kitchen table math, the sequel: Cells and bells, the video

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Cells and bells, the video

I've just watched the "open spaces" video a couple of times. I don't see a single adult in any of the images. No classrooms, either. Just "think tanks" and "breakout rooms" and "wide hallways" and the like.

From the video:
LIBRARIES evolve into vibrant extensions of classroom space.
THINK-TANKS or breakout rooms support individual or group work space.
OPEN COMMON AREAS allow students to meet and gather informally.
And this:


When it comes to building proposals, as opposed to curriculum and teaching methods, citizens actually have a vote.

Mine is No.

2 comments:

momof4 said...

My kids' MS originally had open classrooms (70s fad), which were such a disaster (equal complaints from teachers and students) that most had been enclosed or were in the process by the time my kids arrived, thank Heaven.

Do these idiots have any awareness of the concept of efficiency? The ed world seems oblivious to it, but it has a never-ending love of the newest fad. Forget 'engagement' (and critical thinking and group work etc), stop wasting time and just bloody teach the kids real content and real procedural fluency.

Catherine Johnson said...

The thing is, none of these fads is new.

They're the same thing over and over and over again.

I just got an email from one of the lists I'm on talking about an "Open Spaces" building project in suburban Detroit .....

garrrrr