Friday, January 25, 2013

World of Warcraft in the classroom

Teamwork, interpersonals, vocabulary...

Teacher ditches books for video games AmericaNowNews.com

Part of the article:

Words like "quest," "guild," "story," and "epoch" comprise the game's key vocabulary.

"I didn't think language arts could be fun, but this actually makes it really fun," said Cheyenne, a student in the class.

Cheyenne is the only girl in the class, but she says the class is a team and the members are now her friends.

"Since I've been in here, we have been doing quests together and, in a way, getting to know each other better," she said.

http://www.americanownews.com/story/16954437/one-teacher-ditches-books-for-video-games

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Unschooling truly in a class of its own

Unschooling truly in a class of its own

Andrew Taylor
Arts reporter, Canberra Times

Interview of Lauren Fisher, about her family in New South Wales, and some quotes from Beverley Paine and Penny Lewis.


Sandra Dodd comment: Either this is missing some context, or the professional he interviewed for balance (those professionals never know anything about unschooling) totally contradicted himself. It seems disjoint to me:
A senior lecturer in Monash University's Faculty of Education, Dr David Zyngier, does not support any form of home schooling because the vast majority of parents are not capable of teaching their children to read, write or be numerate.

"Children on their own without external intervention will never learn to read and write or do mathematics, the three most difficult things that any child will ever learn," he said.

"That is why we leave these things to well-educated professionals. That is why we no longer go to witch doctors for medical issues or try and fix our cars, fix faulty electrical systems ourselves."

Dr Zyngier said there is no robust evidence that unschooled children are capable of the same academic achievement as measured by year 12 results. Unschooling has laudable aims, but Dr Zyngier said "powerful learning like these approaches need to be offered in all schools to all children". "But such learning approaches if taking place outside of the school will only be possible in middle-class families," he said.

Very many people can repair their own cars and do minor electrical repairs. I wish journalists didn't feel that it created balance to embarrass a professor or psychologist that way. Nearly every article gets some "professional" to embarrass himself or herself that way.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/education/unschooling-truly-in-a-class-of-its-own-20130122-2d59r.html

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Film about alternative education

This is a film about a film.  The artists would like help, and you can benefit!

Said The Blind Man
A unique and delinquent teenager finds a proper outlet for his creativity and a sense of belonging in an alternative education system.