Comments on: Open Thread 1: Your Dreams of Alternative Schools? http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/ More learning. Less schooliness. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:53:20 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Melva http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-3824 Melva Mon, 12 May 2008 08:02:38 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/#comment-3824 Hi I've enjoyed reading your thought re what an alternative school can look like. I was part of an exciting opportunity to begin an alternative primary school here in Christchurch NZ. We have been going over 8 years now and I have moved from a foundation parent to being a paid full time teacher at this exciting school. We decided to write a differnt brief for what we wanted a school to be and this was our special character.It has many facets but very very briefly it includes aspects such as: first ask the child what they need to learn, we are a community of learners where everyone is a learner and everyone is a teacher, we are a partnership with families, parents are expected to be part of our teaching community, innovation is an expectation of everyone, everyone is respected as a learner with strengths and challenges, we are creating whole people who multifaceted etc. One of the important things that we began and have continued with is a redefining of the language we use, teachers are learning advisors and go by their first name, classrooms are called homebases as the intention is that the child use them as a base from which they explore the world outside of the school, our principal is called a director and our school is called Discovery - with new language we can create new thinking. It's an amazing place to be and work! Melva Hi I’ve enjoyed reading your thought re what an alternative school can look like. I was part of an exciting opportunity to begin an alternative primary school here in Christchurch NZ. We have been going over 8 years now and I have moved from a foundation parent to being a paid full time teacher at this exciting school. We decided to write a differnt brief for what we wanted a school to be and this was our special character.It has many facets but very very briefly it includes aspects such as: first ask the child what they need to learn, we are a community of learners where everyone is a learner and everyone is a teacher, we are a partnership with families, parents are expected to be part of our teaching community, innovation is an expectation of everyone, everyone is respected as a learner with strengths and challenges, we are creating whole people who multifaceted etc.
One of the important things that we began and have continued with is a redefining of the language we use, teachers are learning advisors and go by their first name, classrooms are called homebases as the intention is that the child use them as a base from which they explore the world outside of the school, our principal is called a director and our school is called Discovery – with new language we can create new thinking.
It’s an amazing place to be and work! Melva

]]> By: taylortheteacher's blog, page 2 - StumbleUpon http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-3823 taylortheteacher's blog, page 2 - StumbleUpon Mon, 12 May 2008 07:37:12 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/#comment-3823 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] Open Thread 1: Why Arent We Creating Alternative Schools? | Beyond School [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> [...] Open Thread 1: Why Arent We Creating Alternative Schools? | Beyond School [...]

]]> By: Category: Schools - Learning Conversations http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-3246 Category: Schools - Learning Conversations Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:55:34 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/#comment-3246 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] Continuing on from last week's post: Education for a 21st Century Society and also responding to Clay Burrell's request for dreams of an alternative school... [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> [...] Continuing on from last week’s post: Education for a 21st Century Society and also responding to Clay Burrell’s request for dreams of an alternative school… [...]

]]> By: This Is Why I Play The Lottery | Catching Sparrows http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-1936 This Is Why I Play The Lottery | Catching Sparrows Fri, 01 Feb 2008 23:47:13 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/#comment-1936 [...] This thread at a blog I was referred to asks “Why aren’t we creating more alternative schools?” [...] [...] This thread at a blog I was referred to asks “Why aren’t we creating more alternative schools?” [...]

]]> By: The Social Reactor: Schools « Freelance Techie http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-1812 The Social Reactor: Schools « Freelance Techie Sun, 27 Jan 2008 03:03:57 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/#comment-1812 [...] the Titanic. I quote from the book, Why Schools Fail. The passage I am taking, is after the Author… Bruce [...] [...] the Titanic. I quote from the book, Why Schools Fail. The passage I am taking, is after the Author… Bruce [...]

]]> By: You Got Punk’d: An Open Letter to American Parents | Taylor the Teacher http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-1477 You Got Punk’d: An Open Letter to American Parents | Taylor the Teacher Mon, 07 Jan 2008 01:52:41 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/#comment-1477 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] Open Thread 1: Why Aren't We Creating Alternative Schools? | Beyond School // Dec 31, 2007 at 10:46 [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> [...] Open Thread 1: Why Aren’t We Creating Alternative Schools? | Beyond School // Dec 31, 2007 at 10:46 [...]

]]> By: Louise Maine http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-1451 Louise Maine Sat, 05 Jan 2008 14:43:12 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/01/open-thread-1-your-dreams-of-alternative-schools/#comment-1451 As a teacher relatively new but making great strides to using 21st century skills in my classroom, I am understanding why a majority of my students are so frustrated. I feel so constrained and confined by the present system. I would like to think that we can save the system but cannot see how that is possible. I live in a rural, poor, conservative area. I am grateful for my job and hesitant to jump without feeling I would have some sort of job security. I am also not in a position to move (we own a 3rd generation farm). But my frustration might put me there. Michael, I would love to be a teacher under your administration. What you propose is what it should be. Students should have an opportunity to explore, learn and collaborate in projects they are interested in and serve a purpose for their future (vocational so to speak). But, connecting students globally to become better citizens - can you imagine what the future of the world could be like if enough of these schools existed globally? I, too, am continuing my quest this year to expand my teaching and learning and have enough bravery to make the leap too. <em>Louise Maine's last blog post..<a href='http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/HurricaneMaine/~3/211177560/real-model.html' rel="nofollow">A real model?</a></em> As a teacher relatively new but making great strides to using 21st century skills in my classroom, I am understanding why a majority of my students are so frustrated. I feel so constrained and confined by the present system. I would like to think that we can save the system but cannot see how that is possible.

I live in a rural, poor, conservative area. I am grateful for my job and hesitant to jump without feeling I would have some sort of job security. I am also not in a position to move (we own a 3rd generation farm). But my frustration might put me there.

Michael, I would love to be a teacher under your administration. What you propose is what it should be. Students should have an opportunity to explore, learn and collaborate in projects they are interested in and serve a purpose for their future (vocational so to speak). But, connecting students globally to become better citizens – can you imagine what the future of the world could be like if enough of these schools existed globally?

I, too, am continuing my quest this year to expand my teaching and learning and have enough bravery to make the leap too.

Louise Maine’s last blog post..A real model?

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