I was enthralled by the chapter "Could We Build a Poem Like a Bridge?" from Vascellaro's book, Out of the Classroom and Into the World. It was filled with creativity and variety. It got me thinking of ways to apply the "Bridge" theme or other similar themes to high school curricula. In order to do that, it would be necessary to collaborate with teachers in a variety of subjects. If we continue on with the bridge concept, high school math students could learn about measurements and geometrical concepts of bridges. In Physics, students could learn about load, materials and other physical properties. In English class, students could learn the vocabulary of bridge-building and maybe even learn to write technical papers in addition to creative writing about bridges (and read bridge related literature). In History, students could learn the history and importance of certain bridges as part of a larger lesson on the history of transportation and the history of technology.
A curriculum needs to have some basic things in it, perhaps most importantly, a goal for what concepts the students are to learn. Then the curriculum can be built with those in mind. At the end, there should be some sort of assessment to decide if the goal was met or not. I love creativity in curricula, but I'm also a realist that every concept we want students to learn can not be made into a fun project. There just isn't enough time. Ultimately, we want students to learn and enjoy learning. If we can capture their interest with a few fascinating projects, then maybe we can keep their interest even when the material isn't quite as creatively presented.
I too feel that curriculum needs to be constructed to meet the needs of students. Each student has a different learning style and it is important to design our teaching methods to address each of these styles to give each student a fair chance at learning the material. And you are correct that it may not be possible to make every topic fun and creative but I do think it is beneficial to try and relate the material to the students to at least make them recognize how it's applicable in their everyday life, regardless of how dry the subject may be.
ReplyDeleteCreative Curricula is vital to today’s education. With the implementation and emphasis on state mandated testing, our students need us to facilitate their dreams. It is up to us to yes, present mandated materials, but it is critical as teachers to present these materials in creative ways that our students can attach to. We not only owe it to our students but also to ourselves. Presenting mundane boring content as some may view is only going to lead to classroom dissonance and frustration on our part. Like Vascellaro's book suggests, in not so many words, is to produce projects that are interdisciplinary and that the students can identify with. Attacking the project from every angle whether through math, science or history, applying all of the core subjects into one project makes logical sense. Students will gain the big picture in a holistic manner. Students will not only engage in whole-brain learning, but they will also engage in cooperative learning, utilize multiple intelligences and gain knowledge of whole systems.
ReplyDeleteI also learn visually and when I take notes, especially with technical subjects, I use the four color Bic pen. I have been teased for using this pen but it is an easy way to emphasize important ideas or to illustrate key concepts. Every school and teacher should try to find a way to come together to foster learning. The bridge concept would be a great approach that could even be tailored in ways to make them more relatable by region. You may also like some of Luke’s ideas he talks about in his “My school” blog. Any way that a curriculum can be integrated would benefit the student and bring innovation to the classroom.
ReplyDeleteUsing a blank piece of paper and colored pencils to teach your daughter about algebraic or geometric concepts is such a clever way to use multiple resources to teach math. I agree that we should use creativity and variety when we are teaching our future students because so many students refuse to grasp certain concepts because they do not find them interesting. I realize that not all students will take to every subject that they are mandated to learn, but we should at least strive to make it interesting.
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