Old School -vs- Modern
Although all of these suggestions with the use of color and music seem wonderful. My director is old school and relies heavily on the use of a chalk board.
Although I would love to decorate the room with posters and charts, how do I get my director to agree to that?
Next class, I am going to play some music for them and see how they react.
Chalk board, white board, flip chart, or other old school legacies ... you may have limitations in the classroom. There is technically no reason to limit yourself to engage in other technology to enhance the experience. Use the old school medium to present modern access points (e.g. URL for companion reading). The notions of colors (chalk or markers) is quite useful.Bridging the old to the new may influence your director.
I ask that they turn their cell phones off and use their books or each other as resources. with small groups a "U" shape works well as all are facing each other and me, as the facilitator. Displaying their works demonstrates that I find their input an important part of our learning process.
Having students generate visual aids as a class project and hanging the best most informative ones is a great way to be sure the wall hanings are current and apply to the subject at hand, and if the studnets are aware that only the best will be displayed beyond their own class the results can be surprising.
One size fits one was a fundamental approach of the OLD SCHOOL - my definition of old school takes me to pre WW1 era. The results were better with that mind set due to seeing each student as a success potential rather than attempting to conform most students into narrow range of learning. Some learn same way , alot learn differently.
Times are uopn us all tring to keep up with the technology and students is very chalenging.
I think all of these suggestions are wonderful. I am looking forward to adding some posters and charts to my room. I am also going to try some music. I look forward to guaging the reaction of my learners.
I totally agree and use whatever I have at my disposal to aid in the learning process without distracting from the learning process.
A main component of the classroom experience vs books and internet is the personality emotion and mood the instruction giver brings to the lesson. These are some things books and the internet can not mach.
we have to remember the students today they are used to getting what ever they need in an instant they have a cell phone that can awnser any qustion they have in a matter of seconds its hard to compete with that kind of speed and keep them involved
I don't think that the chalkboard is necessarily "old school". Any opportunity for the instructor to present information visually is an advantage. Too many posters and charts can also be a distraction. Many, many wonderful institutions of higher learning still utilize the chalkboard. You might even consider large tablets on an easel and colored markers to visually differentiate text.
