The fantasy is this: I create this school located on acres and acres of usable farm land where students raise animals, grow food to support the community, utilizing the "outdoor classroom" that nature has given us to connect, build, experiment and explore all areas of the curriculum. Did I mention that my students were poor, inner city children who pay no tuition?
At first glance you may think that my fantasy school is un-doable, but it actually has much in common with Alan November's "Digital Learning Farm." The idea here is that the students are contributing their hands, their voices, their creativity, their intellect towards something that will benefit the community. So many of the tasks students do every day in their classrooms have no purpose other than for students to "learn" the material. What if there was an end met, some type of need fulfilled, a good deed done, somewhere for every assignment given to our students in the classroom... Wouldn't that change the world? Students would be active producers in their lives. At this moment, as I've already discussed in previous posts, children in our society are reduced to mere consumers.
My cooperating teacher last semester worked so hard each day… much harder than the students. She did the thinking, the writing, the talking. I really don’t know how she does it all. The students were bystanders in their own learning experiences, consumers of the classroom...
Alan November outlines ways for students to become active participants and producers! through the use of technology. From assigning class "researchers" or "scribes" to creating podcasts that review the curriculum, these ideas give students an opportunity to create and produce in the classroom, building knowledge and confidence while making contributions to their communities large and small. It's comforting to know that until I get to my fantasy farm, I can utilize these practices in a real classroom, every day.
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1 comment:
I thought it was interesting that you noted the amount of work the colloborating teacher from your class put on herself. I have found in my first year of teaching doing more work than my own students and feeling somewhat remorseful about it. I think it sometimes seems easier to do for student instead of modeling, correcting, and managing them while they do things themselves. It takes a ton of planning, organization, and management to do any activity well. However, the planning is worth it because the student learn so much from doing and not being told how things are.
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