You're probably not surprised to learn when looking at this picture that we all would like to be magically transported Tomas's classroom immediately. Consider Tomas's contentions:
- Having to teach to the Common Core Standards doesn't mean I can't have fun with my lessons.
- Giving students experiences that require imaginative play makes school fun and gives them positive memories
- I can teach my students what they need to know, while having imaginative play a part of the classroom.
If you tuned in to yesterday's conversation with Paul Prior, you probably recognize some of these ideas. But even if you have read Vygotsky, Dewey, or other sociocultural theorists in your educational training, this probably makes a lot of sense. The world is a playground, after all. So why do we keep seeing these tenets squeezed out of classrooms? Thanks, Tomas, for reminding us of the importance of keeping play in our classrooms.
This was such a wonderful and refreshing way to end our teaching demonstrations. We finish galvanized and ready to ask our students to use their imaginations in their learning.
- Q1: what resources do we draw upon for inspiration, persistence, and response to frustration, esp. working in an unfamiliar medium?
- Q2: How does your answer from Q1 reflect on yourself as a learner / writer / composer?
- Q3: How have a medium’s affordances & constraints provided potentials (and pushback) during your making?
- Q4: How does (re)mediating bridge to both the Connected Learning principles and the classroom?