If only American schools could exude the same enthusiasm for learning as the Russell Street School. I was struck by the value placed on the arts, creativity, and self-reflection. I thought about how the class blogs captured the learning in a way that even someone from another country could appreciate.
The teachers use of pictures with caption-like descriptions give a glimpse into the classroom without overwhelming the reader. While the teachers did the majority of the blogging, their posts were written in “kid language” and from the student perspective. This gave the feeling that the classroom really did belong to the children. What a powerful message to send to the community. I also really enjoyed seeing the evolution in peer feedback between the grades. The younger children primarily gave their schoolmates compliments such as “great work!” while older children have obviously been taught about constructive feedback and offered concrete suggestions for improvement. The incorporation of digital portfolios within the blog gives students a purpose and an authentic audience for their work. Many of these principles are things that I could easily incorporate into my own classroom. I think this would go a long way towards increased parent involvement and support.
I wish our schools valued the arts and creativity to the extent that this school does. Our focus has shifted to reading, writing and arithmetic, much to the detriment of students who's skills lie in other areas.
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