The first TEDTalk I want to share will make you all warm and fuzzy, the speaker is Rita Pierson and she says that every student needs a champion. Her best line is "Kids don't learn from people they don't like." This is especially true for kids with low achievement records. The way to build relationships starts with simple things:
- Trying to understand first before judging
- Apologizing when things are done wrong and,
- A persistent belief in the capability of the students. Yes, even to the point of nagging our students to be the best they can possibly be.
The second TEDTalk is a bit long with good points at the end. Geoffrey Canada talks about the slowness of our school system to adapt to the needs of their customers. We all know the modern school model:
- Five days a week
- 8 to 3 pm
- Five periods a day
- September to June
Geoffrey's point of view is shaped by the poverty-stricken neighborhoods he serves in Harlem, NYC. Geoffrey offers a customized school model offering services that his community's specific needs:
- Extended-hours charter schools
- A chef who prepares healthy meals
- Health and parenting clinics
- Community centers for children and adults during after-school, weekend and summer hours
No comments:
Post a Comment