Amazing deep learning on a sick day! This floors me!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Just got home late from a track meet and came in to check the Digiteen and Horizon Project nings. I found this amusing blog entry from Nyomi L at the Baccalaureate School for Global Education (NYC - USA) entitled "Sick Day."
"Alright well, today I missed school to go to the doctor to deal with some breathing problems that I've been troubled with and after that, I happened to see a copy of Wikinomics staring at me from behind a Barnes and Nobles window. It wasn't actually on display but someone had left a copy near the window.
Anyway, I took it as a sign that I should take it upon myself to buy and read the book. After all, if I really didn't like it, I could always return it after I finished. Well, I started where I had left off in ITGS and found myself surprising interested. I read it all the way home and for the next couple of hours and found myself interested, inspired and far more excited about the Horizon Project than I've ever been. It's quite an interesting read and I recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it yet, especially people involved in this project."
How is that for a sick day? This student was SICK and yet was so engrossed and curious about this project that her SICK day became a day of very deep learning and change for her.
It is an exciting world and I get to be a part of one that helps excite and inspire teenagers from all over the world like this!
It is not without its stresses. I got a twitter from a good friend today about how someone said there was an inappropriate picture on one of the sites. I stressed at the track meet and all the way back.
I got back, ready for the worst. What I found was very mild, if anything. I deleted the pictures that I thought might be offensive, but it was simply one girl kissing another on the cheek as is often done in teenage pictures. Not appropriate for public display and yet the teenager may not realize that.
There are those, however, that may not like the exuberance of kids who are excited about the tools they are using. But, I'm seeing that my students are getting excited and really learning about things.
I feel like that for Horizon that the vehicle is cresting the hill and about to take off. I'm becoming reminded of why this sort of thing is important. It has been very very hard work getting here, though!
Its that last comment that has resonate with me - about a project being worth doing but its hard work getting there. I am having that experience at the moment with trying to get going a program of online PD seminars for midwives, all in my own time. I have been asking myself why I do it but I am convinced it will pay off, even though it may take a lot of time and commitment.
Great post. I've had the same kind of productive sick days where I actually accomplish more at home than if I had been in the office. How special that this was a teenager. At her age I think I would have watched vapid reruns on TV all day.
Again, another example about how we motivate students in the real world. Congratulations for a job well done! As for things that people might find offensive, that is in itself a learning experience. We had visiting students from France and Germany at our school for 2 weeks. It is natural there for girls to kiss girls goodbye without any homosexual connotation but our students saw it differently. We made it a learning experience also.
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Its that last comment that has resonate with me - about a project being worth doing but its hard work getting there. I am having that experience at the moment with trying to get going a program of online PD seminars for midwives, all in my own time. I have been asking myself why I do it but I am convinced it will pay off, even though it may take a lot of time and commitment.