Vigeland Park, Oslo, Norway 

Ways of Thinking: Arts and Ideas

Looking ahead at our next unit: what are the first things that come to your mind when you hear the word "Art" or the words "The Arts"?

Please write a brief paragraph expressing your thoughts, and enter into a dialogue with your classmates on the topic.

Come to class on Monday bristling with artistic ideas!
Cheers,
ProfC

Friere and Dewey

Several of you posted excellent comments on Paolo Friere's "The Banking Concept of Education." For those who have not yet done so, here is a small section of John Dewey's "My Pedagogic Creed" (part of next week's reading).
"I believe that much of present education fails because it neglects this fundamental principle of the school as a form of community life. It conceives the school as a place where certain information is to be given, where certain lessons are to be ]earned, or where certain habits are to be formed. The value of these is conceived as lying largely in the remote future; the child must do these things for the sake of something else he is to do; they are mere preparation. As a result they do not become a part of the life experience of the child and so are not truly educative."
Imagine a conversation between Friere and Dewey. What points would they share; what would they dispute?
Have fun!
ProfC

An interesting exercise...

...type "Richard Rodriguez" (use the quotation marks) into the search space at the upper left corner of the main blog page, and click on "search all blogs." Other people are writing about him, too, from a number of persepectives.

Have a great weekend,
ProfC

Rodriguez question

In case you haven't yet had time to post, the question follows. You can post your responses by clicking on comments at the bottom of this post.

How is Rodriguez’ experience of education and family similar to or different from your own? Write 200-300 words on this topic, supporting your assertion with a (properly-integrated) quote from Rodriguez.

just for fun

Good job so far, students who have posted!
If anyone would like to look at a blog that's visual as well as verbal, here's my personal one:
http://wordtickets.blogspot.com/
Cheers,
ProfC