CURR 501 Blog 4.1: Dreaming of a School in the Clouds

 After watching the Ted Talk, Build a School in the Cloud I really resonate with what Sugata Mitra had discussed. He talks about learning and how it almost obsolete in the manner that it's not necessarily dying but its not really a discovery anymore when ones learning something because technology takes care of all the hard parts! He talks about future careers and whether or not students who are currently in school really learning something that will benefit them for the jobs to come in the future (or are they even really learning at all if I'm going based off Dr. Wesch's article). Sugata ends his discussion  referring to his dream of developing a "School in the Clouds" in which it is a school "where children go on intellectual adventures, driven by the the big questions that their mediators put in". 

In his "School in the Clouds" he mentions that he'd like for students to collaborate and help build it with him. That he won't just tell them what to do and how to do it but instead he will ask them questions that will prompt them to finding their own answers. I really like how student choice and perspective is taken into consideration with what he does. Learning should be based off of interests and students should have a say in what they're learning and collaborate with their teachers/mentors in how to bring their interests into account when it comes to learning. 

As a youth worker, although I'm not in a " school teacher" setting with youth, I'm still in a position to support youth as they're learning. And being in the after school field, I get a lot of opportunities in helping youth find their interests and then tie their interests into whatever they're learning. And on top of that, making it all as fun as possible to keep youth engaged and interested in learning!

Since the beginning of the pandemic I've really learned how to take a backseat in what happens in the virtual afterschool classroom. Being online all day can be hard on anyone, especially youth. So as much as possible I try to take in student voice and choice as they tell me what they want to do in program and what do they want to get out of our time together. This gives me a goal to achieve as I'm no longer teaching the youth something that I "assume" is best for them, rather, they're giving me insight on what they want to learn and are given that space to confidently be heard and that is something that I know is best for them! 




Comments

  1. Roberto VargasJuly 2, 2021 at 4:51 PM

    Tammy, I like your ideology that even though you are not in a classroom setting your are a support to students in your after school program. This is a powerful belief you hold it is your "why" in your golden circle and students will see that and will greatly believe you a great support for helping them with their interests and to top it off you sprinkle in the FUN part. Well done!

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