Blog#1 If I built a school, what would it be like?

Since reading Venosdale's blog and watching Mitra's YouTube video, my mind is filled with new ideas and learning techniques for students and classrooms. Krissy Venosdale is an educator who loves coming up with new and exciting teaching tecniques and aspires to have a fun and creative classroom. I LOVED Venosdale's ideas about having colorful and vibrant classrooms filled with different interesting things. I also agreed with her idea to teach children curriculum not based on their age but their abilities stages in life. After viewing Sugata Mitra's video I believe his whole in the wall experiment was brilliant. He displays the human mind's ability to independently learn and shows that given the right tools children can teach themselves and others how to operate computers and learn new things. His goal is to build a school where children learn from one another.

If I was given the opportunity to have my own classroom, I would teach my students what I believe to be the most beneficial in today ' s society. I would hope to be teaching 4th grade, and focus on introducing them  skills such as map reading, mental math, focus on proper grammar and how to write papers and comprehend difficult topics. Being exposed to the news and what is going on in the world would also be a major topic. I would use as many hands on techniques as possible as well as involve crafts and out door field trips. Children need to open their minds beyond the classroom and books.My goal is to teach my students skills they can take beyond the classroom. To be able to do things such as navigate places using a map, balance a checkbook and even hold a conversation with an adult on political subjects.

My main focus would be to teach them about the past, present, and future and to be able to say what the learned in my classroom they carried with them through out their lives.


I would like to use many hands on and visual methods. As a student I have found I retain and undertad information much better when given a project or some sort of visual aid long with the material. In addition, I am a huge advocate of field trips and taking students outside of the classroom.

Tools I would use in my classroom would be iPads ans smart boards. I would like to be able to give students links to various websites that go along with my lesson plans. As well as use various applications to assist in their learning. This would also help to venture outside tradition teaching methods.

My students will pay very important roles in the classroom. In fact, their roles will be just as important as my own. I expect them to frequently asks questions and start discussions. I also would encourage group activity and learning. Students need to exchange ideas and learn from each other as well as myself.