by Linda on September 22, 2009
Beautifully written, complete with a brilliant manifesto that articulates an innovative and imperative vision for education, The Third Teacher Project is a collaboration of many minds from the fields of architecture and design who come together in the shared conviction of a quality education for all.
I discovered the Third Teacher website this summer, when I found that they had written about my students and their participation in the School of the Future Design competition. I was immediately engaged and enheartened to see such profound work being done towards the cause of excellence in education as a fundamental right. Particularly wonderful is the way that the work weaves together the thoughts of many people from a variety of disciplines and develops a new way of seeing curriculum and project based-learning that feels as intuitive as it is visionary as it is activist. I have been blessed with a copy of the book for which I am truly grateful. This work is a voice for justice and transformation. Thanks to all who contributed.
Tagged as:
architecture,
learning environment,
project-based learning,
social justice education
by Linda on August 5, 2009
Two weeks until the school year begins. My fellow teachers and I gather around the table to reflect on our past year and lessons learned. We ask each other: What is your goal for this year? Each answer is different, but adds up to a whole. Add more fun. Maintain balance. Raise the bar. Be a better teacher.
I dont know if students realize that teachers are on a learning path parallel to their own. I wonder if most teachers realize that. It is an exciting place to be, really. A teacher learns everyday in every interaction with students. We come away changed at the end of each year. We grow that into our classroom and curriculum each year, an infinite development resource.
I am overwhelmed with the idea of excellence in teaching. All the details, the variables, the barriers, the dynamics. Being a visual arts instructor, I add into that mix all the thinking relative to excellence in arts and art education. I am constantly assessing and re-assessing my position and thinking relative to each student and each class. While navigating all this I am working on focus, defining the mission of the work I am doing and how I can stay true to what I believe about education and the arts.
Also in question today: How do I envision my classroom environment this year? Central to any work I do as a teacher is the learning environment. I believe in creating environments that are beautiful, that document the active learning that takes place in the space. I believe in space that honors the natural world and invites inquiry and investigation. I believe that the classroom space defines much of how the class will develop as a culture. So, today I will begin the process of creating a space that invites creative and meaningful work, a space that will hopefully inspire my students to explore and innovate, one that will remind me daily of my stated goal for this year: to refine my craft as a teacher, and to work on bringing into alignment what I believe about children and learning and environment towards that end.
Tagged as:
art of teaching,
learning environment
