Great things

This is a thread for random wonderful things at your alternative school.

Such as: The jumping corner

If you've been through kindergarten, you know a large part of it is learning to sit and listen. In alternative schools we have a reputation for sitting as little as possible, but you do need to be able to have a meeting, read a story, or give field trip instructions. In my child's kindergarten class several years ago there was a little alcove created by some bookshelves for "getting your jumps out."

I like this idea for lots of reasons. For one thing, it recognizes that sitting still is not the goal, it just helps everybody to listen undistracted. For another, it is much more effective than the standard elementary tactic of taking recess away from the rowdies. Most of all, it teaches the kids how to manage their energy, to recognize when they need to take a break so they can come back and focus. As an example, my kid, at 8 or 9, was able to spend entire evenings playing cards with her grandparents by taking self-imposed "cartwheel breaks" when she needed them.

A new school year

Here is a thread to share stories about the beginning of the school year 2009-10. I've been waiting for something to happen, and it did. Today there was a classroom agreement on the kindergarten wall. This happens every year, in every classroom at our school, but since I'm back in kindergarten again, the moment has its magic.

Classroom agreements are consistent with the idea of shared decision-making and giving students some ownership of their educational journey. The class together decides on the kind of environment they need to feel safe, happy, and learn. Although they reach the same sort of "rules" a traditional teacher might hand down (take turns talking, listen respectfully, stay in your own space, etc.) they are in the words of the children, who have really given some thought to what guidelines are needed and why.

It does really change the dynamic. I've been in a classroom to see a teacher gesture at the agreement and say "remember what we decided about voices during [this kind of activity]?" It is a different thing an order or even a request to quiet down. The kids are nodding. They did decide.