This wiki provides a site where teacher educators, teachers, and future teachers can share ideas, projects, reflections, and instructional plans, as well as engage in discussions and networking. The primary focus is on K-8 science, but topics that span disciplines and contexts are encouraged. This site also promotes pushing the limits of what we might expect of children.
The fundamental ideas involve:
- Children are much more capable than we may assume — don't underestimate kids!
- Children are complex thinkers, limited mainly by language abilities and experiences.
- We need to seriously question our assumptions about teaching and schooling; and develop more meaningful and engaging approaches.
- Children are natural pattern thinkers, systems thinkers, explorers, and meaning-makers — we need to help promote these activities.
- We must revolutionize our ways of teaching and schooling for the sake of our children and the future of humanity.
We're not looking for the "ordinary" approaches, but for approaches that address these ideas.
Join in the conversations, sharing, and fun!
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Flagstaff Festival of Science — September 20-29, 2013 (click on "PDF Passport Brochure" for schedule of events)
- The New Classroom — Star School and ECI 306 Partnership in the News!
John Hunter's "The World Peace Game" — The Real Capabilities of 4th Graders! (by a teacher all of us can try to emulate)
The importance of this video is not about the game, but about how John Hunter has created a community where children are in control, where they are trusted and valued, and where they can flourish as fully capable and compassionate human beings.
Listen to an interview with John Hunter on The Diane Rehm Show: How Can Fourth Graders Solve World Problems.
Keep Informed About the "Real" Developments in Teaching and Schooling:
- Schools Matter @ TheChalkface
- On Twitter: @thechalkface
- Schools-Teachers-Parents — news, articles, blogs, videos, and more…
- Badass Teachers Association:
- Diane Ravitch's Blog — former Undersecretary of Education under Pres. G. W. Bush
- With a Brooklyn Accent — Mark Naison's Blog
- On Twitter: @McFiredogg
- The Answer Sheet — Washington Post - Valerie Strauss
- Living in Dialogue — Anythony Cody
- On Twitter: @EduShyster
- Susan Ohanian
- On Twitter: @susanoha
- Reclaiming the Conversation on Education — on Facebook
- Follow on Twitter:
- leonie haimson leoniehaimson
- kindergeek kindergeek
- Anthony Celini acelini
- teach the city NYCcollaborator
- Rachel Levy RachelAnneLevy
- Alexis Trass Walker LillieBelle5
- Pasi Sahlberg pasi_sahlberg
- Julie Cavanagh juliecavanagh15
- Seth Bramble CATeachersGR
- NetworkforPublicEd NetworkPublicEd
- StudentsLast Students_Last
- Progressive Ed Talk edtalk
- Timothy D. Slekar slekar
- CriticalClassrooms lapham_katie
- Ryan McClintock ryanmcclintock
- Amanda Trivett TrivettAmanda
- Chalk Face, PhD thechalkface
- Henry A. Giroux HenryGiroux
- TeacherReality TeacherReality
- Susan Ohanian susanoha
- Mark Naison McFiredogg
- Richard Lakin Thanks2Teachers
- Politics K-12 PoliticsK12
- CNY Teacher CNYTeacher
- Alfie Kohn alfiekohn
- Sir Ken Robinson SirKenRobinson
- Jeff Bloom JeffWBloom
Please participate in this site and bring it to life!
You can do this by:
- Putting projects, inquiries, and instructional ideas onto a page within one of the "project" sections (linked on the left side menu)
- Putting reflections or analyses on a page within the "Reflections and Analyses" section (linked on the left side menu)
- Placing videos you've found on YouTube, TED, or elsewhere on a page within the "Video" section (linked on the left side menu)
- Adding site links and short descriptions and/or reviews on the Links page (linked on the left side menu)
- Starting or joining in a Forum Discussion (linked on the left side menu)
- Rate pages using the "Rate" button at the bottom of every page.
There is a bit of a learning curve to entering content, but there is help through the links on this site. Look at the left side menu for:
- the How to Participate Page for more detailed information on editing and creating pages.
- "How to edit pages?" — Look at the "Documentation" link on this page, as well.
As you begin to work on pages, you'll find an "edit" button at the bottom of every editable page. After you create a page or make changes to a page, be sure to "save" your work.
Explore! Try out some pages… you can always change them or delete them.
Your participation will make this site much more useful.
The copyright © for all materials lies with the author(s) of these materials.
The Exploring Science Wiki © 2010 by Jeffrey W. Bloom.