Seeing Curriculum through a Child's Eyes

Chaltain, S. (2013, March 5).  Seeing curriculum through a child's eyes [web log post].  Retrieved from http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/civic_mission/2013/03/_seeing_curriculum_through_a_childs_eyes.html

In this article, the author describes the teaching method at Mission Hill School in Mass.  This school premises its educational model on recognizing students as individual learners with unique learning styles and learning pace.  As such, teachers work with the same students for two years in order to develop a more in-depth and personal knowledge of each student's learning and to monitor their progress with their individual learning goals.  Moving away from worksheets, regurgitation and memory drills, the school promotes hands-on experience and exploration.  Further, teachers have authority at Mission Hill to help influence and design their curriculum, based on their understanding on the front line as teachers.  The author compares this type of education, which is funded largely on creativity, individuality and flexibility, to his daughter's education, which is limited to paper and pen activities and so on.  The article also includes a short video on Mission Hill School.  My favorite quote from the video comes from the school principal, who says "If we want children to be inventors, we have to give them opportunities to invent; if we want them to be artists, we give them lots of opportunities to create art; if we want them to be problem-solvers, we give them moments of independence to figure out things for themselves."  What a refreshing perspective from a school administrator!

I definitely recommend taking a few minutes to read the article and watch the video - both are valuable and inspiring.