
This is a group experience that challenges students to practice the skills of negotiation, inclusion, compromise, and listening.
Have your children open up an envelope with the following items:
- Two index cards
- Four toothpicks
- Two paper clips
- Two pencils
- One rubber band
- One balloon
Once the envelope is opened, tell them “we have to invent a kitchen item that no kitchen should be without.” The more creative the idea, the better. All items in the envelopes must be used.
Once the item is completed, or after about 15 minutes or so, ask some or all of the following questions:
- Did our invention change as we went along? If so, how?
- How did we come up with the final idea?
- How do you feel right now?
Linda Darling-Hammond
Linda Darling-Hammond is the Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Emeritus at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. She was also the President and CEO of the Learning Policy Institute. Darling-Hammond is author or editor of more than 500 articles on education policy and practice, and more than 25 books, including The Right to Learn, Teaching as the Learning Profession, Preparing Teachers for a Changing World and The Flat World and Education.