Friday, August 23, 2013

Blog Assignment #1

If I built a school...

Sugata Mitra and Krissy Venosdale dream of open learning environments, where learning happens naturally. His "School in the Clouds" and her "Innovation Zone" are very similar in that they each want to place the control of the class in the hands of the students. Children are naturally inquisitive. Mitra and Venosdale both wish to capitalize on this natural drive to learn about the world around them. Mitra's "Hole in the Wall" project is an incredible example of the way children can adapt and learn. Non-English speaking kids were given a computer, and a simple "I don't know what that is!" He then stepped away, and let them take over. The results are astounding. They mastered the device, the language, and were learning things far beyond what Mitra thought possible. At one point he put complex biochemistry on a computer, trying to defeat his own experiment. And they still learned it! Venosdale wants a school where learning is the end goal, instead of passing standardized tests. Both people have revolutionary ideas that are going to shape the future of education. And that is where myself and my peers come into play. We have to be the ones who change the way classrooms work. We have to be the teachers stepping back and saying, "There is a better way to do this, and I am going to find it." Personally, I would like to teach Kindergartners or first graders. At that age, since they are just starting school, I would be building their foundations. Teaching them how to behave in class. That it is okay to ask questions! And to show them how to get the answers. One of the key components of that is reading. If they leave my classroom with a healthy appetite for knowledge, and the skills to find answers for themselves, then I will be satisfied.

Boy reading to young girl


What I want my students to know:

I want my students to learn as much as they can. I hate taking tests. I'm sure they do as well! I want them to learn for the sake of learning, not because I force them to regurgitate a concept every two weeks. Every child has a passion. Let them learn about what they want to learn about, I say!

What I want my students to be able to do:

I want them to have the skills they need to survive beyond my classroom. Being able to read, write, study, and teach yourself are all valuable skills that they will need for the rest of their lives.

How I will teach them:

I will use what they already love to teach them those things. As a child, I loved dinosaurs. And I remember sitting with my grandmother and sounding out the scientific names of the dinosaurs. There were times when she would look at a word and say "I have no idea!" And I would say, "That's easy! Vel-o-ci-rap-tor." By reaching out to them, and engaging them, I will be able to teach them far more effectively. I will also stand aside, as my grandmother did, and let them show me that they can do it. I will give them the blocks, and let them build their own towers with them.

The tools I will use:

Technology will play a large part in my classroom. I think it will be easier to engage the students with it. I know that taking paper notes was a drag. Being able to bring my laptop and type my notes was fantastic. And I was much more likely to take detailed notes with my computer, because it was easier. So I will translate that into my classroom by replacing traditional methods with new technology where I am able. Another wonderful, but under-utilized, tool in the classroom is letting the students teach other students. I think by dividing them into groups, showing each group a different concept, and then rotating the children into different groups, they can gang up on a concept, learn it, and then show it to their peers. There were times in school where I would be asked a question about a problem. By helping another person with that problem, it further cemented the lesson into my brain. I was using the knowledge I already had, but having to re-explain it gave me a better understanding of it.

The role of my students:

As I said before, I will allow them to teach each other. Letting them actively engage in the process will be very beneficial to them in the long run. Also, if my students have iPads or computers, I will put a question to them, and let them find the answer. I think that looking information up for yourself sticks better than information that you are told. I will give them space and let their natural curiosity take over. I will create an environment where they learn because they want to, not because they have to. I want them to love school, not dread it. I think one of the most important things that I can do as an educator, is to encourage a love of learning, and that is what my goal will be in the classroom.

1 comment:

  1. "We have to be the teachers stepping back and saying, "There is a better way to do this, and I am going to find it." YES!

    Thoughtful. Thorough. Very well done. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete