Both of these STEM classrooms are exctiing to watch. I did enjoy watching these young students engaged in figuring things out without a strong teacher presence. The teachers really personafied the "guide on the side here". The students in the Caterpillar lesson had to create a box for caterpillars to fly across country and still survive. The teacher gave some background knowledge on what living things need to survive. The students had to create with what seemed like minimal instruction and really the creating part was all their own. She went to groups and questioned and advised or reiterated their thinking but she was not telling them what to do. It came from the kids. I would absolutelly love to do this lesson, I think you could potentailly do some like this at home via zoom. I was most impressed that these were kindergarteners and she just let them go with a box of supplies and a partner. :)
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This high school really sounds a lot like our New Tech High. I was really impressed with a few of the ideas or foundational ideas of the school. One that he really impressed on me was the mutual respect. A teacher doesn't give permission to go to the bathroom, the kids just go if they need to. I think this is huge, especially in High School. I used to work at Phillips Elementary when it was an Edison school and one of the ideas there for kids was this idea that we have to let go and let the kids do a lot of the work and have the responsibility. That alwasy stayed with me and is really a huge part of my teaching. I hope that I can maintain that as a parent of teenagers one day. No one wants a helicopter mom! He also talked about the benefit of gamong and how the students could play games but only ones they built themselves. They should be makers and not consumers. I love that. I think this is a school where kids are getting a valuable and uniique education. I am really interested in this for younger students as well.