Two things for this week that I thought were pretty interesting. I’ve been working on some videos for the kids to learn from (who isn’t I guess) and it’s helped me become more connected with my block. I’m usually outside and walk the same paths, and I’m usually looking as closely as I can. But I haven’t gone out just to look. This time has given me the opportunity to really look at my place. To get to know it a bit better, and I definitely encountered some new ideas.
Secondly, I’ve just started reading The Power of Place: Authentic Learning through Place-based education. While I generally don’t really enjoy education books, perhaps because of my biases I am kind of into this one. I’m not really far into it, but there is a lot of overlap between this book and the IB. I can see me pitching a new type of Open Minds based on this book, so I’m pretty excited to get more into it. The idea of agency and how kids learn more when things are relevant and in their community means a lot to me, but my constant tension is how to do that in an international school, especially one that is in a pretty affluent area.
Anyway, it’s been a good couple of weeks doing some e-learning.
Joe Teft 