I loved learning about Krissy Venosdale and Sugata Mitra. Their ideas really intrigued me! Venosdale's ideas of her "school" involving creativity and free-spiritedness in the classroom inspired me so much! I love her ideas of making technology a constant part of the day and not being so concerned about the curriculum, but focusing on digging deep in learning. Mitra's ideas were very thought-provoking as well. He discussed things that I had never really thought about before. I loved his creativity involving his dream school. I think it is so awesome to dream of a school in the clouds where it is not necessarily run by adults. Instead, students are taught through technology and only a "granny" is available for health and safety. Instead of people being spare parts, students are able to use technology to increase their intellectual minds.
If I were to build a school, I would make it so kid-friendly. I would be teaching third grade because it is right in the middle of the elementary school years. Children are not babies anymore, but there is still so much to learn. Below I will explain some details about what I would like my dream school to be like and the methods I will use in my classroom.
What I want my students to know...
I would want my students to know that they are all equal. I promise to never treat any child differently than others. I believe it is important that children know from the very first day that they have the exact same opportunity to learn and succeed as everyone else. They should not feel inferior, but know that we are a family and show no judgement. I want my students to know the importance of an education and how learning can be and is fun!
What I want my students to be able to do...
I want my students to be able to have confidence in themselves in order to work independently. Yes, asking questions is acceptable and greatly needed, but I want them to know it is all right to try and make mistakes. I want my students to be able to work well with each other and in groups. I want them to be able to learn not only from me but from each other.
My primary way of teaching my students what I want them to know and do...
My primary way of teaching my students everything that I want them to know and do will be through exciting technology, experiments, and activities. There will be lots of hands on type activities that allow students to visually see what we are learning and to also be creative. It is often very difficult for students to pay attention primarily through lecture. Their attention spans are not very long, and teachers often lose students' focus. I want my students to have fun while learning!
What tools will I use in my classroom...
In my classroom I will use lots of technology. iPads and personal computers will be available to work on. In addition, we will have at least one smart board for the students to use very often. Technology is growing very quickly, and it is important to expose children to this at a very young age. We will also use tools that everyday classrooms have like markers, crayons, paint, etc. Like I stated earlier, we will be doing a lot of hands on experiments and activities, so we will need these types of tools as well.
The role my students will play in the classroom...
My students will have a VERY important role in the classroom. They will participate in the learning process in many ways. I believe that students are the just as great of help to each other than a teacher can be sometimes. Students can often explain lessons and subjects to each other on a more practical level than a teacher could. So, the students will have set times and days where they teach the class something. I think this is so great! This is great for the class but also for the student who is teaching. They learn it better themselves when they teach it to others. This will also help with the students' self esteem and confidence.
No comments:
Post a Comment