Friday, February 15, 2013

Blog Post # 5

If I built A School
First I just have to say I loved reading If I Built A School by Krissy Venosdale! Ms. Venosdale spoke beautifully to me. How she described her dream school was stunning. I could picture everything she described to a tee. I'm a huge fan of coffee so when she talked about how her dream school would have "A cafeteria that looks like a seating area at a cozy, modern coffee house and could be used throughout the day as another comfy gathering space." I become 100% on board with her dream school! Coffee throughout the day without leaving the building? Yes please!What I loved most about Ms. Venosdale's dream school is how she talked about how the students would be excited to learn. Instead of making school an institution made to just push students through until they graduate, she talked with such enthusiasm about making it a institution that students couldn't wait to get to and the students couldn't wait to exercise their brains. It was a beautiful description of how a school should be. Not how school's have sadly turned out to be.

The way that Ms. Venosdale spoke about her dream school sent many ideas my way about how I would want to build my dream school. From what I could tell from Ms. Venosdale's description of her dream school, she LOVES color. And it just so happens that I also love anything that has color and love the saying "Live Colorfully", but if I could have a Willy Wonka moment and be able to build my dream school, I'd start with the front doors. The doors would have huge signs in many different languages that say "Welcome". Once you get into the hallways this is where there would be nothing but students art work plastered all over the place. Showing off all their artistic capabilities. I'd have nothing but floor to ceiling windows throughout the whole school. Letting in nothing but natural sunlight. Each room would have computers that actually work and help the students grow and see what the world has to offer beyond their classroom. Each room would would also have little nook areas where the students could relax and enjoy reading his or her assignments. In the center of the school I would have a courtyard where the students could go outside and enjoy the weather while they do homework or eat lunch. And with my love for coffee, I would have a little cafe in the center of the courtyard where students and teachers both could get there little caffeine fix towards the middle or end of the day. I would make the learning hands on and let the students actually see what they're learning. No just sitting in their seats for eight hours writing notes. I'd make the students interact with activities. Help them get excited about learning and show them why they need to know the information they're receiving.


Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir
Watching Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir was stunning. It felt as though he took time and space and just stopped it for a second. How he did that with people who were in USA, Germany, Singapore, and many other places is amazing. I had no clue that a man could think of using the internet, to get a handful of people from all over the world,and compose a beautiful song with nothing but strangers voices. Mr. Whitacre is a man who knew what to do with the internet and his time by not just checking his Facebook or Twitter. He used the internet instead to create a piece of musical masterpiece.

Teaching in the 21st Century
To Robert's teaching isn't just paper, pencil, and a desk anymore. Roberts is stating that teachers need to go above and beyond. We need to start teaching students skills they can use everyday. What they learn in class isn't as hard to find now. Almost everyone can navigate Google, Wikipedia, Iphones, Ipads, and computers. The answers to questions are easy to find. But showing students how to live is different. I agree with the video. The World is dramatically changing. What once use to be the gigantic world is now not as big. You can watch anything that's across the World in a matter of seconds. The whole point of school is to be challenged. To get your head thinking of ways and ideas to solve problems. The old way of teaching isn't doing that anymore. As a teacher Robert's said it best "Our charge is to provide MEANINGFUL and POWERFUL engagement" That means getting students engaged in activities and not just sitting in a desk.

Flipped Classrooms
The flipped classroom is a new concept to me. And I'm kind of uneasy about it. I would have to test it out before I could say yes, I am going to use this concept in my classroom or no, I am not going to use this concept in my classroom. The reason I'm so uneasy, is because this is the first time I've heard of this. And I could be wrong, but as an Elementary Education Major I find it hard to believe that students in elementary school will go home and watch a video of me teaching a new concept and comprehend it. As the students become older and more responsible I could see that happening. But with students in elementary school, I could that as being a possible fail. Also in elementary school you're having to depend a lot on the parent of the student. If that parent doesn't want to or doesn't have the time to help his or her child with the video, than the video will not be watched. I like the concept of "Flipping the Classroom" but I would have to test it out before I decided wether or not it would be a good idea for my classroom.

2 comments:

  1. I enjoyed reading your blog post, especially your paragraph about the perfect school. Your school sounds very inspiring, and I would have loved to attend school there. I agree with your comment on Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir. I had no idea something like that could be created over the internet. Before watching the video, I would have never thought that a beautiful song like this could be created over the internet. I also agree with your thoughts about Teaching in the 21st Century. The world is definitely changing. Students need to do more than sit in a desk and have information poured into their heads. They need to be engaged in learning. After watching the videos on the flipped classrooms, I felt the same way you did. I was uneasy with the idea. How could I be sure students would watch the material before they came to class? I am a secondary education major, so my concerns stem from lack of access or students simply not wanting to do their work. Since you are an elementary education major, I agree you would have more concerns than other teachers. In elementary school, students rely a lot on their parents. I would worry about the younger students more than I would the older students. Your blog post was very thoughtful and interesting. Great job.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your description of the dream school talks only about the look and feel of the school. What about no grade levels and advancement based on readiness and abilities? What about the emphasis on creativity and critical thinking? What about the massive use of technologies including computers, iPads, SMARTboards, video equipment for learning, not entertainment?

    Thoughtful. Interesting. You make good points about the flipped classroom. But we should not reach a decision until we try it out!It appears to work in math classes at the elementary level!

    ReplyDelete