What's it Like to Learn There?

 From the desk of Alice…

 My twins are wrapping up their kindergarten year at a public magnet school in downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  They are in different classrooms (by my choice) and this has afforded me the opportunity to see things from multiple perspectives despite a similar context.

When I have talked to them about school this year, my only objective is for them to love it.  This seems simple but there is a lot of work that goes into creating a place where students want to come each day and LOVE it.  It’s now June, we had a long winter by North Carolina standards and everyone is tired.  On this day, there was no hesitation to get up and get to school.  They love it.  For this, I thank their teachers.

If you ask the twins what they love about their school, they will tell you, “It’s fun!”  With a little probing, they can begin to tell you specifics.

“I love math.  I love the way she shows us how to figure things out and then we color and create things,” says one.

“I love blocks.  I like to build things in Discovery Time and I get to choose.  I like that my friends get to build with me,” says the other.

If we dig into these statements, I can infer a few things about cultivating a love of school.  The love of school involves being strategic on the part of the adults.  It includes socialization. Allowing student choice motivates.   Multiple avenues to learning are engaging.  The whole child is considered.  And I notice there is no worry of testing/assessments due to the fact that they are so busy learning.  These classrooms have not only considered the child’s perspective, they have built their days around it.

The outcome is students who LOVE school.

This is not to say that school should be camp.  It shouldn’t.  My children read, write, explain science concepts, problem solve, and think critically at the ripe old age of 6.  They just happen to be really happy while doing it.

As we wind down this year, I encourage you to think beyond the curriculum and reflect on what we have taught students to think about school.  What’s it like to learn there?