A Higher Vision of Teaching, Thinking and Learning
Suzanne's Page
Profile Information
- Occupation and Interests
- parent/attorney and committed school volunteer/leader
I love this movement! I'm sure that some of you are familiar with Expeditionary Learning/Outward Bound. The 7 Dimensions of Human Greatness are very similar to the the Design Principals of ELOB......
http://www.elschools.org/aboutus/principles.html
I have been on a school council in City Schools of Decatur (Georgia) for several years. We have implemented ELOB in our elementary schools and I am absolutely amazed at the culture and focus on authentic learning that has resulted. We do not focus on standardized tests at all, yet we have an excellent pass rate even though the student bodies at all of our schools are diverse. Shoot ... we don't even have textbooks to speak of. I really wish that someone from your group could come and see our schools, particularly Oakhurst Elementary which seems to have an especially excellent implementation of EL. I'm not trying to brag, but I truly am floored whenever I go to an EL Showcase night, attend curriculum night or spend time in a classroom .
It is just hard to believe what a bunch of little 8-year-olds can create when their minds are free to think. We have had third graders organize and hold voting rallies just before the presidential election. We have had them design and implement campaigns to stamp out hunger in Atlanta. We have had first graders complete expeditions on what it means to be a hero, complete with gorgeous paintings of their own heroes. The teachers collaborate to work math, language arts, reading, etc into the expeditions so the kids learn by doing. There are "scheduled" art and music classes three times a week, but the kids work art and music into their everyday learning so they are exposed to the arts daily. They also have Spanish every day and their Spanish learning ties in with their expeditions.
On EL Showcase nights, the kids give the tours... not the teachers... the kids show off the expeditions b/c the expeditions belong to the kids ... not the teachers or principal.
It is really amazing. Please come see us. I feel like we are an island of beauty in a world of NCLB craziness!
Suzanne Miller
http://www.elschools.org/aboutus/principles.html
I have been on a school council in City Schools of Decatur (Georgia) for several years. We have implemented ELOB in our elementary schools and I am absolutely amazed at the culture and focus on authentic learning that has resulted. We do not focus on standardized tests at all, yet we have an excellent pass rate even though the student bodies at all of our schools are diverse. Shoot ... we don't even have textbooks to speak of. I really wish that someone from your group could come and see our schools, particularly Oakhurst Elementary which seems to have an especially excellent implementation of EL. I'm not trying to brag, but I truly am floored whenever I go to an EL Showcase night, attend curriculum night or spend time in a classroom .
It is just hard to believe what a bunch of little 8-year-olds can create when their minds are free to think. We have had third graders organize and hold voting rallies just before the presidential election. We have had them design and implement campaigns to stamp out hunger in Atlanta. We have had first graders complete expeditions on what it means to be a hero, complete with gorgeous paintings of their own heroes. The teachers collaborate to work math, language arts, reading, etc into the expeditions so the kids learn by doing. There are "scheduled" art and music classes three times a week, but the kids work art and music into their everyday learning so they are exposed to the arts daily. They also have Spanish every day and their Spanish learning ties in with their expeditions.
On EL Showcase nights, the kids give the tours... not the teachers... the kids show off the expeditions b/c the expeditions belong to the kids ... not the teachers or principal.
It is really amazing. Please come see us. I feel like we are an island of beauty in a world of NCLB craziness!
Suzanne Miller
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