Ten
Ideas for Better Classrooms
I just watched the amazing video on Edutopia called
“10 Ideas for Better Classrooms.” The video begins with a thought that I think
sums up what teaching should strive for: “Imagine if kids, from the beginning,
could be learning through developing the interests – through things they are in
love with, that they care about.” I
fully believe that teachers should strive to teach students through the
students’ interests and wants. Right now
I am taking college classes, and I know that I retain so much more when the
material interests me and is relevant to my life in some way. If it works for me, why would it not work for
my future students as well?
The ten ideas in the video are simple, and yet I
believe that the ideas are sometimes hard to implement in the classroom. The
following are the ten ideas for better classrooms and my thoughts on what they
mean:
1.
Project-Based Learning
·
Make the students excited about solving
a problem. The students in the video
were competing with one another to design a dome for a futuristic school in
geometry, or elementary students were building a fire extinguisher for
space. This hands on approach helps create
interest in the students.
2.
Technology Integration
·
Technology is prevalent in today’s
society and students tend to use it frequently outside of school. The students are familiar with and interested
in technology. Therefore, teachers
should utilize this interest, and incorporate up to date technology in their
classrooms to cultivate interests and assist learning.
3.
Integrated Studies
·
Take a unit that may be featured across
the curriculum and incorporate it in all studies. The video showed an 8th grade
class that had a unit on cars. The
teachers got together and incorporated this unit in all subjects. In Science, the students built the car. Then, in Language-arts, the students wrote
car commercials, and finally, they calculated loan payments in Math. I believe
that this would be a fantastic way to build interests and hold students’
attention.
4.
Cooperative Learning
·
I did not have cooperative learning
when I was in school and was hesitant about this concept when I first heard
about it a few years ago. However, the
more I learn about it, the more I believe it should be incorporated in the
classroom. Students learn how to arrive
at an answer through communication, collaboration, and problem solving. These students learn through working with
each other!
5.
Comprehensive Assessment
·
Focus on in-depth learning instead of
teaching to the test!
6.
Emotional Intelligence
·
I really like the quote “educating the
heart is as important as educating the mind.”
Students need to realize their feelings are important, and I think that
good self-esteem will lead to better learning.
7.
Teacher Preparation
·
I believe that the direction that
teaching programs are moving is a major improvement. The video mentions that “getting perspective
teachers into real-life classroom settings early and work with a mentor teacher”
really helps teachers reach their full potential.
8.
Parental Involvement
·
Implement programs that involve
parents. I loved how the school in the
video included the cultural aspects of the students into the school
programs.
9.
Community Partners
·
Get members of the community
involved. I think that this is an
important aspect that gets overlooked.
The school is part of the community, and the community makes decisions
that affect the schools. By getting the
community involved, it helps the schools, students, and those in the community.
10. Maximize
Resources
·
Don’t forget to utilize the resources
in the community.
"10 Ideas for Better Classrooms." 2005. Edutopia.
Ed. Edutopia. Web. 20 February 2014.
<http://www.edutopia.org/10-big-ideas-better-classrooms-video>.
