Because It’s 2015

download It was the mid ‘70s and our basement office was adorned  with two large posters  ~ one was David Cassidy and  the  other was Pierre Elliott Trudeau.  Like most girls my  age, I was determined to be the one who would win the  heart of David Cassidy and be whisked away to be a  member of the Partridge Family.

The other poster  belonged to  my dad.  I don’t recall whether he purchased it himself  or it was a gift from someone who knew him well.  Needless to say, I grew up in a very Liberal household, where Pierre Elliott Trudeau held the same “superstar status” as teenage heart throbs.  So as one can imagine, the resurrection of the Liberal Party with the second generation of the Trudeau clan has been a cause for celebration for my dad and therefore I’m dedicating this post to him.Trudeau Election Poster

Last week, when Justin Trudeau was asked about his reason for selecting a gender equal cabinet, his response, “Because it’s 2015” was trending throughout social media within minutes.

There is such power in those three words and I wonder if we can use that same phrase and start a trending pattern of our own, in terms of learning and education.

Why should we incorporate the appropriate technological tools into our learning environments? Because it’s 2015

Why should we teach digital citizenship?  Because it’s 2015

Why should we replace weekly prescribed spelling lists with meaningful word study activities? Because it’s 2015

Why should we open our classroom doors and celebrate the opportunity to collaborate with other educators? Because it’s 2015

Why should we break down hierarchical levels within an organization and value the ideas of all invested members? Because it’s 2015

Why should we honour student voice and choice? Because it’s 2015

Why should we revision our idea of a traditional learning environment? Because it’s 2015

Why should we explore quality literature written in this century? Because it’s 2015

Why should we explore new ways to engage parents in contemporary assessment strategies, such as electronic portfolios? Because it’s 2015

Why should we provide our students with rich authentic tasks, which cannot be simply answered with a Google search?  Because it’s 2015

 

My list is by no means exhaustive…  I challenge you to add a question about education and learning which begs the answer “Because it’s 2015″

Come write with me…..