Growing up, once I walked into my classroom I was expected to hang up my coat and quietly make my way to my seat. Once I sat in my seat I was expected by my teacher to stay there and do my work without un-gluing myself from it unless I had permission. I was reading around on Monday a couple newspaper websites looking for something to feed my brain with and I stumbled across this article in the NY Times. The article was about how this school is using a rather unconventional desk for students to focus more in class. I found it rather interesting but at the same time I have to say depressing. It hasn't even been a decade since I was in grade school myself where I dreaded those hard wood rather stuffy desks, that I had to battle everyday to not loose my mind. I was never the type to just sit in a chair I liked to fidget and move and be able to have space. Today these students can do exactly that without the losing their focus in class. I had the privilege to have gone to school Four today and this article popped into my head I saved the link for people interested (it's under the "Grab attention" NY TIMES link). As I observed around the classroom while they finished their English section I noticed how some students where just sitting quietly without much movement listening to the teacher whereas if I looked to my left I saw another student paying the same attention to the lesson but fidgeting as if he was uncomfortable in the rather small desk. I made a connection between the students and the article, it made me think about how every student learns at a different rate or in a different form. What might seem unconventional and unnecessary to some can be crucial for teachers to educate their students. Wednesday, March 4, 2009
"Leaving the Old Behind"
Growing up, once I walked into my classroom I was expected to hang up my coat and quietly make my way to my seat. Once I sat in my seat I was expected by my teacher to stay there and do my work without un-gluing myself from it unless I had permission. I was reading around on Monday a couple newspaper websites looking for something to feed my brain with and I stumbled across this article in the NY Times. The article was about how this school is using a rather unconventional desk for students to focus more in class. I found it rather interesting but at the same time I have to say depressing. It hasn't even been a decade since I was in grade school myself where I dreaded those hard wood rather stuffy desks, that I had to battle everyday to not loose my mind. I was never the type to just sit in a chair I liked to fidget and move and be able to have space. Today these students can do exactly that without the losing their focus in class. I had the privilege to have gone to school Four today and this article popped into my head I saved the link for people interested (it's under the "Grab attention" NY TIMES link). As I observed around the classroom while they finished their English section I noticed how some students where just sitting quietly without much movement listening to the teacher whereas if I looked to my left I saw another student paying the same attention to the lesson but fidgeting as if he was uncomfortable in the rather small desk. I made a connection between the students and the article, it made me think about how every student learns at a different rate or in a different form. What might seem unconventional and unnecessary to some can be crucial for teachers to educate their students. 
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I think about this all the time: students learn at different paces. I'm learning lots about something called differentiated instruction.
ReplyDeleteTake another look at this sentence (How can it be enhanced):
"As I observed around the classroom while they finished their English section I noticed how some students where just sitting quietly without much movement listening to the teacher whereas if I looked to my left I saw another student paying the same attention to the lesson but fidgeting as if he was uncomfortable in the rather small desk."