So I went on CTools and looked through the list of suggested blogs that Kristin had put up. I also glanced at Jeffs. I ended up looking at a number of them but I found this article to be really interesting: http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/07/10-things-in-school-that-should-be-obsolete/
It made me think of how during high school and college I would often get a lot of good studying done in prayer rooms. If you haven't been to muslim prayer rooms, usually they are just carpeted rooms that are empty. Sometimes there will be book shelves with Qurans for people to pick up and read as well as posters on the walls but usually there isn't really any furniture or seating. I remember I would basically sit on the floor for hours at a time and just go through chemistry chapters until my brain told me it was enough. I remember thinking about how nice it would be to be able to do this in class in general. Also, I don't know about you, but my elementary, middle, and high school classes ALL used to ask to go outside for class. I think beyond the fact that students are trying to avoid work, there is some merit to that request. I love studying outside, especially in the summer, and other than the sometimes obstructive glare of the sun, I really feel like I get a lot done. I think it would be really nice to think about how I would incorporate more fluid models of classroom set up and how this would affect my students learning
I really liked this site. To be honest, a lot of the articles on the site are interesting and a lot of them are meant to have practical implications for teaching ... There are a lot of 'tips' articles as well as 10 best or 50 most articles that seem helpful. Ofcourse I'm not saying that I'm jumping on board with everything on there, just that it's interesting and I like how practical the site is ...
Finally, what got me to visit the site was Kristin's comment about how we should be able to spot someone/thing familiar on the site ... I totally missed that ... what was I supposed to find??
It made me think of how during high school and college I would often get a lot of good studying done in prayer rooms. If you haven't been to muslim prayer rooms, usually they are just carpeted rooms that are empty. Sometimes there will be book shelves with Qurans for people to pick up and read as well as posters on the walls but usually there isn't really any furniture or seating. I remember I would basically sit on the floor for hours at a time and just go through chemistry chapters until my brain told me it was enough. I remember thinking about how nice it would be to be able to do this in class in general. Also, I don't know about you, but my elementary, middle, and high school classes ALL used to ask to go outside for class. I think beyond the fact that students are trying to avoid work, there is some merit to that request. I love studying outside, especially in the summer, and other than the sometimes obstructive glare of the sun, I really feel like I get a lot done. I think it would be really nice to think about how I would incorporate more fluid models of classroom set up and how this would affect my students learning
I really liked this site. To be honest, a lot of the articles on the site are interesting and a lot of them are meant to have practical implications for teaching ... There are a lot of 'tips' articles as well as 10 best or 50 most articles that seem helpful. Ofcourse I'm not saying that I'm jumping on board with everything on there, just that it's interesting and I like how practical the site is ...
Finally, what got me to visit the site was Kristin's comment about how we should be able to spot someone/thing familiar on the site ... I totally missed that ... what was I supposed to find??
Rayhan,
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting that article, "10 Things in School that Should be Obsolete." I hadn't really thought before about how and why schools are designed, nor how spaces can be better utilized. It was really interesting.
I liked your comment about how you study better in prayer rooms. I think study spaces are really important and something to consider when teaching. I too like to study on the floor if I can find a nice mat or pillow to sit on. Often though, I just need to cross my legs and sit indian style, whether that's in a wide chair, on a couch, bed, or mat. A lot of study areas do not accomodate this kind of sitting and make me uncomfortable, something which took me a while to realize (I just thought I was antsy because I couldn't focus, not because I was uncomfortable with how I was sitting). I think providing students with areas where they can sit on the floor, in bean bag chairs, or in large cushioned chairs or couches can really help. If we can help make them more comfortable during studying, maybe they will study more.
Sometimes, the school library can be this refuge (though with the uptick in collaborative learning, they are often noisier than they used to be) for students.
ReplyDeleteI really like the MindShift blog. I can tell how far back you went by the fact that you didn't find the familiar thing. Check out July's post if the itch is still with you. Hint: it's a person. :)
Hey I found you!! I didn't go that far back in July ...
Deletehttp://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/page/5/
There's some really interesting stuff on here Kristin ... I know it's not technically a blog ... but thanks for adding it to your list of blogs to check out!
You and Meg bring up a really good point about study areas, and I think that schools should really help students find what study areas work for them. I, for example, need a bit of noise and I need to be at a table or text where I can spread out all of the papers I need, but my little sister can sit on the couch and get her work done no problem. I always try to encourage her to come to the table but some people just study better when they're comfy!
ReplyDeleteBut I think you both are on the right track of what schools should provide for students - help them identify what is best for them to study. Then maybe the students will be more apt to study at home!
The guy that wrote that "10 things in Schools that should be Obsolete" I think experienced too much "creative thinking" that led him to operate as an adult in a world of irrationality. Hallways should be obsolete? Really? Some of the things he wants to get rid of are ridiculous such as hallways while some are things only possible in fantasy land in any wide scale. I prefer not to live in fantasy land. I prefer to live in the land of hallways.
ReplyDeleteHahah ... okay Matt I see your point but do you think there is merit to the general idea ... that classrooms shouldn't be structured spaces?? I would be interested in what you thought especially since you've worked at the Y camp before and I think that camp learning is inherently less structured than classroom learning is
DeleteThat is an interesting way to study indeed. In ways, it sort of reminds me of Japan. In a traditional Japanese house there is very little furniture and everyone just sits on the floor. During winter it is cold indoors as well, so Japanese children often crowd around a low table that has a heating element and blanket skirt. It is very cozy and a similar area of restricted stimulants to force one to focus.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I need a little distraction and I have read studies that support this. For instance if i am home alone, I might spend hours just twiddling my thumbs because the thought of going back to books sounds so unpleasant. When I have my friends around, however, I can talk to them for 10 minutes or share with them something silly from online and I go back to work refreshed and refocused. Of course there needs to be a balance, but this is what works best for me.
Hey Rayhan, that article seems very interesting. I, like you, also study in out of the ordinary locations, I can't get anything done in the library anymore probably because I know that I'm there to study and get work done and there is literally nothing else to do but that so my body rebels against me and I get nothing done. I think we need to be cognizant of the different array of personalities our students have and while going outside may appeal to some students, it may not to others. I think that integrating different classroom setups can be a great way to maintain student attention and focus on the classroom material and a recess break can do a world of good sometimes, too.
ReplyDelete